Alder Hardwood Sample (1/2"x3"x6")
SKU: samples-alder$8.00 ea.
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48 U.S. Ground Service
48 U.S. Ground Service
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Why Choose Alder?
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.
Get your hands on a wood you've never tried before! It's simple. Samples are milled on all sides to the standard size of 1/2'' X 3'' X 6'', as determined by The International Wood Collectors Society, and include the shipping cost within the 48 U.S. Each one is labeled with the botanical and common names. Use these to test finishes and stains, to compare color and grain characteristics, etc.
| Thickness | 1/2" (≈ 1/2" approx) |
| Width | 3" |
| Length | 6" |
| Grade | Samples are milled on all sides, cut square and sanded; wood is a product of nature with inconsistencies from piece to piece. Use species samples as a guide, not a perfect representation. |
Weight
2.33
lbs /Bd. Ft.
-34.92% lighter than red oak (3.58 /bd. ft.)
General Workability
Wood Texture
Ease of Finishing
Wood Texture
Ease of Finishing
Color Range
Pale Yellow to Reddish Brown.
Pale Yellow to Reddish Brown.
What's The Tree Like?
A relatively small tree, reaching about 50ft in height and producing a trunk in diameter up to 15".
A relatively small tree, reaching about 50ft in height and producing a trunk in diameter up to 15".
Other Names
Alder, Oregon alder, Pacific coast alder, Red alder, Western alder
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.
Rustic furniture, entry doors, moldings, turning, carving, toys, plywood, veneer, cabinets, musical instruments.
What Does The Janka Hardness Rating Mean?
The Janka hardness test is the international standard for measuring the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear.
It's expressed in psi, or pounds-per-square-inch. The test measures the pressure required to embed an 11.28mm (.444 in) diameter steel ball into wood to half the ball's diameter. The measurement was developed to determine whether a species is suitable for use as flooring; however, we include it here and compare it to the rating of red oak to help you make a buying choice.
There is a difference between hardness and being difficult to work with. Generally speaking, the harder the wood the easier it is to finish and polish. Harder woods create good, solid long-lasting joinery in furniture.
The hardness of wood varies with the direction of the wood grain, and varies from piece to piece. So a Janka rating is an average of numerous tests performed on all directions and numerous pieces. Use the Janka hardness rating as guide, not a definitive answer.
Image by Nasa-verve, Wikimedia Commons
Verified Buyer
Big
Texas
Sample of several species
The samples came in a timely manner. They were packaged well. It gave me the opportunity to try some different finishes before selecting the wood for my cabinets. I have never been disappointed with orders from woodworkers source!
Verified Buyer
DaWoodMan
Texas
As Expected
Was able to test out some stain/dye on a a piece of alder, which I've never worked with before. Super fast shipping!! Will do business with again.
Charlie Livingston
Waxhaw NC USA
Good sample stock
I use this for color testing dye stain mixtures before applying to the guitars I build. Good quality samples and a great way to experiment on indicative but inexpensive stock.
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