Poplar for outside trim

[kevin nee]

I have some pine trim that is punky and I am replacing it. I have enough 3/4 inch poplar
to do this project and it will be painted. My question is will poplar hold up in New England
or should I just get some pine? Also do you suggest painting both sides? I will paint it before
I install it. Thanks in advance,

[John TenEyck]

Pine will last longer than Poplar. Poplar is a really poor choice for exterior use.

John

[Jim Dwight]

I agree. If the pine failed, do you know why? If it is an extreme weathering situation, it might even make sense to use Pressure Treated wood. It takes paint well (when reasonably dry).

[Mel Fulks]

With more specific info ,I think either could work. Good NE white pine or the Borg sappy shelving boards like I just tore off my house ? Have had mostly good luck with KD heart poplar (green poplar as opposed to white).

[kevin nee]

It is my own fault the sprinkler has been hitting this for ten years. I soak the garden daily.
I am correcting that too!

[daryl moses]

My woodshop is built out of rough sawn Poplar, it's never been painted, stained or had any type of preservative put on it, I like the grey weathered look. I built it over ten years ago and there is not a bit of rot on it anywhere. In my experience wood that is not in contact with the ground or is not constantly wet will last for many, many years.
The farmers in my area prefer it for building barns etc.
It's certainly not the most rot resistant wood, but it stands up to the weather remarkably well.

[Kent A Bathurst]

It is my own fault the sprinkler has been hitting this for ten years. I soak the garden daily.
I am correcting that too!

Replacing the trim is treating the symptom. Getting the daily shower stopped is curing the disease.

Lemme take shot - the bad section of trim doesn't get much, if any, direct sunlight?

Whatever wood species you install - paint all sides and edges.

[Richard Hash]

I would use pressure treated pine. I cannot imagine poplar lasting very long at all outdoors if it was getting wet regularly...

[Kent A Bathurst]

Well, yeah, sort of - -

Untreated softwoods are pretty standard - painted all sides and edges, with the paint maintained over the years, and no daily baths......

PT would not be a bad choice at all........but then you gotta wait to paint it. The PT producers' literature does everything they can to discourage painting, for a reason - the moisture inherent in the PT process takes time to work out of the wood, and a painted surface will not stop the exodus - the paint leaves town, consumers gripe and want to file warranty claims...... I always say "wait 12 months" for the PT lumber to fully dry. Other guys here say different - shorter times.

You could go all DEFCON 5 with a synthetic material - Azek is commonly known, but there are many other brands, some of which I personally like better. Then, you can soak the stuff in a bath 24/7 with zero issues.

[John TenEyck]

Yes, AZEK is great for trim; paints well, too. Do it once and never again.

John

[kevin nee]

Thanks all, I picked up some clear pine. I will paint and caulk everything. No more watering the building. The poplar is some nice 12 inch wide stuff and can be used fir a lot of other things .

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thanks all, I picked up some clear pine. I will paint and caulk everything. No more watering the building. The poplar is some nice 12 inch wide stuff and can be used fir a lot of other things .

You are good.

Look around the building for other stupid stuff with water, eh?

[Tom M King]

I built a spec house in 1980 with Poplar beveled siding a few hundred yards from the house we live in. Woodpeckers and flying squirrels are death on Cedar here. The siding on that house has been stained maybe three times since then, and it still looks good. The house has 16" of overhang all around, and is in the woods on the lake.

[John TenEyck]

I built a spec house in 1980 with Poplar beveled siding a few hundred yards from the house we live in. Woodpeckers and flying squirrels are death on Cedar here. The siding on that house has been stained maybe three times since then, and it still looks good. The house has 16" of overhang all around, and is in the woods on the lake.

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

[Peter Quinn]

Every once in a while this comes up. Poplar for exterior trim. Its cheap as all getup and great for exterior and I'm the only one who knows it right? No, not so much. I hear its used effectively for barn siding. But the standards are different. Unfinished, in a field, chance to dry out, off the ground, and its not finished space at $200/SF you are protecting. I used a little poplar I had for exterior trim as an experiment on a bad old garage I was fixing to tear down and since have. Mold food, moves a lot, sheds paint when wet...just great for the exterior! EWP is about 1/2 step higher these days, not what it used to be when it was the thing to use. Grows too fast, not enough resin to ward off bugs....


I really like plastic! I'm a wood worker and I'm not afraid to admit I love plastic trim...because I hate painting. If you are going to paint it, and you want smooth texture, polyurethane trim wins. Its expensive, but cost effective over a lifetime. So when the pine you install fails, consider using plastic!