Basic marquetry/inlay

In this blog I will explain how to do some basic inlay, or marquetry. There are many techniques for this broad craft, here I will show some simple but effective tips to start you off.

• Choose your design, draw out to full size, experiment with position/ composition, and materials to be used. Laminates for the inlay can be bought online or in some specialist wood stores.

• When producing a design one method is to make a 'book' of all the different layers of laminate, then cut the design through all the layers to achieve a perfect fit. You can do this with a scroll saw. The method I will be using here is to do one layer at a time. This can be done before fixing, or as here, in situ. Other more complex designs are often built up in reverse using tape to hold together, then the whole design is glued on, and the tape scraped off and sanded afterwards.
• First cut your background shape. You can cut it in position on the piece to be inlayed.
• With your shape marked on the piece, router out to the depth of the laminate.
• Glue and clamp in position.  

• Repeat for each subsequent layer.

• When you have all pieces glued in you can sand to finish.
• Any gaps can be dealt with by a dab of superglue, followed with a quick sand to fill with dust.