The list of considerations is long when choosing the most delicate details of your home. The process may feel tedious, causing you to brush over some of the more sophisticated features in the process. However, the front door is one item of your home that needs premium material and quality. Finding a wood that stands the test of time while naturally fitting in with the style of your home is essential. One species stands out above the others in this instance; however, it’s not obvious to everyone. If you’re looking to find out why Alder wood is an ideal choice for front doors, take some time to check out the plentiful reasons listed below.
What It Is
Alder wood finds a comfortable fit in the Birch family. Its use has increased incredibly through recent years but was relatively unknown not too long ago. As education on the importance of environmentally friendly processes grew, so did the use of Alder wood in various mediums, such as instruments and furniture.
The tree itself is relatively common in North America, and you can find it close to water sources since they require consistently moist soil to prosper. As the years go by, the prevalence of Alder wood in home building has continued to increase with no signs of slowing down so long as we maintain conservative practices.
Alder Wood Characteristics
The Alder wood species is small pored and traditionally shows a reddish tint. The variety of its color pallet, ranging from light browns to close shades of white, is relatively flexible and offers great variety in the choices of finish available to it. The grain pattern is muted and provides an attractive uniformity in its overall presentation. Whether it’s used in moldings or doors, its ability to create a consistent look that pulls a design together makes it valued for interior design.
Popular Uses of Alder Wood
Alder wood’s medium strength in terms of hardwood allows you to use it for things like furniture, doors, and other decorative features in homes. It’s a prominent wood that makes a statement when used in more significant proportions that show off the grain patterns of the species.
Despite it not being the hardest wood variant, it finds comfortable use in homes aiming for a more rustic look. Additionally, it captures the beauty of the natural materials used to create the end result viewed by guests. This wood is also fit for many different styles due to its multiple options for finishes.
While many homes suiting a rustic style use Alder wood, it’s not an exclusive relationship. For example, combining it with clean stucco, modern bricks, or fiber cement provides a contemporary look for a more current style.
Caring for Alder Wood
Though Alder wood has many benefits, it’s important to note the necessary steps to take when putting this wood to use as a front door. As with any wood, it pays to keep it in pristine condition. This will help maintain a lustrous first impression of your home. Also, you can use a good finish for more than just bringing out the desired colors in the wood.
By keeping it in good condition and reapplying finish when needed, the wood remains untarnished aside from unavoidable wear from the elements through the years. However, so long as you take proper care, you can easily prevent physical damage in the form of scratches or dents.
The Cost of Alder Wood
Alder wood is an economical choice when considering its cost on the table of considered factors. The ability to grow relatively quickly while being natively abundant to North American builders puts it at the top for price efficiency. This factor, combined with its high quality as raw material, makes it a favorite for home construction projects. Prices don’t typically exceed four dollars and fall in the middle compared to other available wood species, such as cypress, yellow pine, cherry, or maple. As more and more designers implement the wood in more up-scale designs, it won’t surprise anyone if its value elevates in the future.
How Eco-Friendly Is It?
Alder wood tress takes part in the process of nitrogen fixation. This process involves a symbiotic relationship with a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that allows the tree to take in nitrogen from the air around it to enrich the soil around the roots. This aids in its ability to grow quickly when near streams or rivers.
Alder trees also benefit from the sustainable farming method referred to as coppice forestry, which consists of letting the tree grow back from its trunk, stump, or roots. Unlike other wood species which die once cut at the stump, Alder wood trees live on at the roots. The ease of maintaining the tree’s health in its natural areas without disruption and its fast ability to grow under ideal conditions make this tree a boon for conservation.
The Flexibility of Alder
Just as it is homely, Alder has found itself in some upscale designs and locations. From humble wooden cabin designs to modernistic callbacks to more natural origins, the favorability of the wood is picking up traction due to its reliability and beauty. The use of rustic wood exterior doors has been widespread for building designs that aim to emphasize the material rather than the detail. This is specifically true in instances where large amounts of wood have minor accents to highlight what the wood offers in terms of style.
Luckily, Alder wood is losing the up-and-coming title of a “poor man’s cherry” and landing itself happily in the middle of the pack with varying uses, from cheap to expensive design. It tells a story of humble beginnings and is a native species home to North American builders. This wood also carries a particular pride while not being shy about it as the first thing presented to your home visitors. It’s a good idea to consider some of the provided reasons when wondering why Alder wood is an ideal choice for front doors in your home.
