Composite core furniture items

A multi-layered composite core panel for receiving wood veneer on an exterior thereof, the multi-layered composite core panel comprising:

• a central layer of non-ferrous material having a compressive strength greater than about 3 MPa and having a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, first, second, third, and fourth peripheral edges between the first major surface and the second major surface, and a central layer thickness that separates the first major surface and the second major surface, the central layer thickness uniform throughout the central layer;
• a pair of intermediate layers of non-ferrous material having a modulus of elasticity greater than about 70000 MPa, the central layer thickness being greater than ten times an intermediate layer thickness of each intermediate layer, a first of the intermediate layers being directly adhered to the first major surface of the central layer, and a second of the intermediate layers being directly adhered to the second major surface of the central layer opposite from the first major surface;
• and
• a pair of outer core layers that each have an outer major surface that is more porous than the materials of the central layer and the intermediate layers and that each have an outer core layer thickness less than the central layer thickness and less than the intermediate layer thickness of each intermediate layer, a first of the outer core layers being directly adhered to an outwardly facing major surface of the first intermediate layer, and a second of the outer core layers being directly adhered to an outwardly facing major surface of the second intermediate layer,
• wherein the multi-layered composite core panel has an overall thickness of less than about 13 mm and the outer major surfaces of the outer core layers are exposed for adhering with wood veneer layer while the first, second, third, and fourth peripheral edges of the central layer remain exposed.