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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Alnus glutinosa Trade Name Alder Family Name Betulaceae Common Names Alder, Aulne noir, Aune, Aune commune, Black alder, Common alder, Eis, Els, Erle, European alder, Grey alder, Hannoki, Japanese alder, Klibbal Regions of Distribution Africa, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean Sea Region, Oceania and S.E. Asia, Western Europe Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Russia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom Common Uses Artificial limbs, Baskets, Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Brush backs & handles, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Charcoal, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Musical instruments, Particleboard, Piling, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Posts, Pulp/Paper products, Shade rollers, Sporting Goods, Textile equipment, Toys, Turnery, Utility plywood, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wooden shoes Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Natural throughout British Isles and most of Europe. Naturalized in NE U.S. and SE Canada (Maritime provinces) and forming pure stands along some rivers and streams. Introduced in colonial times. It is also found in western Asia, and northern Africa. Long cultivated, the original range is difficult to determine. Black alder is spread all over Europe from Ireland in the west to western Siberia in the east, as far as northern Africa in the south and up to 65o in the north. It has been introduced in the Azores and in the United States of America. Its range both in Europe and Africa is not compact but markedly disjunct. In the mountainous regions of the central Europe it reaches altitudes between 1500 and 1800 m. Its preferred climate is moderate to cold one, it grows best in deep soils where the water table is high. Optimum amount of precipitation is from 800 to 860 mm per year. It does not tolerate stagnant water or high soil acidity. Heartwood Color Brown Red White Yellow Purple Orange Reddish brown White to cream Red Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale brown Brown Felled wood has a warm light brown color then changes rapidly to bright deep orange Sapwood Color Red Brown Yellow White Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Figure Rays (figure) Straight Distinct (figure) Even Stripe (figure) Irregular Growth rings (figure) Rays figure Generally straight, but not always Striped figure Distinct and fine figure Burrs Irregular Distinct and fine figure Clear growth rings (figure) Carefully managed trees are reported to produce straight-grained timber. Grain tends to be wild in trees with irregular trunks and which are occasionally burry. This is common in trees growing in open areas near streams. Quarter cut material may have a well-defined figure because of false broad rays, but the figure is infrequent since the rays are irregularly distributed. Sound burrs are highly figured, if they are found in suitable sizes. Texture Fine Close Even or uniform Fine Even textured Luster Low Dull Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to marine borers Sapwood non-resistant to furniture beetles Perishable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Sapwood is vulnerable to attack by furniture beetles Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present No natural resistance Immune from attack by powder-post beetle Odor No specific smell or taste Light-Induced Color Change Darker Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed Uk=J US=T10D5S/T8D4S Fr=4 Uk=F US=T6D4/T3D3 Fr=6 Schedule J (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Little or no degrade Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Moderately Difficult to Difficult Medium to High Shrinkage Little degrade Easy Moderate Radial and tangential shrinkage from 4-7% Dries well under good controlled conditions Dries at a fairly rapid rate Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 0-10 m Product Sources The tree is cultivated in some parts of the Philippines for its valuable oil (lumbang oil), which is used as a substitute for linseed oil. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Low resistance to sawing Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Glues well Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable Holds shape well Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Holds nails well Easy to nail Holds satisfactorily Satisfactory nailing properties Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sharp surfaces are required Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is permeable Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Screwing yields good results Screwing yields satisfactory results Easy to screw Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Finish is generally satisfactory Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Suitable for peeling Veneers moderately easy Suitable for slicing Difficult to veneer Easy to cut There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Suitable for slicing Moderately easy to veneer Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moderate Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Finish is generally satisfactory Finish is generally good Stains well Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Max. crushing strength = low Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft.