The Forestry Forum
General Forestry => Timber Framing/Log construction => Topic started by: MotorSeven on November 11, 2009, 05:29:33 PM
My house foundation/basement walls are getting done. I had originally planned on using my ERC for the house logs, but looking at all the nice big Poplars I have should I consider them? ERC will take about 250 trees, Poplar les than half that number. This means less work for me, but what's the general opinion on Poplar for house logs? They will be cut on my mill to 6x6's.
I have googled this & only found a few recent references to poplar logs used in new construction. I will not use pine for my house, besides I don't have any white pine on my place, only Jack pines.
RD
Poplar is going to shrink quite a bit. Put a saw kerf on the bottom side of the log so you can make it check where you want it to. You may have some variance in color in your logs (from gray to blue to yellow to green). Use wide overhangs, or even better, wrap around porches, to keep the wood dry. Use a quality stain / water barrier. Keep the carpenter bees at bay. My parents' house and multiple out buildings on the farm have yellow poplar siding. As long as it is maintained, its fine. It does not have much natural decay resistance so I would use something else for the sills (White Oak or treated pine if it were me).
Wudman
The tulip poplar actually weathers quite well as long as it is kept up off the ground and can drain well. It turns a nice silver gray color after time. It makes nice siding. Checking and warp/twist will be your biggest issues. don't use logs with spiral grain or ones that exhibit signs of internal stress when you mill them. It can be very heavy when cut in spring/summer. It holds a lot of water when green.
I sided a shed with Poplar 4+ years ago. It seems to have zero degradation even though I didn't put any preservative on it. It has turned a cool looking silver grey like THW said. In the woods, I've cut up downed poplar logs where the bark was completely rotted off, but the wood under it perfect. I think it has way better rot resistance than Pine. ERC is still my first choice, but I am going to ponder the Poplar for a while.
RD