Alder (Alnus rubra)

Characteristics Light Heavy Weight: Soft Hard Hardness: Fine Coarse Texture: Easy Difficult Working: Easy Difficult Finishing: Chart Help

Alder Characteristics

A soft, relatively low-strength, straight-grained, even-textured wood. Works well with hand and machine tools, but sharp cutting edges need to be maintained to prevent tearing the grain. The wood is rarely wider than 6" due to the small size of the trees.

Color Range

Pale Yellow to Reddish Brown.

Other Names

Alder, Oregon alder, Pacific coast alder, Red alder, Western alder

Some Typical Uses

Rustic furniture, entry doors, moldings, turning, carving, toys, plywood, veneer, cabinets, musical instruments.

What's the Tree Like?

A relatively small tree, reaching about 50ft in height and producing a trunk in diameter up to 15''.

Alder grows in

Pacific Coast of North America.