From weed to winner

THE lowly Western alder, scorned r by big-timber foresters as a weed tree and cursed by farmers trying to clear their lands of its proliferous growth, is suddenly be' ing invited into the most fashionable living rooms, offices and public buildings as a guest of honor for all to see and admire.

It's been an unseenand unknownguest in such places for eenerations, but hidden under fancy fabrics and padding as the tough, hardwood framing for {ine uphol' stered furniture. The same alder is so tough, in fact, that one of its major uses until fairly recently was as the bearing 'ocores" around which heavy rolls of paper were wound at the mills.

Now, thanks to the imagination of some hardwood plywood experts with a technique for processing tough wood, alder has become a new word in tasteful wall decor. The lowly weed tree has suddenly been added to the nation's {ast-growing, constantly renewing timber resources.

One of those experts, naturally happy about this hardwood's warm welcome from homeowners, builders and decorators. describes the metamorphosis as "a new example of turning a sow's ear into a silk purse."

Hunters have grumbled their way through rain-swept alder thickets o{ western Washington and Oregon for generations without a second thought to the potential value of these ubiquitous trees, although some soar 65 or more feet high with a breast height diameter of 18 to 24 inches.

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Once cursed as a weed tree, the Western alder, aided by some Georgia-Pacific research, has done a Cinderella and is now a highly prized specie.

The freshly cut wood is nearly white, with no real distinction between heartwood and sapwood, or springwood and summerwood. It quickly turns to reddish brown, and then in the dry kiln turns to a warm, light yellowish brown. It is naturally straight grained and exceptionally stable when dried.

In spite of alder's remarkable qualities and its availability, its nationwide market potential was ignored until imaginative Georgia-Pacific Corp. employe€s et one of the company's plants in Eugene. Ore., sterted expcrimenting. It was an obvi- ous gamble as well as a potential innovation. They found that this "sow's ear" actually could become beautiful wall paneling. Production and nationwide marketing followed quickly.

Initial paneling, with a rustic texturing which gave it the weathered look of the frontier. was a quick success. It was named "Gold Rush" paneling to fit the frontier atmosphere it created.

Foresters say there is a good supply of tlis fine wood, often relegated to the role of fireplace log until G-P began its research.

U. S. Forest Service tabulations show around 892,000 acres in Washington and Oregon that have stands o{ alder, 65 percent on privately owned land. About tB.6 billion bd. ft. are available in West Coast commercial stands. nearly all west of the Cascade mountain range whose heavy rains inspire the lush growth.

"The consumer acceptance of alder paneling has been more enthusiastic than we anticipated," G-P reports. "When people see, in these days of rising prices, that they can panel a wall with rich-looking hardwood at considerably less cost than woods with more exotic names, they find it hard to believe."

Harold Sand, G-P exec. vp., describes this silk-purse story as ooanother instance where continuing innovation is paying off for both us and our customers."

Georgia-Pacific's Eugene plywood manufacturing plant currently buys the alder Yeneer from e man in Grand Rondeo Ore., who never did think alder was such a bad word. His name? Ray Alder, who else?

Are you aware of the stiff new federal marking rules for decorative panels?

ey John Osgood Robert S. Osgood, Inc. Los Angeles, Calif.

FVERYONE at all levels of the ! lumber and wood products business should be made aware of recent "truth in labeling" requirements which have been set up by the Federal Trade Commission.

Begining December 15, there will be no exceptions to the guides set up by the Commission.

The FTC Marking Guides will be applicable to all decorative products, of domestic or foreign origin, for use as interior decorative wall panels. To insure 'oTruth in Advertising," and effective December 15, all processed (prefinished/printed/laminated, (overlaid with film, or embossed) and natural decorative plywood must be back-marked instead of edge-marked. It is recommended, therefore that such material, either foreign or domestic, be manufactured and marked accordingly in ample time to conform to the deadline.

If the panel is sold as a natural unfinished panel the species of face veneer must be specified on the back of the panel. Examples are walnut, birch or teak. If it is sold only as hardwood plywood, it is permissable to mark the panel "hardwood plywood."

If the panel has been stained or color toned, the back of the panel must show this. If it has been printed or laminated with vinyl film, this also must be shown. Examples are "simulated wood grain (or stain) on hardwood plywood" or o'simulated wood grain (or stain) Iaminated on hardwood plywood."

In all cases, the back of the panel must show thickness and size of the panel, Type II or better glue, country of origin and name of manufacturer. There can be no exceptions.

It is to be noted that defective material must also be back-stamped or labeled by any of the following terms: ttseconds,t' ttrejectsrtt todefective," ttutility," "blemished" or by some other term which clearly and conspicuously identifies to the purchaser that the product is not of first quality.

In addition to this, there have been a series of requirements set up for use in panels destined for trailer or mobile home manufacturinq use.

These standards have been put together by the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Assn. and will become effective January l. Space does not permit full coverage in this article

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Hardwood and all other types and kinds of interior decorative wall panels, imported and domestic, must meet new federal requirements before theY can be sold . . no exceptions will be allowed.

but iI any reader needs this information he should contact the Im' oorted Hardwood Products Assn., Ferry Building, San Francisco, Calif. 94lII for full information.

The products standards committee of the Imported Hardwood Products Assn. hopes this information will be helpful to The Merchant's readers.