Yellow Poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera
Hardness
On the soft side; easy to work, but marks with hard use.
Overview
The budget hardwood of choice for paint-grade work. Soft, cheap, easy, just don't expect to show off the grain.
Commonly built
- Painted bookshelves
- Drawer boxes
- Crown molding
- Toy boxes
- Mock-up prototypes
Appearance
Cream to yellow-brown, often with green, gray, or purple streaks.
Recommended uses
Uses to avoid
Similar species
Comparable on hardness, type, and workability, useful when this species isn't available.
Working notes
Cuts like butter, very forgiving for beginners. Green and gray streaks make it ugly under clear finish but perfect under paint. Soft, dents easily.
Wood movement
A 24-inch-wide flatsawn yellow poplar panel moves roughly 0.45 inch across a typical seasonal humidity swing (about 6% to 12% moisture content). Use the wood movement calculator to run your own board size and moisture range.
How much does Yellow Poplar move? → See flatsawn vs. quartersawn figures and a worked example.
Common questions
How hard is Yellow Poplar?
Yellow Poplar has a Janka hardness of 540 lbf, a measure of how well it resists denting and wear.
Is Yellow Poplar suitable for outdoor use?
Yellow Poplar is best used indoors; it is not naturally suited to sustained outdoor or wet conditions.
How easy is Yellow Poplar to work with?
Yellow Poplar has Excellent workability for cutting, shaping, and joinery.
How much does Yellow Poplar move seasonally?
A 24-inch-wide flatsawn yellow poplar panel moves roughly 0.45 inch across a typical seasonal humidity swing (about 6% to 12% moisture content).
Finishing notes
The premier paint wood: closed, uniform grain takes paint flawlessly, which is its most common finish. Under clear finishes its green/gray streaks are divisive, and it blotches under stain, so if staining, condition first or use dye. For a natural clear finish most people accept the color variation or choose another wood; for paint it is hard to beat.
Community photos
Real photos from woodworkers who've used yellow poplar, reviewed before they appear here.
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Wood data varies by source and sample. How we source and review our data.