
Red alder (Alnus rubra)
Family: Betulaceae
Common names: Alder, Oregon alder, Pacific coast alder, Red alder, Western alder, Western red alder
Distributed in: Canada, United States (North America)
Distribution overview: Red alder is confined to the Pacific Coast region from southeast Alaska to southern California.Although there is an isolated population growing along streams in northern Idaho, it ordinarily occurs no further inland than 100 miles (160 km) at elevations below 2,500 feet (762 m).Red alder is cultivated in Hawaii.
Common uses: Bedroom suites, Bent Parts, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Candlesticks, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Charcoal, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles: general, Hatracks, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Millwork, Office furniture, Pallets, Paneling , Paneling, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Stools, Tables , Toys, Turnery, Umbrella handles , Utility furniture, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting, Wardrobes
Product sources: Sawn lumber is imported into the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Continent. Trees grown in the UK are harvested at the pole stage. The timber of A. glutinosa is very difficult to defferentiate from that of A. incana .
Environment profile: Widespread
Tree size: Tree height is 40-50 m
Colors: the heart isYellow, Yellow to golden-yellow to orangeand the sapwoodWhite to yellow, Yellow.The grain isStraight, the textureUniform
Natural durability: Suitable for marine applications, Susceptible to attack by fungi
Odor: No specific smell or taste
Kiln Schedules: T10 - D4 (4/4) T8 - D3 (8/4) US/T10 - D4 (4/4) T8 - D3 (8/4) US
Drying Defects: Discoloration, No surface checking
Ease of Drying: Reconditioning Treatement
Tree Identification: Bole/stem form is straight
Comments: General finishing qualities are rated as good
Blunting Effect: Little
Boring: Fair to good results
Carving: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Cutting Resistance: Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Gluing: Very Good to Excellent Results
Mortising: Finishes well
Moulding: Poor to Very Poor
Movement in Service: Poor to Very Poor
Nailing: Poor to Very Poor , Very Good to Excellent
Planing: Planes well, to a good finish
Resistance to Impregnation: Sapwood is permeable
Resistance to Splitting: Good
Response to hand tools: Responds well to hand tools
Routing recessing: Routing is easy
Sanding: Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Veneering qualities: Veneers easily, Veneers moderately easy
Steam bending: Very good
Screwing: Screwing yields good results, Very Good to Excellent Results; Turning: Good results
Painting: Very Good to Excellent; Polishing: Satisfactory; Staining: Very Good to Excellent;
- Numerical data Metric
- Numerical data English
- Strength properties
- References
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 |
 |
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Item |
Green |
Dry |
Metric |
Specific Gravity |
0,3 |
0,29 |
|
Density |
|
448 |
kg/m3 |
Bending Strength |
472 |
748 |
kg/cm2 |
Crushing Strength |
21 |
35 |
kg/cm2 |
Hardness |
|
246 |
kg |
Impact Strength |
58 |
43 |
cm |
Shearing Strength |
|
77 |
kg/cm2 |
Stiffness |
98 |
115 |
1000 kg/cm2 |
Tangential Shrinkage |
6 |
|
% |
Radial Shrinkage |
3 |
|
% |
Weight |
544 |
432 |
kg/m3 |
Maximum Load |
0,42 |
0,56 |
cm-kg/cm3 |
Toughness |
|
|
cm-kg |
Static Bending |
241 |
406 |
kg/cm2 |
|
 |  |  |  | Item | Green | Dry | English | Bending Strength | 6726 | 10652 | psi | Crushing Strength | 299 | 500 | psi | Density | | 28 | lbs/ft3 | Hardness | | 543 | lbs | Impact Strength | 23 | 17 | inches | Maximum Crushing Strength | 3039 | 5533 | psi | Shearing Strength | | 1105 | psi | Static Bending | 3430 | 5782 | psi | Stiffness | 1403 | 1643 | 1000 psi | Work to Maximum Load | 6 | 8 | inch-lbs/in3 | Specific Gravity | 0.3 | 0.29 | | Weight | 34 | 27 | lbs/ft3 | Radial Shrinkage | 3 | | % | Tangential Shrinkage | 6 | | % | Volumetric Shrinkage | 12 | | % | |
Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Hardness (side grain) = very soft Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 23-30 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Max. crushing strength = medium Max. crushing strength = low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = very low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = small Hardness (side grain) = soft Bending strength (MOR) = medium
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