If I remember correctly, when we were looking at the different woods for our cabinets that Alder does have varying wood grain look and was more of a rustic look, so it may be difficult to get an even stain. It may be the nature of it. Given that, I would not have tried to stain it myself. I have stained doors and a tabletop and it is a very tedious, difficult job. My only suggestion is to make sure after you put the preconditioner on to be sure it sits long enough. I didn't do that on a shelf I was staining and it DID stain blotchy. You might try giving it 2 coats of preconditioner making sure the first is very dry.

alder will stain unevenly. you can open the "pores" by dampening(water method) the wood first as well. regardless staining is very time consuming but once you get the result you want on one, the rest should be easier.

good luck!

Red or white oak is a much better choice of wood if you're wanting to stain.

Cherry, pine, birch, alder= blotch problems

Maple is extremely difficult to stain.

It's best to choose a wood that has the natural color you want.

The Charles Neil blotch control product is supposed to be the best.

Otherwise, you will need to look at spraying a dye stain.

Alder is a soft wood and not, IMO, a good choice for kitchen cabinetry.

Edit to add that the pre-conditioners/ blotch control products work by somewhat sealing the wood and will prevent you from getting a really dark stain (if that's where you want to go.)

Finishing cabinets is an art. And that's why you don't actually end up saving much when buying unfinished assemble yourself cabinetry unless you are well versed in that art. Paying a pro to finish usually ends up costing more than buying already stained from a decent quality manufacturer.

As others have said, order a wood that is friendlier to DIY work if you're going to try to DIY. Or, backtrack and order from a cabinet company and get exactly the color that you want, already finished and assembled.

good idea eam1

So, if I want medium colored (no red) cabinets should I start with a watered down beige and add a walnut stain or should I use a gel stain over it? I am not sure if I should start darker with paint and then lighter with stain? Any suggestions?

ak, what color were you going for? My bathroom vanity is clear alder. I chose what I thought was a mid-brown stain but it came out more of a mahogany color. Not exactly what I wanted, but I'm okay with it now. It's not splotchy at all, but probably due to having been stained by the cabinet mfr.

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I was going for a medium brown. Something along these lines.

I have found gel stain difficult to work with. If you are a novice, non gel may be easier for you. Doing multiple coats is a way to get a darker tone but make sure to let it dry in between

Alder has enough of a grain that even if you were to get that color tone, it would be pretty variable looking. Also, you said, no red, but that has warm red undertones. If you want that color, the better wood to start with would be cherry. A light stain on cherry looks a lot like your picture. Here's Tundra on cherry, from Kemper.

Or pick up a dye stain -- maybe General Finishes medium brown -- and try it on a piece of scrap. Follow up with the water based Enduro Var. The top coat can be tinted. Better yet: if there's a Woodcraft or a Rockler near you or other store that sells woodworking supplies (not a big box or standard hardware store), pay them a visit and ask for advice.

The bathroom vanity is made from walnut--obviously very high quality and carefully selected for grain and color match. So that gives you an idea of what color stain to start with.

I googled around a bit and found this article on staining alder--Staining Alder

Hope it helps.

First, I hope you have been practicing on scrap or backs of drawers or something that won't be seen, until you find the technique that works.
I would use a seal coat of dewaxed clear shellac, in a 1lb cut. Allow that to dry, buff with synthetic steel wool (a gray 3M scrubby-like pad) then use your gel stain. See how well that goes in solving the blotchiness problem. If that does not give you enough color after two coats, then scrap the gel stain and try wood dye in the same color, mixed in Solar Lux Reducer so you have control over the darkness of the dye and its application. The key there is getting both the correct dilution and the proper timing for wiping any excess dye off.
http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/SolarLux.html
http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/transtint-liquid-dyes/
http://www.rockler.com/zinsser-bullseye-sealcoat
You can mix Transtint dyes into Solar Lux Reducer and apply that over sealcoat shellac, even though it is a mashup of 3 different manufacturer's products.
Casey

I used two pound dewaxing shellac. Then sanded and added my gel stain. Still no luck. I think it is just due to the fact it is alder.

What did you sand with post-shellac? (sandpaper grit or whatever)

fine grit. I cannot remember the number. I have since ordered charles neil's preconditioner. It is supposed to be the best out there. I am going to hire a pro to use this (two coats) and then finish them for me. I just do not want to mess with it anymore. It is very stressful! lol

alder and stain discussionWhat gel stain (brand and color) did you use? How long has it dried? Is this still the first coat?
I would call General Finishes and talk to them. They are very helpful.

From http://www.generationshomefurnishings.com/colors/stain-colors/
GF gel stain on Alder. They also show the liquid stains

How do you feel about paint? A medium brown paint might give you the look you want...with a lot less mess. Just an idea :)

Hey Lavender! Great minds think alike!

To get a medium brown "stain" with diluted paint, choose a darker color, like Farrow and Ball's Tanner's Brown

The trick to staining blotch-prone woods, for me, is to wipe it liberally with mineral spirits and then quickly wipe on a small amount of the stain while the wood is still wet. That first layer usually evens out the color.

I usually build up stain in thin layers instead of sloshing it on and trying to wipe it off evenly - it works better for me for some reason.

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One trick for a darker neutral brown is to use iron acetate solution (the steel wool and vinegar trick) to grey the wood slightly then stain over the top.

Stains, dyes, sealers, glazes, toners, shaders, bleaches, conditioners, solvents and even crushed bugs (yes ancient dye stuff) are just some of the things a good finisher has spent years making mistakes with so you're not alone there. Sometimes you just get lucky but you have a few things going against you. The photo shown is of selected grain quality walnut. Alder doors from Barker with no consideration of grain match will never look like that but they can look a lot better than what you're getting. Chasing after even antidote proffer by those trying to help but with limited experience came be an exercise in frustration (as well as time and money). Hiring a pro is probably a good idea at this point but don't just assume because they are a "pro" they will automatically get you what you want. Most will be able to do a god job but know what you're getting.

Thanks Lazy and Jd. I have decided alder is simply the worst at taking stain!