Is Poplar A Good Hardwood

Sugar maple black maple sweet birch yellow birch and white ash are all strong hardwoods.

Is poplar a good hardwood.

In general hardwood trees grow slowly and as a result are more hard and dense but this isnt always the case. Poplar is a hardwood but it isn t a hard wood. The resilience of wood is typically measured with something known as a janka scale. A high janka number is a good indicator that the wood species will make tough flooring countertops or fine furniture.

In its native form poplar tends to take stain in a very blotchy manner. Poplar is a medium density wood with low bending shock resistance stiffness and compression values. 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.

The amount of force required to make this happen is recorded. And with good reason. During a janka hardness test a metal ball the size of a bb is pressed into the wood until its embedded halfway. Poplar is a hardwood tree that produces soft wood when compared to other hardwood trees.

How dense hard is poplar wood. The most common species in the united states yellow poplar liriodendron tulipifera is found throughout the northeast as well as in canada and. A good choice for beginner woodworkers. 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.

The distinction between and softwood is related to how the species produces seeds. Blue ash has the highest janka rating at 2 030 with a specific gravity of 0 58. Poplar slides toward the lower end of the hardness scale with a rating of 540. Poplar is an example of a tree that is technically a hardwood but had density and hardness that is more typical of a softwood.

Red maple for example is used for gymnasium floors and butcher blocks and has a janka rating of 950. 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. Poplar is white with some green or brown streaks in the heartwood. Poplar woods are unsuitable for projects requiring hardwood.

Poplar tulip poplar yellow poplar tulipwood white poplar liriodendron tulipifera. Poplar comes from a dicot which makes it a hardwood. Poplar can be a good choice for drawers where it won t be seen because it is stable and inexpensive.