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Anyone have experience using yellow (or rainbow) poplar a/k/a tulip for a table or desk surface? I've looked up the janka hardness rating, and the stuff sounds a little prone to denting, which is not that appealing. I find it visually attractive for use as a slab surface (i.e. 60x30ish inch desk top).
Thanks for your input.
Andrew
When I see old furniture or house trim made of poplar it's almost always painted. For new stuff contractors sometimes ask for white poplar,as opposed to black or green, so they can stain it to be something else. I don't see any reason to not use it unless you have to buy it and are going to insist on white color, too much trouble for you and seller in my opinion. You like it,that's what matters.
For me, I wouldn't make a table or desk top out of poplar. ..Just too soft.
Interestingly, I would not suggest poplar as a good desk surface, yet 30 yrs ago I made a chair from poplar, and it is till solid and strong...go figure :-)
Not as a top, as other say it's just too soft. With the right grain though it can make some pretty convincing faux cherry. Different harder wood for the top and poplar for the base?
Sometimes I think we were better off without the Janka chart. What is going to ding a desk top? Pencils and pens are almost obsolete and mouse pads are cushy. And any guy who gets a desk corner dent from a high heel shoe will be preserving it under glass, not refinishing.
I made a quick and dirty kitchen table with a poplar top some years ago. It was soft enough to show dent marks from ball-point pens. after a few years I was happy to upgrade to a better table. You may also want to think about stain if you don't plan to paint. Freshly planed poplar can be bright and surprisingly attractive (if you have the right piece), but its natural color fades and greys fairly quickly.
Thanks, folks.