When artificial materials began to dominate part of the market in the 1990s and many manufacturers were stepping away from the production of veneered doors, the SAPELI brand chose to go in the opposite direction – it continued to develop them and invested in technology and know-how. "We have always believed in veneer, and today's increased interest in natural materials proves our point," says SAPELI owner Dušan Vrtal. Thanks to this, working with veneer is now among the areas where this Czech brand has the most experience in the market and can be a partner to architects on challenging projects.

Veneer: a material that lives with the building

The variability of veneer is fascinating – the final appearance of the veneer is determined by the type of wood, the manner of slicing, the assembly of individual sheets, and the subsequent finishing treatment. Veneer can be oiled to maintain the most natural appearance or, conversely, to achieve a different tone; it can be brushed to enhance its grain or stained in various shades. "It can take on dozens of forms, but once you decide on one, at SAPELI we can guarantee its consistency across all doors in one project. You will get all doors literally from one tree from us," says Tomáš Albrecht, head of marketing and product.

Veneer is also a material that can naturally evolve over time. It does not age abruptly but gradually develops its own character and deepens its color. Birch, which has recently been increasingly competing with the time-tested oak, develops a more honeyed hue over the years, while walnut darkens. A natural patina forms on the veneer, and the surface retains its authenticity even after years of use.

A specific example is the Altholz veneer, which SAPELI works with on a custom basis and used, for example, in the project of the Krkonošsko Resort Aldrov. Altholz veneer has long since finished aging, as it is sliced from beams of historic buildings, including Alpine barns. Subsequently, this material undergoes reclamation and can bring a rustic feeling and authenticity of historical wood into contemporary interiors.

Where the machine ends and the human begins

Upon visiting the production, it might be easy at first glance to succumb to the impression that today's doors are created almost automatically. Modern technologies have indeed taken over a large part of the physically demanding work. They move materials, ensure precise positioning, and take on routine, repeatable tasks.

However, upon closer inspection, visitors realize that machines cannot replace human labor. "The human hand and eye are key," explains production manager František Brož, who started in Polná at the moment when a descendant of the original owners restituted the factory and the current SAPELI was established. It is precisely during the assembly of the veneer, final processing, and inspection that human experience and intuition make the difference.

This is particularly evident during oiling. For custom production, SAPELI still relies on hand application and working the oil into the surface with a roller, which allows for immediate reactions to the varying absorbency of different types of wood.

Individual approach with factory capabilities

The combination of an individual artisan approach with the technological capabilities of a large manufacturer is one of the benefits that Czech architects seek in SAPELI. According to the company's owner Dušan Vrtal, SAPELI strives to meet their visions as much as possible. Sometimes this means coming up with entirely new technical solutions, other times drawing attention to the limits of the design and jointly finding a better way, or tirelessly searching for the right solution for very unusual projects.

For example, in the reconstruction of the Rudolfium’s facilities according to Lenka Míkova’s project. In the lounge areas for employees, it was necessary to harmonize the veneer of sliding doors with the wall cladding, which integrates several functions (radio, water cooler, serving window) and flexibly allows the club to change into a bistro or meeting room. SAPELI had to work very precisely with staining and the continuity of growth rings on both the doors and the transoms.

In the project for the Galaxie eR kindergarten by RG architects, work was done with the shade and grain of birch veneer to match the furnishings. The precise tuning of veneer colors is one of the standard challenges in working with architects. At the kindergarten in Varnsdorf, SAPELI also worked with oversized three-meter sliding doors into a pocket and glass walls with integrated doors.