I had a friend bring me a poplar log a few weeks ago, said I could have the log if I would try to save the bark from it. I have heard of poplar bark siding, but never seen any. He wants to try it on one wall of a shed just to see how it does. He is planning to cut it into 12" -18" wide x 12" tall pieces and put it on like shingles. This was my first try at it, and I will do alot of things different if I try again, but it turned out ok, at least he was happy.
Have any of you ever had any experience with it?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/27999/bark1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/27999/bark4.jpg)
A naked Poplar. smiley_curtain_peek
It looks like it'll work.
What's he going to treat it with?
I don't know Chuck, he will probably just use a water sealer from Lowes or something similar, if he uses anything at all.
Back when I was a young man I spent a summer in the woods sap peeling poplar pulp wood. Just make a slit through the bark on the top of the tree and then strip the bark off using a curved spud. Peeling the full length tree was the easy part in the spring and early summer.
Wow.. nice job at taking the bark off in whole pieces. I would have ended up having to make the guy wood shingles. ;D
Riggs, I don't have any experience with the poplar siding, but have heard that either gilkey or parton lumber in Rutherford co. Are into it. From what I've heard, folks are using it like cedar shakes.
Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on September 16, 2014, 09:24:44 PM
A naked Poplar. smiley_curtain_peek
The curse of the naked log..... it cant be.
The log is usually ringed every 3 feet or so with a chainsaw, then scribed down the length with the saw, then pulled off with spud. That way it can be stacked on pallets . Not sure about drying process, I think it is left banded to the pallet to dry.
Frank
Quote from: warren46 on September 16, 2014, 10:00:46 PM
Back when I was a young man I spent a summer in the woods sap peeling poplar pulp wood. Just make a slit through the bark on the top of the tree and then strip the bark off using a curved spud. Peeling the full length tree was the easy part in the spring and early summer.
Been there, done that too, Warren.
There are different times of the year when each species of wood will peal real easy, the rest of the time, you'd have to remove the bark in small pieces.
The market has dropped off from what it once was. About 7-10 years ago people were slipping on to private and usfs land and cutting the bark from the standing timber. I've asked a lot of loggers if they still cut the bark to sell, and most said they don't do it anymore. But the spring is definitely the best time to get the bark, it will just side off. I saw a bunch of homes around Boone that had poplar bark siding. It looked okay, but it wasn't for me.
Im currently drying some flat. Im using it at the too of the gable as an accent on my shed. I think its super cool.
Thanks for all the input, I think my friend just wants to experiment with it a little and see how it looks.
I've seen guys build bookshelves and put the bark on the ends. Looks good.
Many of the Great Camps here in the Adirondacks use bark for siding, mostly cedar but I have seen White Birch and Aspen also.
Spring is always the best time to get the bark off of a tree
...up until a few years I would cut and peel cedar posts (to help my hobby of making swings). Let me tell you, it is far easier to peel when a log is green vs dried out; if it dries out you pretty much get to break out the draw shave, a strong vise, some strong arms and pray your back holds it all together