I am considering using Red Alder for a new set of Kitchen Cabinets. Does anyone have experience is this regard. I would be interested in learning more about working with Red Alder and finishing the same. Also, is there a source for Red Alder Sheet goods, (plywood)? Thanks
fuzzwood
Replies
hey fuzz,
back when making kitchen and bathroom cabinets was my source of income, alder was often used. it machines well, is easily repaired after a boo-boo and can be finished to look like the high price stuff. are your cabinets to be face framed? if so, you can get away with ordinary birch plywood for the interiors. however, my experience with the "manufactured in china" birch ply, was dismal and i'll not use it again, especially if flat sheet goods are called for. the chinese stuff seems to look flat at home depot but during, and soon after it's ripped to width, starts to twist and warp.
eef
Eef,
That plywood isn't a knockoff for Baltic Birch is it? Hope not as I'm thinking of using BB for some kitchen cabinets I will be building this fall.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
bob,
as far as i know, baltic birch is still baltic birch. what i am referring to is 3/4x4'x8' birch ply sold at home "despot". i think that there was a long discussion about chinese plywood, here on knots, a few months back.
hope you're enjoying your summer,bob.
eef
eef, you would be better off playing with the snakes in my shop than messin with that Despot chinese plywood....
Funny story, but not so fun. I had a bunch stacked up in the shop. Placed them on end to save space. I had gone in the house that afternoon, and was taking the garbage out a few hours later and noticed they were starting to turn into Pringles. So I stopped and got some clamps out to hold them together and hopefully flat. Well the first clamp got everything cock eyed and the next clamp on the other side would not fit, so I am wrestlin with it somethign fiece. Next thing I know the whole stack starts to fall on top of me. It does..... and it pins me to the wifes car.... busts up my nose good an it's bleedin good. I can't even hollar, but the air coming out of me scared my neighbor so he came over and rescued me.
Last piece of cheap a... ply from Despot to ever step foot in my shop. Last time I will store plywood vertical....
Later Morgan <!----><!----><!---->
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I am not a big fan for Alder in Kitchens, if you use them cook in. Kitchens take a lot of wear and tear, pots pans, mixers, platers, big bowls, guests etc. Plan on your cabinets taking some dings and dents over time. If your finish is an Old World aged look then it should be no problem. I would prefer a QS Oak, Maple or such for durability.
Look for a MDF or Particle Board with veneer for your boxes. Much more stable than plywood and more uniform in thickness. The baltic birch I have been getting varies across the panel by 1/32 of an inch.... grrr. You might also find a ply with hardboard sides and veneer over that. Nice material and very dent free.
AZMO
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Make sure you sand it very well and evenly. Any swirl marks will show. I find it hard to tell if it is sanded well unless I have a lot of light.
As a bit of history, Alder was a weed for BigWoodCo for decades. They sprayed herbicides to kill it (and everything else) so they could plant 2x4's. Turns out the herbicides were helping to destroy the commercial and sport fishing, so they were forced to stop. They let the Alder grow and tired to pulp it, but it was not profitable. Then they let it grow to lumber size and tried to sell it as wood. Tough go. So they made a couple of kitchens (short and narrow lends itself well to kitchen parts) and hired designers to put their names on them, published in several magazines, and a wood is born.
Now housewives from Nova Scotia to Nuevo Rancho have to have an Alder Kitchen.
Prior to that, Alder was the cheapest thing that could pass for lumber. Now BigWoodCo markets it in 22 proprietary grades.
Same thing happened with knotty pine after WW2. Knotty pine kitchens and rec rooms in House Beeyootiful, with a designer's name, and a whole genre emerges. The power of Big.
Dave S
fuzzwood ,
Of the 150 or so kitchens I have built Alder was probably used 35-40% of the time .
In fact looks like my next kitchen will be Alder . What has been said of Alders softness is true , in a family kitchen that will get abused it is not great .
In many applications where small children are not present Alder can last and wear well .
Alder can be stained to match almost any wood , Alder looks sweet with a clear natural finish very buttery look .They do make plywoods to match with Alder veneers .
Right now on the West coast Rustic Alder is the craze , yup designers are involved with this movement and promotion .The high end market that deals with designers is somewhat viable still .
The scraps make good bbq wood and wood for the smoker.
Build yourself a beautiful Red Alder kitchen .
regards dusty
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