Poplar for outside trim

[Mel Fulks]

I'm familiar with those ratings ,pretty sure they originated in the Forest Products Laboratory stuff. I don't disagree with them but in the case of NE white pine " moderatly " is pretty good . Wonderful to work and and lots of old work still around. I've worked places that used white sap poplar to make stain grade cabinets and even refused to deal with supliers
who would not send only the sap wood; but if someone wanted exterior millwork of poplar they took the job and used the
sap wood. The green heart poplar is cheap and actually better outside than the often very sappy more expensive DF. And often the fir is used heart side out due to ignorance or misguided way to mitigate the sap wood.

[Tom M King]

If it stays dry any wood will last a long time. But if it regularly gets wet, and especially if it's in contact with the ground, poplar is one of the worst woods you can use. Page 44 of Hoadley's book lists Poplar in the "Slightly or nonresistant" column with respect to rot resistant. Eastern white pine is in the "Moderately resistant" column, and cedar, white oak, redwood, and others are in the "Resistant or very resistant" column.

John

That was the last house I built with it. I didn't trust it, but a supplier I dealt with had it. After that, I went to White Oak for siding. The house I'm living in now I built right after that house. The White Oak is still in great shape, and has deterred a few woodpeckers. I pressure wash it about every ten years. Other than that, it's never had anything put on it.

[Reinis Kanders]

Does your white oak weather to nice gray or does it turn blackish? I am thinking of replacing my front steps with white oak and was going to let it be untreated, but some info on internets said that it might turn blackish. My steps have southern exposure.

That was the last house I built with it. I didn't trust it, but a supplier I dealt with had it. After that, I went to White Oak for siding. The house I'm living in now I built right after that house. The White Oak is still in great shape, and has deterred a few woodpeckers. I pressure wash it about every ten years. Other than that, it's never had anything put on it.

[John K Jordan]

Are you talking about tulip poplar or true poplar? They are not the same species and have much different properties. And what pine? Not all pine is created equal.

Tulip poplar was often used as barn siding years ago. I took such boards off my 80-100 year old barn that were in good condition. I think one thing that matters is if the wood gets wet and stays wet it may deteriorate rapidly.

[Larry Edgerton]

Another vote for Versatex/Azek. It costs less than clear cedar, lasts longer, machines well, and holds paint. Its what I have on my own house. Even the belfry will be Versatex.

[Peter Quinn]

The thing with barn siding is its the original vented rain screen application. Usually no interior wall finishes.....it's a barn. No place to trap moisture, etc., often run vertical. Problem with window trim, corner boards, etc.....not usually vented, perfect place to take on a little water and trap it for a while, if caulking fails, and it always fails, trouble begins. Ime the EWP you can buy today starts to rot the second the paint fails, and when paint fails it traps moisture beneath the itself accelerating the process. Best thing you can do for your house is build 4' soffits or the biggest your house style can support, clear all the trees to let in sunlight all around, and keep all wood trim well painted. Shade is bad for wood houses.

[Jason Roehl]

Back-prime, back-prime, back-prime...

[bill tindall]

Poplar will be fine if it is all heartwood. For example, the old growth poplar used on log cabins and barns in this area has held up for decades exposed to the weather. If water gets to poplar sapwood it rots at miles per hour (based on unfortunate experience). I used poplar for trim and the occasional joint admitted water and the wood rotted for several feet in either direction. The paint looked to be fine but underneath the wood was gone.

[Tom M King]

Does your white oak weather to nice gray or does it turn blackish? I am thinking of replacing my front steps with white oak and was going to let it be untreated, but some info on internets said that it might turn blackish. My steps have southern exposure.

It gets black if I don't pressure wash it much after every ten years. It takes about a year to get to a nice silver. When I pressure wash it with my 2500 psi 4.4gpm pressure washer, it gets it back to the original wood color. When I bought it for our house in 1980, I paid a hundred bucks a thousand for it.

[Jeff Duncan]

I think a lot of posters missed location….New England! Poplar here….not a chance! You may get a few years out of it, but you'll be replacing it again

New England is harsh on exteriors and the poplar you get today doesn't stand up.

good luck,
JeffD