Alder / Red Alder / European Alder

Names and distribution:

Of the European alders, only the black or red alder, botanically Alnus glutinosa, provides commercially usable wood. The white or gray alder rarely grows into dimensions suitable for timber. The alders are widespread throughout Central and Eastern Europe as far as the Urals and the Caucasus. Alders are moderately well available. American alders from the west of the USA (Oregon, Washington) are also economically significant. Alders are readily available in Hesse.

Wooden picture:

Sapwood and heartwood not differentiated in color; wood rosé-colored, sometimes with a dark heartwood, often showing signs of decay due to brown rot towards the center of the trunk. Darkens to a rather uniform reddish brown in the light. Fine-pored, fine-textured, often parallel-grained, but also possible to grow in a curved pattern, overall plain, less decorative.

Properties:

Density at u=12% is approx. 0.50 t/m³ with a fluctuation range of 0.44-0.52 m³. The shrinkage from the fresh state to u=12% is specified as 6.2% tangential and 3.8% radial. Drying can be carried out without any problems. Easy and clean to work, resulting in uniformly smooth surfaces, excellent for polishing and staining. High dimensional stability.
The Brinell hardness is specified as 16-17, the modulus of elasticity as approx. 9,600 ^N/mm2. Alder is not weatherproof.

Use:

Furniture wood, turnery wood, musical instruments (electric guitar bodies).