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Red alder
Red alder
Common Names
==================================
Alder
Oregon alder
Pacific coast alder
Red alder
Western alder
Common Uses
==================================
Bedroom suites
Cabinetmaking
Candlesticks
Chairs
Chests
Desks
Dining-room furniture
Dowell pins
Dowells
Drawer sides
Fine furniture
Floor lamps
Hatracks
Interior trim
Kitchen cabinets
Living-room suites
Millwork
Office furniture
Radio, stereo, TV cabinets
Rustic furniture
Stools
Tables
Umbrella handles
Veneer
Wainscotting
Wardrobes
Species Distribution
==================================
REGIONS:
North America
COUNTRIES:
United States
Physical and Environmental Profile
==================================
Environmental Profile
Red alder is reported to be rather widespread,
abundant,
and secure globally, though it may be rare at the periphery of
its range
(Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endangerment
based primarily
on the number of occurrences of the species globally).
Distribution
The growth range of Red alder is reported to
extend from
southeastern Alaska to southern California.
The species is reported to be common at low elevation
throughout the Coast and Cascade ranges.
It usually grows in nearly pure stands along streams and lower
slopes
in moist soils including loam, gravel, sand, and clay.
Product Sources
It is not known at present whether timber from
this species is obtainable from
sustainably managed or other environmentally responsible
sources,
but Red alder is reported to be the most common and
important of the hardwoods in the Pacific Northwest.
Red alder is reported to be rather scarce in the
veneer form, but is abundant as lumber.
Supplies of the inexpensive lumber are reported to be rather
plentiful,
particularly along the west coast of the United States.
Tree Data
The tree is reported to reach heights of 70 to
120 feet (21 to 36 m),
with a maximum height of 130 feet (39 m).
Trees growing in the forest are reported to develop slightly
tapered boles
that are commonly clear of branches to 60 to 70 percent of the
total height of the tree.
Trunk diameter is often 10 to 34 inches (25 to 85 cm).
The only one of the ten native Alder trees in the
United States to reach commercial size and abundance,
Red alder trees are reported to be rather fast growing, maturing
in about 50 years.
They are often planted for shade along roads and homes.
Heartwood Color
The heartwood, which is indistinct from the
sapwood is whitish when first cut,
but changes color upon exposure to light reddish-brown.
Grain
Red alder has been described as 'pleasing' in
appearance,
with grain that is typically straight and subdued.
Although the color has often been described as delicate,
the wood is without any outstanding figure.
Texture
Texture is typically fine and even, and is
close.
Natural Durability
The timber is not resistant to decay, and is
reported to be
susceptible to attack by wood borers and the common furniture
beetle.
Rapid conversion into lumber after felling is recommneded to
prevent staining and decay,
and anti-stain chemicals are reported to be essential to stop
the development of a
reddish-purple stain in solid-piled lumber in the green
condition.
The timber is reported to perform relatively well when submerged
under water.
The standing tree is also reported to be easily attacked by a
fungus which causes heart rot.
Veneering Qualities
Red alder is reported to be very easy to convert
into veneer,
and is reported to be one of the easiest commercial timber to
peel into veneer.
Cutting Resistance
The wood has been found to be fairly difficult
to saw.
Blunting Effect
The wood has slight blunting effect on cutting
tools.
Planing
Red alder is reported to be highly regarded for
its machining properties because
of its moderate specific gravity and even texture.
It responds very well to planing operations, but it requires
sharp tools and
reasonable feed rates to yield clean surfaces.
(Percent of perfect pieces without any machining defects =
61).
Turning
The material is reported to turn very well,
despite its softness.
It has been compared to Black cherry (Prunus serotina ) in this
regard.
(Percent of pieces with fair to excellent results in turning =
88).
Moulding
Moulding or shaping is reported to require sharp
tools
and non-excessive feed rates for best results.
(Number of moulded pieces with good to excellent results =
20).
Carving
Red alder is reported to respond well to
carving, either with hand or machine tools.
Boring
Boring properties are rated as fairly good.
(Percent of good to excellent pieces = 66).
Routing & Recessing
The wood is normally very easy to rout or
recess.
Mortising
Red alder is reported to have fairly good
mortising characteristics.
(Number of mortised pieces with fair to excellent results =
52).
Gluing
The wood has excellent gluing properties,
and Red alder is reported to be well known for its bonding
qualities.
It requires only moderately controlled conditions for the best
results.
Nailing
Resistance to splitting in nailing operations is
reported to be very good,
but nail-holding qualities are not particularly good.
Screwing
Screwing properties are reported to be very
good,
but the wood does not hold screws very well.
Sanding
The wood is very easy to sand.
Polishing
The wood can be polished very easily. No grain
filling is required.
Staining
The uniform, small pore structure and color
consistency of Red alder are reported to
allow it to accept a variety of commercially available
stains,
and can be stained to match other cabinet woods.
Steam Bending
Steam bending properties are rated as very
good.
Response to Hand Tools
The wood responds well to hand tools.
Strength Properties
The bending strength of the species is
considered medium,
being much weaker than White oak or Teak in the air-dry
condition
(about 12 percent moisture content).
Compression strength parallel to grain, or maximum crushing
strength, is medium.
It is lower in this property than Teak.
It is not hard and can be dented and marred easily.
Weight is moderate. Red alder is light, but moderately
strong.
It is not recommended for uses that require strength.
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Reference Sources
Numerical Data Source
USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering
Material.
Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin.
Descriptive Data Source
Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood
Technology.
McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book
Company, New York.
Canadian Forestry Service. 1981.
Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses.
Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors.
Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.
Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991.
Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying,
Selecting and Using the Right Wood.
Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Western Wood Products Association. 19__.
Woods of the Western USA.
Published and distributed by the Western Wood Products
Association,
Yeon Building, 522 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color.
Linden Publishing Co. Inc. Fresno, California.
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M.
Wengert. 1988.
Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and
Tropical.
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report
FPL-GTR-57,
Madison, Wisconsin
USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual,
Preliminary Copy.
Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,
Wisconsin.
Niemiec, S.S., G.A. Ahrens, S. Willits, and D.E.
Hibbs. March, 1995.
Hardwoods of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University,
College of Forestry,
Research Contribution 8, Forest Research Laboratory,
Department of Forest Products, Corvallis, Oregon.
California Department of Forestry.
Comparative Physical & Mechanical Properties of Western
& Eastern Hardwoods.
Prepared by Forest Products Laboratory,
University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California.
n/d.
Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month - Red Alder.
Wood and Wood Products, July 1986. Page 56.
Little, E.L. 1980.
The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees -
Western Region.
Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.
Kline, M. 1987. Alnus rubra - Red alder.
In A Guide to Useful Wood of the World, Flynn Jr., J.H.,
Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page
34-35.
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