Replies

1. 
   nikkiwood | May 04, 2005 07:21am | #1

   Maple is not a problem to stain -- but you must either use a gel stain, or seal the wood before applying the stain.

   But in my opinion, maple looks best either natural, or with just a slight amount of color to liven it up a little.

   "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

2. 
   mikegagne | May 04, 2005 08:19am | #2

   You didnt mention which one you liked. That fact should rule all. Either one will work real well and there are stains that perform well on maple. Alder is known as a chameleon wood-you can make it do anything. Make sure you get what YOU want and life will be good. Aloha, Mike

3. 
   GRW | May 04, 2005 01:50pm | #3

   Gjsmom,

   Like gel stains, blotching can be reduced if wood conditioner is used prior to staining. 

   I personally like unstained maple. It reflects light better than stained maple, which will brighten up a kitchen. 

4. 
   TomT226 | May 04, 2005 01:50pm | #4

   Depending upon what kind of finish you choose, your cab guy should be able tint the CAT/CAB lacquer any color you want .  Over that would be a couple of coats of clear.

5. 
   Cheatah | May 04, 2005 05:15pm | #5

   Gis---

   I agree with all the posts here. I formerly worked for a large commerical cabinet manufacturer in PA. Staining maple should not be a "problem" for any professional that finishes wood. Maple can blotch but there are many methods to counter the blotching. The type of stain and color affect the bltching as well.

   Your cabinet guy should have many samples of maple doors finished with different stains. Look them over. Do not be affraid to go with maple. It is a great speice. Personally I love both maple and cherry.

   Thank you,

   The Great Marko

6. 
   mudman | May 04, 2005 06:02pm | #6

   Well first of all if you like maple look at hard maple, it stains a little better than soft maple. When stain is sprayed over a lightly sealed maple it goes on perfectly and still brings out the grain enough to not look bland.Having said that I believe that Ash or alder are better choices as far a durability is concerned.

   If you cabinet builder is insistant on this issue I'd say look for another one. It sounds fishy to me. For the last 5 years maple has been the most popular for cabinets. It is only reciently that Ash and Alder have become more common.

   Mike

   please excuse my spelling.
1. 
   lisainthegarden | May 04, 2005 06:23pm | #7

   Thanks for your reply regarding staining maple.  Could you tell me briefly why you feel the alder would be more durable? 

1. 
   mudman | May 05, 2005 09:27pm | #12

   Well I am asumeing that Alder is a harder wood than soft maple. But I've never used it so I don't know.  You can easily leave an impresion in soft maple with your fingernail, that is too soft in my opinion.

   Mikeplease excuse my spelling.

1. 
   notDusty | May 06, 2005 07:37am | #13

      Hi mike ,

               I would not say that Alder is harder than soft Maple . Alder is harder than Pine but softer than Soft Maple IMO . Red Oak weighs about 3 pounds per board foot where Pine weighs about 1 pound per BF , just as a guideline . There are several species of Maple that may get grouped into the soft Maple category . Silver Maple Brown Maple and Soft Maple are a few of them .

                                         dusty

2. 
   ring | May 06, 2005 10:17am | #14

   Alder is definitely softer than Soft Maple.  If the design you have in mind requires sharp clean profiles and edges then the alder will be very vulnerable. 

   DR

7. 
   migraine | May 04, 2005 06:55pm | #8

   I have some concerns in your posting about the cabinet maker.  As the other responses have said, maple is a harder wood(including soft maple) and is usually easier to get.  This goes the same for the sheets goods to match.  I know of many shops that will try to used maple or birch sheet goods to "match" to the alder and it never works in my opinion.  They choose the other non matching materials, because of availibilty and cost (and sometimes ignorance)  Maple plywood is propbably 1/2 the cost of alder plywood and alder plywood is not that easy to find, depending on where you live.  It is harder to stain than alder, but maybe this cabinet maker is not a "finisher".  There are too many guys out there that don't know alot about finishing and they can quickly ruin a nice job.  Make sure this guy is not one of them.  Alder came be found with no knots(for the most part).   Go see some of his completed jobs that he has finished(stained) himself, not a done by a finisher.  This might give you a better idea of the "blotchlyness" problem.  By the way, alder can blotch too.

   The highest grade is called "Superior".  It does not have the same grading terms as most hardwoods.  Basically, it is on the same grade level as "F.A.S." in oak and maple.

   I have been paying around $2.30 b/f  for 4/4 "hit and miss" alder (which means it is around 1" thick and has been slightly surfaced to around 15/16"-7/8".  A lower grade of alder(knotty) runs around $1.00 b/f 

   Now, as to my personal taste, I like alder and that what my kitchen is in the process of having.  That doesn't mean that I don't like maple.  My last home was maple with a clear finish.   The cabinets, tops, and appliances are installed(frameless cabinetry) Haven't decided on whether or not it's going to be knotty alder.  I'm about a week away from starting to make the doors.  So that leaves me not much time.

1. 
   notDusty | May 05, 2005 05:33am | #9

           Hi migraine ,

                       With all my Alder jobs I use Red Birch veneers . The Red is more     money     " of course "  . When you do a natural clear finish the Red is the kind you want . I have noticed the Alder as well as other softer woods do not IMO seem to hold a finish as well as Oak or certainly not as nice as Maple turns out .

                          good        luck                     dusty 

8. 
   Manchild | May 05, 2005 06:01am | #10

   Showing you a door doesn't tell you the whole story. You need to look at a whole set of cabinets to get the feel for the wood. Sometimes the door you see is not really representing what a set of cabinets will look like.

   Look at a couple of his jobs.

9. 
   x372sailor | May 05, 2005 06:38am | #11

   We are looking at cabinet doors right now and have pretty well settled on maple doors, but we like them unstained, i.e. natural finish, however we have seen stained maple without the "blothchiness".  Perhaps you are talking to someone who doesn't know how to do finishing.  Check some examples of his work before proceeding.

   Today we went to see an installation by the cabinet maker whose work we admire and were stunned with the quality of workmanship but also the beauty of the natural maple doors.  We like them very much.

   Of course there could be different maple species across the country.  We are located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

    

10. 
    Rickk | May 06, 2005 02:33pm | #15

    Hi Gjsmom,I agree with Mike...pick what you like the best, I build high end cabinets and furniture as well and have used alder as well as maple of many types,and color is in all about the way in which it is applyed. Be sure and ask questions....7 ply plywood? Partical bd? Mdf? Solid wood? And look at Installed work....Good Luck Rick G.