The main material used for marquetry veneers is wood and here the craftsman has a vast choice, for example walnut, cherry, rosewood, harewood, mahogany and satinwood. He'll make his decision primarily on the effect he wishes to achieve and for this he will primarily consider the grain and colour of the wood. To produce more distinctive and exotic effects, he can also use such materials as bone, tortoiseshell, pewter or brass either alone or in combination with wood.

Each type of wood has its own characteristics and the craftsman must be well versed in the properties to make the right choice. For example, ebony is expansive and very hard to cut. However it makes for a delightful veneer especially for such items as chess and backgammon sets. Mansonia is a wood that fades quickly and padauk, while offering an attractive shade of red, tends to bleed into the polish resulting in a stained picture. Birds Eye Maple is another attractive veneer. Unfortunately it expands when wet resulting in a distorted picture. This is an important consideration if water-based adhesives are to be used.

One popular material used in marquetry in the past was straw. It was most famously produced by prisoners of war from the Napoleonic wars. Before being used as a veneer, the straw had to be soaked, split and ironed to produce the right consistency. Straw marquetry was popular at some European spa resorts from the end of the 18th century.