About eight years ago I came across a beautiful rustic looking kitchen full of cabinets that I just loved. I showed the picture to my unimpressed dad, “Hey aren’t these cabinets great! I just love the knots!” He shrugs and says, “that’s alder April, I don’t use alder.” I am thinking well why not, its rustic and knotty and kind of looks like knotty pine and sometimes can look like a rustic cherry wood. Well here is the anticipated explanation hopefully you can understand. (I really didn’t but we will leave that for later).
Anyway, my dad says, “I hate alder, it furs up when you cut it, its always a hassle to stain because it comes out blotchy, and it doesn’t take stain even.” Well anytime after that I would mention using alder or a customer wanted to use alder he would say, no, no, no…………….
I thought that was an end to ever getting to use alder until necessity and invention came across our way.
The necessity was we wanted the job and that was the wood the customer wanted. Hooray!
And the invention was me trying to match the stain to the door they already had.
Here it is……
The door on the left is the sample I had to use and the drawer front on the right is the one I finished to match. I think I actually got it!!! And as you know I love distressed and knottty alder is a type of distressed natural looking wood which I love. I am so excited to finish this whole kitchen. I will keep you posted.
your custom cabinet girl
You did an amazing job. It is beautiful. :-), Susan Cooper
It's beautiful and I love the look maybe I'll redo my kitchen someday with Alder, of course I will also use Weber's Cabinets inc. your work is excellent!