Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Alder: A North American Hardwood

Understanding hardwood flooring options can help homeowners and renovators make the right decision for their particular circumstances. Although many tropical hardwoods are becoming trendy these days, also popular is Wood Flooring Sanding from species that originate in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. One example of such a wood is alder, known by the scientific name of Alnus rubra.

In its native region, alder is the most common hardwood to be commercially available. Trees in this species are very tall, reaching an average height of 90 feet, with many individual trees much taller. It takes an alder tree up to 40 years to mature, with some ready for harvesting as soon as 25 years after planting. Unlike some woods, ‘old growth’ alder is not advantageous for flooring; the quality of the wood begins to degrade after about 60 years of growth.

Alder wood has a grain that is much straighter than that of many hardwoods and is also advantageous because of its uniform texture. It takes well to floorboard sanding and readily absorbs stains, which means that people who have installed flooring made of alder can employ floor sanding services to help them renovate their dwellings when they feel it is time for a change. It is possible to sand off the previous finish and stain and apply a new colour to achieve a radically new look.

Such a change can transform the entire emotional feel of a room or home, which makes alder wood an excellent choice for anyone considering hardwood flooring.

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