Alder (Red) - Alnus Rubra

Red Alder is a relatively soft hardwood that is typically a light tan to reddish brown that darkens and reddens with age. The color is uniform with virtually no visible difference between the heartwood and sapwood. Red Alder is very easy to work with, machining, nailing and gluing well. It is especially easy to sand because the wood is rather soft. This also means that care must be taken to avoid denting. It can be painted, or stained to a beautiful finish and when stained, it blends with walnut, mahogany or cherry. It dries easily with little degrade and has good dimensional stability. Ranges in grade from Knotty to Clear. It is often used in rustic or distressed applications. It has a Janka Hardness rating of 590 and is relatively inexpensive.

Click Here to see a comparison of some common Janka Hardness Ratings