Poplar

[Rob Luter]

I've not used much Poplar in my time woodworking, outside some trim that was going to be painted. I've seen some folks use it as a secondary wood for casework and such. I've been watching a YouTube channel from Engels Coach Shop where wagons and coaches are restored or built from scratch, and in his current project (Chuckwagon) he uses Poplar for the wagon box, pan boot, and seat. With a tinted oil finish it really looks nice. In my experience it's easy to work with too. Any Creekers using Poplar as a primary wood for unpainted projects?

[ray grundhoefer]

Used it for drawers on a set of kitchen cabinets a few years ago . Planed it down to 5/8 & used a drawer lock joint on corners. Was very easy to work with and looked good with several coats of water based laquer

[Steve Rozmiarek]

We use it for millwork fairly often. It takes stain really well, it's what we use when matching a specific color or matching some other millwork. You can add faux grain, but usually that's not necessary, and usually when we use it the customer has requested a dark color. The "beams" in this ceiling we did are poplar, the field is pine.

483886

[Kevin Jenness]

It's inexpensive, easily worked,reasonably stable, available in long, clear cuttings and is readily stained. Not that appealing to my eye as a primary wood without disguise. I would never use poplar for exterior work.

[Ben Ellenberger]

I made a little table for my garage out of poplar, with a maple top. I painted the main body but left the slats for the bottom shelf unpainted. There is a lot of color variation, but I like the look in this situation. I feel like the color variation in poplar is the trickiest thing. In some cases it can look good, but in others it could get busy.

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[John K Jordan]

Rob,

I assume you mean Yellow Poplar/Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) instead of "True" Poplar (Poplus spp). You might want to make that clear to avoid confusion.

Good info here: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/poplar-cottonwood-and-aspen-whats-what/
Yellow poplar is commonly used for furniture, both exposed and as hidden structure. It's relatively strong and inexpensive, at least on this end of the country. I've cut a bunch on my sawmill and used it unfinished for shelves and utility things. It was widely used in the US over history.

The SouthEast is overflowing with y.poplar trees - I have some over 3' in diameter. You can expect green y.poplar to dry quickly if you buy it from a sawmill. Left unprotected, for example, in an open shed or barn loft, it will attract powder post beetles.

The figure can vary. If you buy from where you can pick through it you can find some nice stuff. Color varies from white to several darker interesting colors.
Some good info here: https://www.wood-database.com/yellow-poplar/
Scroll down this page to see color and figure variation: http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/poplar.htm

I also use it in woodturning, unpainted. Some people look down on y.poplar but I think it's great for many things. It has fine, straight grain, easy to work. This is a Beads of Courage box I turned from y,poplar from a big block I cut and dried. This piece doesn't have much color.

https://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=332462&d=1456439187

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

I've used a couple thousand board feet of Yellow (Tulip) poplar over the years...it was harvested off our previous property and milled on-site. It's one of the most used hardwoods in the furniture industry and is also used extensively for millwork, especially custom millwork, in the residential building trade. (mostly in custom home, not cookie cutter developments) Contrary to the myth that one must paint it, it's a beautiful wood when used "as wood". It takes dye well and can even mimic other closed grained woods when finished well. Some folks cite the greenish hue of fresh cut tulip poplar, but that fades quickly to a nice brown with UV and air exposure. It's not as hard as soft maple, but harder than white pine and many other softwoods. I like working with it, including the pleasant odor when it's being cut.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

, including the pleasant odor when it's being cut.

I saw someone describing it as cat urine smell on here once, but I think he must have had a stack of lumber that was infested with cats because I've never come across it. I like the smell too.

[Jamie Buxton]

Although it technically a hardwood, it is rather soft -- almost like a softwood.

[Bob Riefer]

Another vote for enjoying using poplar. I have found it to be very pretty (left clear or tinted), it easy to work with, and the pricing is attractive.

I'm at a stage of the learning curve where using poplar allows me a bit more bravery to try new skills while working towards a finished project. Increasingly (but not always), the attempts work, and I'm on my way (rather than test-work with pine first)... and when I fail, the budget hasn't been killed.

Also, for my very small side business... my clients are tending to be colleagues and coworkers, many of whom are making their first step into buying custom furniture (rather than big chain purchase)... as such, when presented options and pricing, they have been leaning towards poplar.

Some recent examples:

483905483906483907

And this one used poplar for base, but ash for top
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[Lee Schierer]

This dresser is made of Yellow (Tulip) poplar.
483916483917
The first coat of paint felt like 150 grit sandpaper, but a light 220 grit sanding took care of that along with two more coats of paint. The dresser is stil in use and the owner is now 12. Incidentally the changing table top was removeable, leaving a nice flat top.

I also use polar for the sides and back of all the drawer boxes I make.

[Rob Luter]

Rob,

I assume you mean Yellow Poplar/Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) instead of "True" Poplar (Poplus spp). You might want to make that clear to avoid confusion....


JKJ


Good point. In the videos I'm watching it's identified as yellow poplar. The color variations are fine for my needs at present. My goal is to improve my joinery skills making a few storage boxes, a saw till, and and some other tool organizers for the shop. Poplar will be perfect. It will especially be nice after all the red oak I typically use.

[Jim Becker]

I saw someone describing it as cat urine smell on here once, but I think he must have had a stack of lumber that was infested with cats because I've never come across it. I like the smell too.
That would be elm in my experience. Yellow poplar doesn't smell like that to me in any way, shape or form.

[John K Jordan]

I saw someone describing it as cat urine smell on here once, but I think he must have had a stack of lumber that was infested with cats because I've never come across it. I like the smell too.

I thought I read that elm was like that. I found neither y. polpar nor elm objectionable. Maybe with all the animals here I’m desensitized.

[Warren Lake]

smell is fine at least compared to some I make. Not as nice as Pine or Cherry but not a fraud like some Padouk or some others that smell nice for a few minutes then you realize its evil. Odd time with poplar you will get a board that has an unhappy childhood but not many.

[Frederick Skelly]

I use it all the time for unpainted projects. I like the way it works and looks.

[Andrew Hughes]

I’m using poplar along with Alder and white pine for a chest or drawers. The popular i sourced is very nice wide boards with a small amount of sap wood. Easy to saw easy to plane glues up as good anything. The boards I have all seemed to be kiln dried perfectly super stable.I been planning everything down to 1/2 inch from 3/4.
The drawers are all Dovetailed and will have a coat of shellac inside and out for fresh clean smell.
Thumbs up for popular

[Warren Lake]

Nice work Andrew, are you related to Derek.

[Andrew Hughes]

Nice work Andrew, are you related to Derek.

Thanks warren not related but think you already know that. The only woodworker in the family I know of was my Grandfather in Germany. He raised rabbits one year I got built new hutches with him. Wow was he fast. We both agreed my work was nicer but that hardly mattered to rabbits.
Good day sir. :)

[Scott Winners]

I too like poplar from the store, usually genus liriodendron I think. That stuff, both according to the books and my experience machines easily and takes finish well. The book also says rot resistant. I have built two exterior window frames poplar, but they are only about five years old. Give them another 15 years before I can say rot resistant in my experience.

I am getting paintable finish in Liriodendron sharpening to 600 grit. I would sharpen higher for a clear finish like shellac and pretty much have all my edges up to 8k grit now anyway. I think of it as an entry level hardwood. Mastering poplar on your way to oak and hickory from construction lumber is a good idea.

[Brian Runau]

Always use it for drawer boxes that I apply a face to.

[Warren Lake]

old guys could make poplar look like mahogany. Not exact of course but very good. Series of stains different types in layers

[Jim Becker]

old guys could make poplar look like mahogany. Not exact of course but very good. Series of stains different types in layers
It's not unusual to find furniture pieces made back in US colonial times (most often in museums, of course) to incorporate tulip poplar along with other locally available species.

[Warren Lake]

if I make an old piece ill use poplar over soft maple as it will have an older and less clinical look to it.

[Kevin Jenness]

The book also says rot resistant. I have built two exterior window frames poplar, but they are only about five years old. Give them another 15 years before I can say rot resistant in my experience.


Throw that book away. Old growth, slow grown yellow poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera) was rot resistant but not likely to be found on the market now. Similar to Eastern white pine in that respect, but worse. I worked on a large home where the exterior trim was made of poplar and saw extensive repairs done within 20 years due to rot. Heartwood is likely better suited to exterior conditions than sapwood, but most commercial poplar I see is >80% sapwood.

[Warren Lake]

look up door and window expert Brent Hull, he will talk old growth and windows over 100 years old with some care along the way. Even when i did my porch I had three levels of cedar .The posts were old growth you could never get anymore..

[Frederick Skelly]

old guys could make poplar look like mahogany. Not exact of course but very good. Series of stains different types in layers

Never saw them do mahogany - bet that was neat. But I have see them make poplar look like cherry several times. Like you said, it was "old guys", craftsmen who had been finishing for many years. I have an Aunt who's house they did it in, and it's a pretty close match. Wish I knew their secret.......

[Edit: Going off topic a little bit here, but maybe it will be helpful. Just found the finishing regimen in an article from Steve Mickley's website. It's the last article under "Coloring Wood".LINK (http://www.covemountainstudios.com/articles.html)]

[Mel Fulks]

look up door and window expert Brent Hull, he will talk old growth and windows over 100 years old with some care along the way. Even when i did my porch I had three levels of cedar .The posts were old growth you could never get anymore..

yep, green poplar is a better outside wood than the more expensive sappy fir that some vendors try to sell.

[Jim Becker]

Never saw them do mahogany - bet that was neat. But I have see them make poplar look like cherry several times. Like you said, it was "old guys", craftsmen who had been finishing for many years. I have an Aunt who's house they did it in, and it's a pretty close match. Wish I knew their secret.......

[Edit: Going off topic a little bit here, but maybe it will be helpful. Just found the finishing regimen in an article from Steve Mickley's website. It's the last article under "Coloring Wood".LINK (http://www.covemountainstudios.com/articles.html)]

I've dyed poplar to resemble both cherry and "pumpkin pine" in past projects. For the latter, I had some "knotty" poplar from one of the trees I had milled and that even enhanced the mimicry. :)

[Richard Coers]

Poplar has almost no decay resistance. I sure hope those wagons are going into museums and not used outside in the rain! Also all the green and some purple streaks all turn some shade of brown or tan when exposed to UV light.

[Mel Fulks]

When I wrote “green poplar “ I meant the dark green ,it’s heart wood and I repeat , it’s better for exterior work than a lot of fir. Fir costs
more so many shop owners don’t want any of it thrown out. To be more specific they insist on using it ALL and the sapwood is worthless
outdoors. Yes some of us have worked for shop owner who saw employee ripping sap edge off and discarding it and said “ Ah pade for ALL
THAT WOOD an Ah want AWL OB It YOUSD ! “
“ Okay Pal , I’m packing up right now “. Plenty of good jobs.

[Jim Becker]

Also all the green and some purple streaks all turn some shade of brown or tan when exposed to UV light.
Only some trees get the mineral staining. Only one tree of the dozen or so milled on my property had even a hint of the mineral staining. But yes, it generally turns color with UV and oxidation. When I do have a piece that's "highly highlighted" I try to keep it for when the special effect can be, um...effective. :) :D

[dennis thompson]

Used a lot of poplar completing this ☺

[Frederick Skelly]

Used a lot of poplar completing this ☺

Always love seeing your intarsia Dennis! (IIRC, you posted this one before.)

[dennis thompson]

Always love seeing your intarsia Dennis! (IIRC, you posted this one before.)

I know, I was just trying to be funny, as I know it really has nothing to do with the intent of this thread