In the competitive world of commercial millwork, custom cabinetry, and furniture manufacturing, raw material cost often decides whether a job brings in good profit or barely breaks even. A lot of shops still overspend by grabbing clear two-side lumber for parts where only one side ever shows.

The Marketplace Blind Spot
Alder is well known for how easy it works, its fine uniform grain, and how nicely it finishes. It scores great on workability and stays a top pick for doors, furniture, mouldings, and kitchen cabinets. Even so, many purchasing managers miss out on the Superior 1 Face grade.

Superior 1 Face offers real value. Many buyers pay more for standard Superior two-face out of habit or because they assume 1 Face means lower quality. In reality, it provides the same clean, premium appearance on the visible face while allowing a sound back where it will remain hidden.

Engineering Substantial Cost Savings
Use it in single-face applications such as cabinet face frames, structural moldings, wainscoting, drawer fronts, and built-ins. You cut lumber costs significantly without sacrificing the visible quality your customers see.

This grade yields at least 83.3% Clear One Face cuttings, so every exposed surface has that nice uniform light hardwood appearance. The sound defects on the back do not hurt the strength or looks on the face side, but they sure help lower your material invoice.

Superior 1 Face is a very cost-effective solution for any one-face job that needs a clearer Superior face while the back stays covered.

A Note on Machining and Value
Because the back is sound rather than clear, there is some risk if you machine deep into the face and expose knots or other defects on the back. That is exactly why it comes at this attractive price point. When you use it as intended for single-face parts, you get great value without paying for perfection on a side no one will ever see.

The Bottom Line
Value-engineering your lumber purchases is one of the easiest ways to add profit to your shop. Stop paying for a perfect back that ends up against drywall or inside a dark cabinet box. Put Alder Superior 1 Face into your production, and you match your material costs to the real job needs. You get strong visual results on the exposed face and keep more margin in your pocket. It is a practical choice that many manufacturers and distributors are turning to for everyday cabinet and millwork work.

For more information on Cascade’s Superior 1 Face gade, click here

Give it a try on your next order!