Interactive Alder Grading Pages
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EnterThe following data was compiled from industry-recognized tests conducted by the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory:
Western Alder | Bigleaf Maple | Western Red Oak | Pacific Madrone | Tanoak | Oregon White Oak | Golden Chestnut | Northern Poplar | Oregon Ash | Sycamore | California Black Walnut | Western Birch | |
Machining | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
Resistance to Splitting | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
Joint Strength | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
Gluing | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
Sanding/Polishing | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 9 |
Finishing | 10 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 8 |
Specific Gravity | .41 | .48 | .57 | .65 | .66 | .72 | .46 | .35 | .55 | .49 | .55 | .60 |
Weight Per Cubic Foot | 28.7 | 33.6 | 39.8 | 45.4 | 46.1 | 50.3 | 32.2 | 24.5 | 38.4 | 34.3 | 38.4 | 32 |
Weight per MBF | 2390 | 2850 | 3320 | 3785 | 3930 | 4190 | 2680 | 2040 | 3200 | 2850 | 3200 | 3250 |
Hardness | 5 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
Shrinkage Volume (%) | 12.6 | 11.6 | 9.7 | 17.4 | 14.9 | 13.4 | 13.2 | 12.4 | 13.2 | 14.1 | 12.8 | 11.5 |
Static Bending | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
Impact Bending | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
Compression | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Dimensional Stability | 8 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 8 |
Values obtained from consideration of USDA Forest Products Lab, Oregon State University Forest Research Lab, Pittsburgh Testing Lab and years of practical applications.
Machining - Average of 5 operations: Planing, shaping, turning, boring and mortising (High of 10).
Resistance To Splitting - Resistance to splitting from nail or screw (High of 10).
Joint Strength - Average of side and end grain screw holding ability measured in shear factor and converted for comparison (High of 10)
Gluing - Total Bond Strength (High of 10).
Sanding/Polishing - Resistance to fuzzing (High of 10).
Finishing - Ability to absorb stain evenly, take oil and water based finishes without bleaching (High of 10).
Specific Gravity - Green volume, oven dry weight.
Weight Per Cubic Foot - Lbs at 12% moisture content.
Weight per MBF - Lbs per 1000 board feet at 12% moisture content, 4/4 rough.&
Hardness - Pressure to bury half of 1.13cm ball perpendicular to the grain (High of 10).
Shrinkage Volume - Percent of across grain shrinkage from green to 6% moisture content.
Static Bending - Resistance to rupture (High of 10).
Impact Bending - Resistance to fiber stress (High of 10).
Compression - Crushing strength, resistance to weight applied parallel to grain (High of 10).
Dimensional Stability - Resistance to expansion and contraction due to climatic variations (High of 10).