Alder Wood Furniture Reviews

Cabinets alder is often used as a face frame material on birch plywood cabinets.

Alder wood furniture reviews.

The downside to alder is that it is much easier to dent and scratch than hardwoods like maple. Although it is classified as a hardwood species it is softer than woods such as oak and maple. Consequently the prices have risen from a low of 75 cents per bf for the frame grade knotty alder to a current high of 2 25 and the fas alder has gone from 1 85 to 3 05 and this is all in the past two years. As a hardwood maple is durable and will stand up well to years of heavy use.

Alder or red alder as it is often called grows in the pacific coast areas of the us and canada. Alder is used for furniture cabinets and picture frames and in other custom woodworking projects. Alder has a fine smooth straight grain with random mineral streaks and mild color variation. The wood expert told me that alder is the poor man s maple.

I am in the southwest and alder is currently the highest demand wood for high end cabinets. If you plan using rubberwood or better say hevea in europe you wouldn t sell anything. Wood stain is the quickest and easiest way to dramatically change the appearance of a piece of furniture a deck flooring or any other wooden surface that needs some restoration or a whole new look. It will give you a glass smooth surface without requiring a grain filler.

It has a dense grain. Alder is a hot commodity. One of the biggest benefits of alder wood is the cost. Alder tends to be amber with age.

Alder is about in the middle of the road of hardwood prices. Alder has the highest hardwood lumber grade with an 83 clear face. Several years ago i was having a custom table built and looking at different woods including alder. It even supports a market for character wood using the knotty stained and void containing boards that used to go to the chipper.

It used to be a poor boys maple but with the advent of modern milling and kiln technology it has come into its own as a hardwood for cabinetry and furniture. Knotty or not knotty. Its grain is better than cherry s and it s light in weight. Actually rubberwood is not considered good quality in the western markets ironically so because in fact it really is.