Alder wood has gained popularity for exterior doors due to its natural character and ability to withstand various weather conditions. Its pronounced wood grain with dark distinctive knots provides unique texture and personality. Alder is a popular choice for doors due to its strength, durability, and affordability. While not as hard as mahogany, Knotty Alder is reasonably strong and more affordable than Mahogany.
Alder doors are perfect for homes with a rustic look and can be given a handsome golden stain. They are well-known for their use in boats and sluice components, and they can withstand all weather conditions for decades without much maintenance. However, red alder makes them lightweight, but they are very soft, making them susceptible to dents.
Alder wood’s medium strength allows it to be used for furniture, doors, and other decorative features in homes. However, it is not suitable for outdoor use if not protected and maintained. Alder (alnus rubra) is not durable or strong, and may not be suitable for exterior doors if not properly protected and maintained.
Alder is a common wood used in the Pacific Northwest for interiors and is one of the cheaper and softer materials used for exterior doors today. It tends to finish well with the use of stains and other treatments. A knotty alder door is an outstanding addition to almost any home, and this blog post will explain the benefits of buying knotty alder doors.
📹 Architectural Elements Presents:Krosswood Knotty Alder Doors
This video showcases the Crosswood Knotty Alder door collection, highlighting their craftsmanship, durability, and customization options. The video emphasizes the use of high-quality materials, skilled craftsmanship, and a five-year warranty, the longest in the industry. Viewers will learn about the construction details, available styles, sizes, and finishes, including pre-hung and factory finish options.
Is alder better than pine?
Alder Wood is an upgraded Pine Wood with a knotty appearance, offering enhanced durability. It is 5 times as dense as Pine but not as dense as Red Oak. Alder Knots open up, allowing for black epoxy filling before spray finishing and sealing the table. Maple is a premium option for elegance, simplicity, and durability, with a subtle grain and similar durability to Red Oak. Maple is preferred for a center piece without excessive flare.
What is the most durable material for exterior doors?
Steel is an affordable and durable material that offers structural soundness, fire-rated protection, and weatherproof properties. Its smooth surface allows easy paint application and creates a clean look. However, steel doors can be difficult to repair if dented or scratched. Fiberglass doors are less expensive and require little maintenance, with a lifespan of about 20 years. They are resistant to moisture and heat, and come in various colors and can be customized to match your home’s aesthetic. Fiberglass doors can mimic wood without the warping and upkeep required with traditional wood materials.
Vinyl is an energy-efficient and affordable material for front doors. Its insulating properties allow it to withstand heat and cold transfer, insulate against wind and outdoor noise, and be lightweight. This makes them easy to install and replace, and can be customized to match your home’s aesthetic. Vinyl can also appear like traditional wood, with embossed simulated wood grain patterns, eliminating the need for upkeep.
Which is better oak or alder?
Oak, a popular choice for fine furniture, offers beautiful cabinetry at a reasonable price. Its color ranges from white to pink and reddish tones, with red oak being particularly popular due to its straight lines, arches, and points. Oak cabinets can easily stain, with some rustic versions featuring intense color, knotholes, and graining. Although it is harder than alder, oak is more durable and suitable for daily use. For active families, oak is the best wood to use.
What type of door is best for an exterior door?
The choice of exterior door depends on your priorities. Steel doors offer security and durability, while fiberglass doors are budget-friendly and durable. Wooden doors, with their intricate carvings, are more expensive but offer a beautiful front entry. DIY installation is possible, but it’s best to enlist an expert for proper sealing. It’s essential to keep the door closed during installation to ensure a square frame. Wooden doors are the most expensive type due to their composition and aesthetics. Ensuring proper sealing is crucial for a secure and functional door.
Are alder doors expensive?
The Craftsman Rustic 6 Lite Stained Knotty Alder Wood Prehung Front Door with 6 in. The Wall Series has received the highest rating among products in the 36 x 80 alder wood doors category, with prices ranging from $600 to $3, 000.
What are the disadvantages of alder wood?
Alder wood, a slightly softer hardwood than classical hardwoods like cherry, oak, and maple, is less durable but still offers strength. It’s suitable for both modern and classic kitchens, with its close-grained nature making it an ideal choice for traditional and modern kitchen cabinets. Alder wood can be used for both rustic and modern kitchens, making it a versatile choice for both traditional and modern designs.
Is alder ok outside?
Alder species are durable hardwoods with a long history of use in harsh outdoor conditions. They are exceptionally malleable and suitable for various construction uses, such as boats and sluice components. Alder doors require minimal maintenance and can withstand various weather conditions for decades. They are known for their unique appearance, with warm honey-like or rich red colors and evenly displaced knots and burls, making them suitable for traditional and rustic wood entry doors.
Alder is a renewable resource, coming from multiple species that grow abundantly in various climates. Companies use it responsibly to avoid environmental damage, and their doors are a great choice for those looking for a sustainable future. Additionally, alder woods are often priced as much as 10% less than other hardwood species, making them a great choice for those looking for a sustainable option.
Is Alder wood waterproof?
Alder wood is renowned for its exceptional resistance to moisture, which has led to its extensive utilisation in Europe for the manufacture of water management equipment. This is largely due to the fact that alder wood is a material that is frequently employed in water-related applications.
Can alder be used for exterior doors?
Knotty alder is a popular choice for exterior front doors due to its pronounced grain and uniform texture. This wood species, similar to pine, has a range of colors from pale pinkish-brown to darker shades of reddish-brown. Over time, it will yellow and darken due to sun exposure. Alder is a softer hardwood, making it more easily scratched or dented. As a result, alder doors are less resistant to harsh or humid weather.
Doors by Decora purchases most of its alder wood from sustainably grown and harvested forests, ensuring the wood is not threatened. Maintaining a good finish on your door can help it resist the weather.
Is Alder wood high quality?
Alder wood, the largest species of alder wood, is a durable and soft hardwood found on the west coast of North America. Its straight grain and uniform texture give it a smooth appearance. Milled alder comes in various grades, from clear with minimal defects to premium frames with natural defects like knots. Knotty alder doors are popular due to their natural beauty and rustic effects, making them a popular choice for cabinet doors. Overall, alder wood is a durable and attractive choice for cabinet doors.
📹 Considerations for Finishing (Staining) Knotty Alder Doors
Considerations for staining, glazing, and urethaning Knotty Alder doors commonly available from Lowes and Home Depot.
Rodi, we got our 8 doors last week and have 4 through the stain phase. The pre-stain product worked great and we are pleased with the results. We started staining outside in direct sun with temps about 70 degrees here along California’s Central Coast. We found that the stain (Parierre Wheat as you recommended) started to stick a bit and we had to work harder to burnish it so we moved them back indoors. That made it much easier to rag off the excess. Jambs are next as they are knotty alder too. No other surprises and I can’t thank you enough for the only article that shows the average homeowner exactly what to do. The General Finishes products are great to work with and no, I’m not affiliated in any way with them. They are a bit more expensive, but well worth it.
Alder loves stain, so unless yk that. Expect all the strokes & wipes to show while the wood just absorbs basically all the stain you put on it, but keep in mind those doors aren’t solid alder. They’re jointed & basically layered with the alder veneer, so it’s much different than staining a solid piece of knotty alder. I’d say probably much easier~
Hi Rodi, Thank you so much for a fantastic article. We moved into a home with a Knotty Alder exterior door that has been well abused by the sun and has quite a few splits in the lower portion of the door and the previous home owner switched out the door handles and yes you can see where the old ones are. My initial thought was to replace the door entirely as I could not find any article that gave me hope that I wouldn’t cause a further hot mess of the door if I tried to “fix” it! Your article has given me hope! Here is my question, do you have a product that you would suggest me using to fill in the splits? They are not very big, but are there, so maybe they might be less noticeable if I did not try to fill them and let the urethane soak into the splits? I do plan on putting on the extra coat of urethane in the end, so 4 total. Thanks again Rodi!
Rodi, great article. Thanks for not being a wood-working snob or a pretentious fool. I learned a lot from you and your article. Last week I built a 4″ thick (facade) corner oak shelf for a new home theater system. After staining it, I was very disappointed with how little contrast and depth there was. Way too Light and zero contrast. So, I had a brilliant idea (took a big chance) and went over it again (within an hour), with a real dark stain, let it sit for about 10 minutes and with great anticipation, I wiped it off. Only to find that I just invented the perfect technique to bring out the grain of the wood. Guess not. Lol. Your technique and result are exactly what I am going to do with 8 of the same exact (knotty alder doors) I recently purchased as part of a home face lift project. Good on ya dude! One question: Am I asking for trouble (contrast differences/variables) by completing one door at a time indoors this winter? (e.g., steps 1-8, one door at a time) Or should I wait until spring and do each step 4 or so doors at a time outdoors in the spring? I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Space and temperatures are a real factor here.
We just finished staining and finishing 8 Knotty Alder interior doors and jambs using Rodi’s excellent technique and article. We used the General Finishes products in the colors and sequence he recommends. We are beyond happy as they came out perfectly. The difference between what they look like before and after the Java coat is stunning. There is no way anyone should skip this step. A couple of comments on quantities. We ordered one gallon of the conditioner and only used half on the 8 doors and jambs. Same is true for the Java glaze as we have a half gallon left. On the Prairie Wheat, we have one of five quarts unused and half a quart of Top Coat left out of five. If you live close to a retailer who carries the General Finishes products, it’s no big deal, however where we are we had to order it online which makes it virtually impossible to return any unused containers.
Great article as we will be doing the same project. Can you clarify how and when you turned the door over to do the other side? Did you wait the 24 hours or just go for it with a spacer or block underneath? How many coats of sealer did you put on after the dark gel coat application? Also, did you lay the jambs down on the saw horses or did you do them once they were hung in place? Thanks!
We had to replace an extra wide entry door (48″x 80″) to our home and had to custom order a door that would fit the wide opening. We ended up ordering a knotty alder door. I had minimal experience working with stains and felt intimidated by taking on this task. That was until I saw your article carefully detailing the step-by-step process. I purchased all of the same materials including the Java Gel Stain to give the door that final glazed look and wow what a surprise….it even passed my wife’s quality control inspection! I am so appreciative of the detailed explanation that you provided. It helped me avoid ruining a custom sized (and very expensive) door. Thank You so much for your guidance!!
This article is just what I was looking for. I just purchased some unfinished Double entry doors in alder with 3/4 (6 panel) windows in each and this is just the look I was after – I may go just a hair darker. Looks like similar stave construction to mine. Any idea how those products might hold up to exterior use? My entry doors are recessed about 3 feet and have a small roof that extends another 3 feet. At wort, I get about an hour of sun on them during peak summer. I suppose I could use helmsman for the final coat. That’s a really beautiful finish you’ve achieved there. Thanks for sharing… I appreciate that you shared both the products and techniques. I can stop looking now 🙂
Great article. How many coats of stain did you you use? At least two coats are needed in most applications but in your detailed steps you outline each phase but didn’t provide that extra detail about the staining. Staining is typically two or three coats before moving onto first clear coat. I am building a wine room – with LOTS of knotty alder. T&G knotty alder panels for the ceiling, knotty alder custom framing (both structural and aesthetic) and then knotty alder wine racks. LLOOTTSS of staining.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS article. I wish I could post a picture of my door. I followed your steps exactly and my door turned out amazing. My husband just put it up and I can’t wait to replace the three other doors on my first floor. I live in a log home and the original 6-panel doors were outdated. This knotty alder door gave the home a fresh look and the stain/glaze is beautiful. Thank you again.
Hi Rodi. Good article. I have always applied urethane with a brush which at times leaves brush strokes in the finish. I have never tried using a rag. Do you rub it in at all? You said “Varathane” and that is a brand. Is it just the regular oil based Varathane?Do you think Cabot’s or other urethanes would work the same?
Thank you so much. You are right that I have been searching forever trying to find the actual name of a stain color that was used on a knotty alder door. I see many photos of doors but no one has yet mentioned what color they used. You are so kind to take the time to create this. I”m a love so appreciated the detail
Excellent article and steps. Just completed 5 doors via these steps and used same products. Cabinet quality finish once completed. Used the Stak Rack System to stack doors during the various 24hr drying periods. This stacking system allowed both sides to be completed and the ability to do all doors on a sawhorse table then stack once completed. Thank you for taking the time to do such a detailed article and instructions.
Thanks for this article – I, as you, did much research before finding your wondering article. I’m staining new knotty alder exterior doors. All will be covered by a porch. I have several questions. Can I still use these products and/or steps on exterior doors? I already have Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner but it says Interior use only. Wondering if I can use this or if I need to buy a conditioner made for exterior use – I didn’t see any in the store that said exterior use.