Alder Wood Furniture Reviews

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.
Alder wood furniture reviews. As a hardwood maple is durable and will stand up well to years of heavy use. It s not quite as cheap as it used to be when it was referred to as poor man s cherry but there s still a considerable price difference between it and more expensive hardwoods such as mahogany. Alder has a fine smooth straight grain with random mineral streaks and mild color variation. Alder is more affordable as it is a mid grade wood.
Knotty or not knotty. I am in the southwest and alder is currently the highest demand wood for high end cabinets. Alder or red alder as it is often called grows in the pacific coast areas of the us and canada. Maple is a premium hardwood and much more durable hence the higher price.
Cabinets alder is often used as a face frame material on birch plywood cabinets. Several years ago i was having a custom table built and looking at different woods including alder. Alder is a hot commodity. If you plan using rubberwood or better say hevea in europe you wouldn t sell anything.
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. Actually rubberwood is not considered good quality in the western markets ironically so because in fact it really is. It even supports a market for character wood using the knotty stained and void containing boards that used to go to the chipper. Alder is about in the middle of the road of hardwood prices.
Alder tends to be amber with age. Although it is classified as a hardwood species it is softer than woods such as oak and maple. 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. The wood expert told me that alder is the poor man s maple.
Alder has the highest hardwood lumber grade with an 83 clear face. One of the biggest benefits of alder wood is the cost. Its grain is better than cherry s and it s light in weight. It has a dense grain.