Poplar for cabinets

[mattdh]

Is poplar to soft for face frames and doors on cabinets

 

[tiralie]

Nope, it's a good solution for paint grade and sometimes stain. Just don't expect it to be stand up to bumps as well as maple.
Tim

 

[Jalvis]

If your painting DONT use poplar.

I've tried and tried to use poplar for paint grade due to price and ease of machining but the extra labor in applying the finnish has me using maple exclusively.

 

[mattdh]

they are getting painted. but its a hand finished faux painting(not by me) not a sprayed glass smooth finish. what were your problems painting poplar?  most worried about the softness. they are for a single 50 year old female  with no kids in a basement bar.

 

[tiralie]

If your painting DONT use poplar.

I've tried and tried to use poplar for paint grade due to price and ease of machining but the extra labor in applying the finish has me using maple exclusively.

Yep in a production situation (time is money) it would be an issue but, it really depends on what kind of finish your customer wants/needs. Yes, without the proper preparation, there is more grain that transfers through the finish than maple, but sometimes that is the look and feel that folks want.
A primer that powders up well will give you a great finish.

Unless the 50 year old female is "hanging from the chandeliers" type poplar should be fine.
Tim

 

[CarolinaNomad]

Just a question, why not use mdf instead of poplar?

 

[Jalvis]

Its a very porous material which makes it hard to prime and sand for paint.  I find that it take twice the time to prep.

The guys I know that will use poplar have large shops and use some rigorous priming agents.  I don't have that luxury.

Just ask Scott with TopCoat who is a member on FOG.  He feels the same way.

 

[Jalvis]

Just a question, why not use mdf instead of poplar?

Maple for the the rails and stiles with MDF panels are a great combination for Paint grade.

 

[butzla]

I respectfully and strongly disagree.  Poplar takes paint well, I've never had a problem.  It also machines nicely, low in cost and there is very little waste in terms of knots and crazy grain.

 

[chrisrosenb]

I respectfully and strongly disagree.  Poplar takes paint well, I've never had a problem.  It also machines nicely, low in cost and there is very little waste in terms of knots and crazy grain.

I agree. I have used poplar & maple for years for paint grade work.  Sometimes using both on the same project. I have never seen any difference when painting poplar or maple or could anyone see any difference between painted poplar or maple. 

 

[Jalvis]

If your painting DONT use poplar.

I've tried and tried to use poplar for paint grade due to price and ease of machining but the extra labor in applying the finish has me using maple exclusively.

Yep in a production situation (time is money) it would be an issue but, it really depends on what kind of finish your customer wants/needs. Yes, without the proper preparation, there is more grain that transfers through the finish than maple, but sometimes that is the look and feel that folks want.
A primer that powders up well will give you a great finish.

Unless the 50 year old female is "hanging from the chandeliers" type poplar should be fine.
Tim

Thats the problem I have….grain transfer.  The only method I'v come up with to avoid it is to double prime and sand in between.  OR us lacquer bases which helps.

Like you said it depend on what end product your looking for…..personally I'm picky and don't like to see grain through the finnish.

My distributor finds that its split between the shops in my area who use poplar and who use maple.

 

[greg mann]

they are getting painted. but its a hand finished faux painting(not by me) not a sprayed glass smooth finish. what were your problems painting poplar?  most worried about the softness. they are for a single 50 year old female  with no kids in a basement bar.

What? I thought everybody kept their kids in the basement bar!  [poke]

 

[chris mann]

If you're looking for a perfectly smooth surface, Poplar is not the best choice., Soft Maple performs much better.  If it's going to get hand painted, Poplar is fine.  Or if you want to see the grain of the wood.

I've attached a pic of a rail on a FF, the rail is soft maple and the beads are poplar.  This is only one coat of tinted lacquer, but it gives you an idea of what you'll get.  This job will be hand painted after install, so it's all fine.

[attachimg=#]

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Interesting top for me because I might have a project in the near future that will also be painted. I've painted pine and it does telegraph the grain, which wasn't a problem in the past. I think the choice between poplar and maple is an compromise between cost/durability. Maple is nearly double the hardness on the Janka scale.

Chris, just curious, did you use a sealer on that rail?

 

[tjbnwi]

Sherwin Williams Wall and Wood primer. Heavy bodied, sands well. solves the afore mentioned problems.

Tom

 

[semenza]

I use poplar all the time for paint grade. I don't seem to have any grain or smoothness problems. But I am hand painting so that seems to be the difference , maybe?

Seth

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Sherwin Williams Wall and Wood primer. Heavy bodied, sands well. solves the afore mentioned problems.

Yeah, using a quality primer and paint can definitely make a difference. Good point, Tom.

 

[bruegf]

Poplar makes for some beautiful pieces if finished naturally, here's a pic of my 20 yr old dining room table.  It was finished naturally, no stain, with a 2 part conversion varnish. 

Fred

 

[tjbnwi]

Sherwin Williams Wall and Wood primer. Heavy bodied, sands well. solves the afore mentioned problems.

Yeah, using a quality primer and paint can definitely make a difference. Good point, Tom.

I'm not trying to insinuate that others aren't using good primer. The W&W is the best I have found for wood (it was a Scott Burt, "you BETTER use this" recommendation). As great as it is for wood, it is one of the worst primers I have ever used on walls. For walls SWP Multi Purpose, use MP on interior or exterior.

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

Poplar makes for some beautiful pieces if finished naturally, here's a pic of my 20 yr old dining room table.  It was finished naturally, no stain, with a 2 part conversion varnish.   

Fred

Very pretty.

Tom