Replies

1. 
   ring | Nov 23, 2005 12:36pm | #1

   Alder can be finished very much like cherry, but it is a much softer wood.

   DR

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Nov 23, 2005 03:08pm | #2

   I have red birch cabinets.  Their color is very similar to fresh cherry.  They have not darkened like cherry would have. 

3. 
   joinerswork | Nov 23, 2005 05:11pm | #3

   hammer,

   Poplar can be stained to resemble cherry.  It is a softer wood than cherry.

   Regards,

   Ray Pine

4. 
   Kevin | Nov 23, 2005 05:48pm | #4

   In terms of grain pattern I believe that Alder, specifically Red Alder, most closely resembles Cherry. The coloration of the wood isn't the same. But, if the goal is to stain the wood then the natural color of the wood isn't really relevant.

   Birch, Maple and Poplar are all used to replicate Cherry. And they do a passable job of it. But, none of them are as similiar to Cherry as Alder is.

5. 
   HowardAcheson | Nov 23, 2005 07:18pm | #5

   Much commercial "dark cherry" furniture is actually birch.

   Howie.........
1. 
   hammersparks | Nov 24, 2005 12:28am | #6

   Thak-you!  I'll experiment.  Hammersparks

2. 
   Kevin | Nov 24, 2005 06:00am | #7

   Really? Birch?

   I haven't worked in mass-production furniture since the 80's. Back then all of the dark "Cherry" stained furniture I worked with was Alder. We only worked with three species of wood: Alder, Oak and a small amount of Pine. We marketed stained and finished Alder as both "Cherry" and "Maple". The most expensive line of furniture we marketed was a dark "Cherry" colored Alder line of bedroom furniture. 

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Nov 25, 2005 05:42pm | #8

   Kevin, I am frequently up in the High Point, North Carolina area and have been through a couple of furniture plants and show rooms.  While there are a number of woods used to mimic cherry, most I have seen is birch.  Alder tends to be a west coast wood but it too, is frequently used.

   "Cherry" is frequently just a marketing term used to describe the dark, almost painted, finish that some think of as cherry.Howie.........

6. 
   Paul_Snyder | Nov 25, 2005 07:37pm | #9

   Are you going to use the same wood for the cabinet boxes, face frames, doors, and trim? If not, you're looking at a pretty involved process to get a "cherry" finish on different wood species.

   Using cherry ply and solid cherry is really the simplest approach. If you want to "punch" up the natural color of the wood, it's not too hard.

   Paul
   http://www.finishwiz.com

1. 
   hammersparks | Nov 26, 2005 05:38am | #10

   Agreed.  Thank-you.  Hammersparks

1. 
   Biscardi | Nov 28, 2005 05:47am | #11

   I recently showed a relative a piece I made with a  natural finish(Tabernacle base in Gallery). They were shocked when I told them it was cherry. They thought cherry was  "more of a dark , maroon coloured wood"