Types of Poplar
Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera)
Balsam Poplar is light in weight wood. It is native to Canada and the northern United States. It is a medium-sized, fast-growing deciduous tree. The length of its tree is about 80-100 ft (25-30 m) and trunk diameter is 3-5 ft (1.0-1.5 m). The Balsam Poplar tree has a long, straight, cylindrical bole with an open crown.
The heartwood is light brown to dark grayish brown and the sapwood is light-colored, creamy to almost white. It has straight grains with a fine texture.
Hardness and weight: Its Janka hardness is 300 lbf (1,330 N). Dried weight is 23 lbs/ft3 (370 kg/m3).
Workability: Generally Balsam Poplar wood is easy to work with hand and machine tools. Due to its low density, nailing and screwing are easily done.
Uses: Boxes, crates, baskets, excelsior, veneers, plywood, drawer bottoms, core stock, and decorative wood species.
Black Poplar (Populus nigra)
Black Poplar is commonly known as Lombardy Poplar, Mappa burl. It is native to Europe, western Asia, Northern Africa; planted as an ornamental in North America. It is a medium-sized tree, The tree is about 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter.
It is low bending strength, low stiffness, and shock resistance wood.
The heartwood is light brown and the sapwood is a pale yellow to nearly white. It usually has a straight grain to a slightly irregular or interlocked grain. Fine texture with a natural luster.
Hardness and weight: Its Janka hardness is 460 lbf (2,020 N). Dried weight is 24 lbs/ft3 (385 kg/m3).
Workability: Black poplar is easy to work with hand and machine tools. Due to the softness of the wood, there may be a fuzzy surface while cutting. To avoid fuzzy surfaces, use sharp cutters.
Uses: Furniture carcasses, boxes and crates, plywood, laminated construction lumber, drum shells, fine furniture, and inlays.
White Poplar (Populus alba)
White Poplar is commonly known as Silver Poplar. It is Distributed from southern/central Europe to central Asia. It is soft and light in weight. White poplar is a medium-sized tree, The tree is about 50-80 ft (15-25 m) tall and the trunk diameter is 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m).
The heartwood is light brown with a white stripe and the sapwood is nearly white. It usually has a fine grain pattern, with a medium texture and low natural luster.
Hardness and weight: Its Janka hardness is 410 lbf (1,820 N). Dried weight is 28 lbs/ft3 (440 kg/m3).
Workability: It is a soft hardwood that is easy to work with hand and machine tools. White poplar takes manipulation with a saw, lathe, or router well.
Uses: Ceiling molding and trim, Toys, carvings, crates, pallets, furniture frames.
Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Yellow Poplar is commonly known as Tulip Poplar and American tulip. It is native to the Eastern United States. It is Extremely stable, relatively stiff, and rather light in weight.
Yellow poplar is a medium-sized, fast-growing deciduous tree. The height of its tree is about 130-160 ft (40-50 m) and trunk diameter is 6-8 ft (1.8-2.5 m).
The heartwood is light cream to yellowish brown and the sapwood is a pale yellow to white. It usually has a uniform grain, with a medium texture. Low natural luster.
Hardness and weight: Its Janka hardness is 540 lbf (2,400 N)). Dried weight is 29 lbs/ft3 (455 kg/m3).
Workability: Very easy to work with hand and machine tools. Due to its softness, it sometimes leaves fuzzy surfaces and edges. So there may be a problem with finishing.
Uses: Pallets, crates, upholstered furniture frames, paper (pulpwood), plywood, and decorative wood species.
