Alder Knotty

Red alder is a fairly straight-grained wood of uniform texture, the heartwood being pale yellow to reddish-brown. Heartwood and sapwood are not clearly distinct. It has a pleasant but not outstanding figure.

Properties:

Red alder is a weak, soft wood of medium density, with low bending strength and shock resistance, very low stiffness and medium crushing strength. Its steam-bending qualities are very good, however. Apart from a slight tendency for the grain to pick up on planing, it works well. The wood nails and glues without difficulty, and takes finishes well. There is only a slight blunting effect on tools. Red alder works well with hand tools and peels easily for veneers.

Seasoning:

Red alder dries fairly rapidly and easily with almost no degrade. It moves very little in service.

Durability:

The wood is vulnerable to the common furniture beetle, and both the heartwood and sapwood are permeable for preservation treatment. It is perishable.

Typical Uses:

Furniture, cabinetwork, rustic furniture, turnery and carving, woodware, interior construction, electric guitar bodies, umbrella handles and utility plywood. Red alder can also produce interesting veneers with burr (burl) clusters, streaks and knots.

Alnus rubra (Betulaceae)

Also called:

western alder, Oregon alder, Pacific coast alder

Grows:

Pacific coast of USA and Canada

Weight per Board Foot:

2.7 lbs

Typical dry weight:

33lb/ft3 (530kg/m3)

Specific Gravity:

.53

Typical Height:

70-120ft (21-36m)

Trunk Diameter:

1-4ft (0.3-1.2m)**4'x8' 10mm Paper Back Veneer-Knotty; Superior $ 100.00 ea
15 bf min