Is Alder Wood A Hardwood

As a hardwood alder is used in making furniture cabinets and other woodworking products.

Is alder wood a hardwood.

If you re in the market for new cabinets there s a good chance you ve heard about alder wood. Lighter than some of its wood counterparts this hardwood member of the birch family has been used to make gorgeous renditions of everything from guitars to dining room tables. Alder wood is dull light reddish brown with darker lines or streaks formed by broad rays. Straight grained with fine texture but without luster.

The wood is fairly straight grained with a uniform texture. Alder is a common wood used in cabinet making. General description alder a relative of birch is almost white when freshly cut but quickly changes with exposure to air becoming light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge. While there are many species of alder throughout the world the most commonly used in woodworking today is the red alder in the flooring industry hardwood harvested in north america is referred to as domestic which is less expensive than the imported.

Alnus alder is a north american hardwood usually found in the pacific northwest generally between california and alaska. Homeowners who want to pick the best wood for their wooden furniture are often confused when it comes to alder wood as they wonder if alder is a hardwood. Although it is classified as a hardwood it is one of the softest hardwood. Alder is often used as a face frame material on birch plywood cabinets.

Red alder is almost white when freshly cut but quickly changes on exposure to air to light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge. The hardness of wood varies with the direction of the wood grain and varies from piece to piece. Extensive information on domestic exotic hardwoods. So a janka rating is an average of numerous tests performed on all directions and numerous pieces.

It is interesting to note that this light brown wood with striking grain patterns came into limelight as a more affordable alternative to cherry wood and that s exactly how. Harder woods create good solid long lasting joinery in furniture. Identified as a popular finish hardwood alder wood is one of the softest hardwoods on the market after of course pine and poplar wood. Heartwood is formed only in trees of advanced age and there is no visible boundary between sap and heartwood.

Alder is appreciated for its tone that is claimed to be tight and evenly balanced especially when compared to mahogany and has been adopted by many electric guitar manufacturers. Owing to its malleable texture the wood is commonly known as a semi hardwood. It can be a great option for cabinets too but there are several factors to consider before making a decision about.