Finishing poplar

[Jose Alberto]

Hi guys,

I am a newbie both here at the forum and at woodworking. I would like to build a bar for my basement and I was thinking of using poplar and finish it to look like distressed antique cherry but with more of a golden/brownish tone.

I think I have a pretty good idea about how to go about building this thing but the finishing part is what keeps me holding back.

All I have used to date (remember I am beginner )has been pine and oak, Minwax stains and polyurethane.
Here are the steps I have in mind based on what i have read:

1. Apply wood conditioner (SealCoat maybe?)
2. Apply TransTint dye for the base color (medium brown?)
3. Apply SealCoat
4. Aplly some sort of toner/glaze???
5. Apply SealCoat
6. Apply top coat (type/brand?)

Too many steps
What is the difference between a wood conditioner such as minwax and Zinsser SealCoat? When ppl mention using a glaze/toner, do you mean soemthing like Valspar glaze available from Lowe's?

I know I have a long way to go, but I was hoping I could get some help getting started.

Many thanks in advance!

[Chris Padilla]

Look up, read, purchase books by Bob Flexner and Jeff Jewitt and you will have two of the better bibles on wood finishing.

I personally like to use a wiping varnish called Velvit Oil. Easy to apply, easy to fix, easy, easy, easy and it looks fantastic.

[Alex Yeilding]

I think you are on the right track. I had a similar project a couple of years ago--a bookcase for my daughter finished to match her "cherry" Crate & Barrel furniture. I couldn't see spending the money for cherry and then hide it under such a dark finish, so I went with poplar. I went with shellac (SealCoat and some garnet shellac) tinted with transtint. The first couple of coats soak in, dying the wood, and subsequent coats act as a tint, adding color and somewhat hiding the wood (not a BAD THING with poplar). Padding on the shellac (see jewitt's description--I think he has a writeup on his homestead finishes web site), each coat is very thin, and adds only a little color, so you can "sneak up on" how red/brown/dark you want the final look. Last couple of coats on mine were untinted, so any minor wear doesn't wear off the color. With a bar, you probably want a topcoat that is more resistant to alcohol. I'd use Waterlox, but everyone has their own favorite, and difference is probably what you are used to.

I was pleased with the result. Not what I'd want in furniture for my dining room, but pretty decent for poplar finished to look like "cherry finished" manufactured furniture.

I second Chris's recommendation of Jewitt and Flexner books on finishing.

[Jim Becker]

If you want the poplar to look like the cherry, don't seal the wood before applying the dye. The water soluble dye should go directly on the bare wood and you will wipe it out to get a nice even color. When that dries, it will look like "you know what" at first (dull/cloudy), but will pop when you put the first coat of shellac on after it. From there, you can continue with shellac and the top coat of your choice. If that top coat is a water borne product or is anything containing polyurethane, you must use de-waxed shellac to avoid adhesion problems.


I'm somewhat in respectful disagreement with Alex on needing to cover up anything on poplar. (Tulip poplar) It's a very good grain match for both cherry and flat sawn maple, colors well with dyes and in general is a pleasure to work with. Don't be fooled by the greenish tint of fresh cut heart wood...it will turn a nice brown from UV and oxidation. I've even used "knotty" poplar boards to simulate pine for a big armoire project a couple years back. Do avoid boards that have mineral staining (heavy, dark purple through green stains) as these will not provide the natural look that most folks want in furniture.

[Alex Yeilding]

I'm somewhat in respectful disagreement with Alex on needing to cover up anything on poplar.

Well, as long as you disagree with appropriate respect, I guess that is okay!
Your point is well-taken. In fact, the reason that the tinted finish was appropriate in my case was more to match the look of the other pieces than to hide the poplar per se.

From your comment, it looks like you like to use the dye in water? Is there a particular reason other than fumes? I tend to like to use it in alcohol or a VERY thin cut of shellac. My preference is based mainly on speed of drying and lack of grain raising. But maybe I'm missing some advantages of a water-dissolved dye?

[Jim Becker]

Alex, alcohol soluble dye is very nice, but needs to be sprayed to avoid overlap issues since the alcohol flashes off so fast. Speed is an advantage with spraying and there are folks who are really skilled with it for both general color and shading effects. But I use (and recommend) water soluble dyes for hand-application. The "wet" lasts a lot longer and you can rub out any unevenness while you are wiping the color on. Yes, there is a little grain raising (which can be taken care of by pre-raising it with distilled water or just sanding off the nubbies with a very light swipe of 320 both before and after applying shellac.

[Bert Johansen]

Jim Becker has covered the ground nicely, and is consistent with my experience. Poplar is a wonderful wood to work with. It machines like a dream, won't dull your jointer and planer blades, can be made to look like cherry quite readily, and is about the cheapest "hardwood" you can find.

I second Jim's advice about applying the aniline dye. It should be done on bare wood. If you want a really, really smooth finish, consider using a pore filling agent before applying the dye. Poplar sands well, but adding the pore filler step will give you a wonderful sheen in the end.

I often mix alcohol and shellac with the dye for the first couple of coats. This does double duty, as you don't need a separate seal coat. I prefer spraying the aniline dye--as Jim says, this gives you the best consistency for the color.

After that, I go straight to the finish. I prefer to use wipe-on poly for the top coats, and after trying at least half-a-dozen others, I favor Min-wax satin poly for the top coats. Goes on fast and easily, drys quickly and builds nicely. I usually use three to six coats, depending on the project. (More coats for heavy use, like a table top.)

Now for the most important step of all. TEST YOUR DYE/FINISH ON SCRAP FIRST!!! Second suggestion--get three or four colors of aniline dye (I use Transtint powers) to experiment with. For a brilliant red, go to the grocery store and get Scarlet RIT dye. Dirt cheap, and a little goes a long way. Just be sure to strain the mixture before you apply it.

Good luck! And send photos as you go along.

PS. The photo below is RIT scarlet dye sprayed on poplar frames.

[Leo Graywacz]

By the time you finish the painstaking ordeal of trying to make Poplar look like Cherry you could have used real Cherry and done a simple stain. The cost, if you include your time will be cheaper using Cherry.

[Jose Alberto]

Thanks a lot guys.
Leo I c your point, but I am a beginner and sure will be making mistakes; I'd probably cry if I "wasted" wood such as cherry.

Also, this will give me the opportunity to experiment with other products and finishes.

Jim, any suggestions as far as what color dye I should be using? I am waiting on an order of TransTint medium brown. Do you use a combination of dyes?

...time to get my cutting list ready....

[Jim Becker]

I do use a combination (and didn't write down any formula), but there is a nice Antique Cherry Brown in the Transtint dyes that is a nice staring point.