# Best finish for alder?



## rlb1961 (Mar 9, 2011)

I am starting a new project - I am going to build a set of barrister bookcases to hold all of my woodworking magazines and books. I decided to build them out of knotty alder because it is pretty inexpensive out here, and I liked the appearance of some projects I have seen that were done in knotty alder. But having never used it before, I am at a loss to decide how to finish it. Does anyone have any suggestions or perhaps some examples of work they have done with alder (plain or knotty)?


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## BreakingBoardom (Dec 18, 2009)

I built my daughter's crib out of alder, regular, not knotty. I used I believe Red Mahogany stain followed by polyurethane. You can see the project here:


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

Alder is relatively soft, I would recommend a covering finish such as poly, shellac, or an epoxy to help protect it from dents and whatnot.


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## DLCW (Feb 18, 2011)

Having done many projects from alder I've learned that it acts a lot like pine, maple and cherry in regards to staining. It blotches pretty bad. The way around this is to use dyes instead of stain. Also, if you use a clear coat finish that provides some toning (like conversion varnish or amber or garnet shellac) you can make it look beautiful. If using shellac, make sure you put a durable clear coat over it. Water borne poly dries perfectly clear so if you get the exact coloring you want, use that to clear coat.


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## rlb1961 (Mar 9, 2011)

Thanks for the input from everyone. I made up some test boards and tried a few different methods. Here is the finishing schedule I came up with:

Sand to 180 grit and seal with Zinsser Seal Coat.
Lightly sand with 220 grit.
Stain with General Finishes Gel Stain (Antique Walnut). Wait 5 minutes and wipe off excess. Buff with clean rag.
Spray on 2 light coats of dewaxed shellac to seal the stain coat. Allow to dry and sand with 400 grit.
Brush on 2 coats of full strenth oil-based satin polyurethane, sanding lightly with 400 grit after each coat has dried.
Apply 2 coats of satin wipe-on poly.
Allow the final coat to dry thoroughly (at least 24 hours), then apply paste wax with #0000 steel wool and buff out with more steel wool and finally a clean rag.

The process is a bit complicated, but I get a nice finish that doesn't blotch and looked hand-rubbed. I'll post some pictures when the project is completed.


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