Is Poplar A Good Hardwood

Poplar is a hardwood tree that produces soft wood when compared to other hardwood trees.

Is poplar a good hardwood.

Poplar woods are unsuitable for projects requiring hardwood. The hardness of poplar is about on par with that of pine or cedar but the cellular structure gives it a much finer grain and more pleasing appearance than the more coarsely grained softwoods. Sugar maple black maple sweet birch yellow birch and white ash are all strong hardwoods. How dense hard is poplar wood.

Because poplar is not the most beautiful wood it s rarely used in fine furniture and if it is it s almost always painted. Poplar wood has been a common utility hardwood in the united states for generations. Staining poplar wood is another matter entirely. Poplar is an example of a tree that is technically a hardwood but had density and hardness that is more typical of a softwood.

In its native form poplar tends to take stain in a very blotchy manner. Poplar tulip poplar yellow poplar tulipwood white poplar liriodendron tulipifera. During a janka hardness test a metal ball the size of a bb is pressed into the wood until its embedded halfway. The resilience of wood is typically measured with something known as a janka scale.

Poplar slides toward the lower end of the hardness scale with a rating of 540. The distinction between and softwood is related to how the species produces seeds. For good results when staining it is imperative that all surfaces are prepared properly with a couple of coats of a pre stain wood conditioner this will allow the stain to be absorbed much more evenly and will make the bland grain pop a bit more. Red maple for example is used for gymnasium floors and butcher blocks and has a janka rating of 950.

Poplar comes from a dicot which makes it a hardwood. It has a medium steam bending classification. A high janka number is a good indicator that the wood species will make tough flooring countertops or fine furniture. Poplar is a medium density wood with low bending shock resistance stiffness and compression values.

And with good reason. In general hardwood trees grow slowly and as a result are more hard and dense but this isnt always the case. A good choice for beginner woodworkers. The most common species in the united states yellow poplar liriodendron tulipifera is found throughout the northeast as well as in canada and.

Blue ash has the highest janka rating at 2 030 with a specific gravity of 0 58. It is soft and lightweight but very strong with a fine even texture. Poplar is a hardwood but it isn t a hard wood.