Yellow Poplar - Rough Cut Lumber

Yellow Poplar - Rough Cut Lumber

Scientific Name: Liriodendron tulipifera

Origin: United States (East)

Average Weight: 29 lbs/ft³ (455 kg/m³)

Common Uses: Indoor use. Rarely used for its appearance (except in the case of Rainbow Poplar), Yellow Poplar is a utilitarian wood in almost every sense. It is used for pallets, crates, upholstered furniture frames, paper (wood pulp), and plywood. Poplar veneer is also used for various applications: either dyed in different colors or on the hidden underside of veneered panels to counteract glue attraction on an exposed face veneered with a more decorative wood species.

Color/Appearance: The heartwood is light cream to yellowish-brown, with occasional gray or green streaks. The sapwood is pale yellow to white, not always clearly demarcated from the heartwood. It can also be found in mineral-dyed colors ranging from dark purple to red, green, or yellow, sometimes called Rainbow Poplar. The colors tend to darken with exposure to light.

Shrinkage:

• Radial: 4.6%
• Tangential: 8.2%
• Volumetric: 12.7%
• T/R Ratio: 1.8

Workability: Very easy to work in almost all respects, the only drawback of Poplar is its softness. Due to its low density, Poplar can sometimes leave fuzzy surfaces and edges, especially when shaping or sanding. Sanding with finer grit paper may be necessary to achieve a smooth surface.

Density: Janka Hardness: 540 lbf - For comparison: White Pine 420 lbf - Cherry 1,260 lbf