Popular used outside??

[Randy]

I am sawing for this man and he also has a few popular(tulip) tree's he wants me to saw into 2 1/2" slabs. He is going to build a bridge over his pond and use these slabs to walk on. I was under the impression that popular was not a good outside wood(for decks or walkways)------this man said it was a GOOD outside wood. What do you sawyer's think? Should he use this as a "Decking"? I am sure it would be ok to use as a siding, but deck-boards and over water too!! Randy

[Jeff]

NOTGOOD I guess it depends on how long he wants it to last.

[Jeff]

In our hunting woods, we have several small swales that frequently fill with water  and make it hard to get from point a to point b. We built walkways or "bridges" over the water using aspen. We pointed 2 by 4s and drove them in every 5 or 6 feet, nailed more two by fours to the tops for rails, then more for "deck Boards".  THe stakes in the water lasted 2 years. THe 3rd year we drove down new ones beside the old ones and nailed them to  the stringers.  by the 5th year the deck boards began to rot through. during that year the 240 behind us was logged off, and apparently that dried up the watershed to our place, as we have never had standing water since. Its been 15 years since the walkways were built and you can only see a trace of them here and there, mostly completely rotted away.  THese "bridges" were probably 50 to 60 feet long

[etat]

Around here popular will last for years outside, under the right conditions.  It don't hurt it to get wet, BUT it's got to be able to dry out completely without holding moisture and it can't touch the ground.  I tore down a old barn where I built my house that was sided outta popular.  The Siding on it had been scrapped from a house that was over a hundred years old back in the 60's.  Never had paint or sealer on em, at least in my lifetime.

Around the barn close to the ground the boards were rotted away.  Up off the ground and where they could get air, them boards were hard as a rock and termites couldn't touch it.  I know cause they eat up some white oak I strengthened it with in just a few years.  They'd come to that old popular and just scratch on it a bit and quit. It weathers to a soft silvery gray.

Knowing this I sided my house with popular but took precautions so the boards couldn't hold moisture without drying out.

I agree with Jeff on not using it for bridges.

[Jason_WI]

Cedar or Tamarak would be a better choice. After 5 years he better use snow shoes to walk over that bridge. :D :D :D Why put all that effort into building something if your going to use an inferior wood species. : : :

Jason

[Gipper]

If he wants more than 4 or 5 years out of his bridges, he better put a lot of preservative and a good coat of the best weather resistant paint he can find!  Then the increase in the time he can safely use them will probably not justify the extra work and expense.  After that he better "walk softly and carry a big paddle"  to paddle out with when he falls through the bridge. :D :D

The house where I was born nearly 58 years ago is sided with poplar and is still in good shape.  (It was built several years before I was born.)  I should add also that it has always had a good coat of paint on it.  I have used a lot of poplar in recent years, and as cktate said, as long as water can drain off and it does not contact the ground, it will last a long time, even without paint.

[TN_man]

I was planning on using poplar to side our house. I have heard that it is bad about warping and twisting as it drys. Is this true?

[Ron Wenrich]

Depends on the tree.  Poplar can have spiral grain, and that will cause twisting.  The real wide boards will warp, as will any wide board.

The biggest problem for decking is where the deck comes in contact with the supports.  Water and dirt will collect there and it will rot.  Any wood that is kept dry will usually last a long time.

[bberry]

     In Maine, poplar would not be used in an environment that would allow it to go through wet and dry cycles. Rots very quickly. As stated before, best choice here would be cedar with larch(tamarack) coming in second.

[Cuz]

Maybe he wants a covered bridge!  That might work.  If he has poplar on his place he probably has some sweet gum too.  That might last a little longer. Randy, there is a Coastal Lumber Mill outside of Denmark, SC, that cuts some cypress and sells #3 real reasonable.  Ask to speak to Shane if you can (he's usually on the yard).  I know they don't have any at the moment. Probably due to all the rain we've had.  Anyway, it come in 5/4, 4,6,or 8", and random lengths from 4'-16'.  It seems to hold up good on docks, decks, etc., when not in contact with water or ground.  Oh, and they will sell it to you green but I would rather wait on the air dried lots.  Else you better nail it down quick!   

[Tobacco Plug]

TN Man:
You can use poplar as siding on buildings.  I have it on my house and a couple of ourbuildings, along with pine, too.  The house is painted but the outbuildings are not.  On a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, I saw a building sided with poplar weather boards and asked someone who worked there about it.  He said the building was 20 years old and the siding showed little sign of wear.  Keep in mind, though that the weather boards must be allowed to dry and not stay in water all the time.

[Randy]

Cuz--and everyone else---Thanks for the info, but its not a money deal with this man---He's got PLENTY. He owns about 500acre's of land. Several Homes, He has a contract this year for just a little over $1,000,000(one million) with five Super Wal*marts for watermellons and cantelope's.  I am cuting some "bridge" boards tomorrow morning for him and guess what I am cutting them out of?? You guessed it--------Popular-------Just cause thats what he wants :D. He will have the money to rebuild next year or maybe this could be a repeat deal, I cut new boards each year for him, maybe then he will get the Idea----------------Just Because You Are Rich, Don't Mean You Know everything. I did tell him that popular was not good for what he is going to use it for---------he said it is and said cut it. What would you do?? I am just finishing up sawing 4500ft of pine for him this evening. Be sawing Popular in the morning!!! :D Thanks Everyone. Randy

[mhasel]

Them watermelons got to be one of the few American made items in Wal-Mart

Sorry, I just don't like the idea of America's largest retailer also being the largest importer of goods from overseas and then not taking care of their employees with decent pay and benefits >:(

As for that Popular use it for siding and it makes nice interior trim and furniture but I wouldn't use it for outside decking either.

Mike

[KiwiCharlie]

Hi Mike,
I know what you mean - we have "The Warehouse" here in NZ, and its much along the same lines as Walmart.  Not good, especially when they open a huge store in a small town, and some local retailers start going out of business because of it.  >:( :
Love the MF logo on your handle - you still see some of the really old MF 35s ( ? ) round these parts!

Is it Popular or Poplar we are talikng about here?  We have poplar down here.  It seems a rather soft wood, and it doesnt even get much heat out as firewood.  I wouldnt mind using it as an interior wall lining, but I dont think I would want to use it as cladding.
Cheers
Charlie.

[Randy]

Its Poplar, just some of these SC Boys are always trying to stick in a letter or leave one out :D :D 8), Guess I need to leard to spell :P, but just to old to worry about it. I always try to get it close enough for someone to figure out what I am talking about :D.  Randy

[genedieter]

This topic is of interest to me...

See, I have a whole lot of Tulip Poplar on my lot in Eastern PA. I had a few of the trees milled into mostly 2x6s and 2x12s. I am not familiar with timber framing but just starting reading one of Sobon's books. I was thinking that I might try to build the shed he gives instructions for in his book. I can't find any information about using poplar for the timbers, but it is a fairly hard wood, is easy to cut, and the bugs don't like it. I know it's not as HEAVY as oak, but was wondering how it would hold up structurally?

BTW....it's a great starter wood for the wood stove! Burns real Hot and Super-Fast! I usually throw some small logs on to start the fire and then burn the more efficient hard woods. It works well for me ;D and I use my wood stove as my only source of heat in the winter.

GD

[KiwiCharlie]

Hi Randy,
I thought it would be poplar, but with the international differences, I did wonder if there was a 'popular' tree.  Thanks for the reply.

Gene - interesting you like this wood for burning.  It always seems to burn up too fast to produce any good heat, compared to the Puriri or Tea-tree (both hardwoods) we have here.  As a starter - yes, but for prolonged heat, the hardwoods do real good.
Ive been there - grew up in a house where the only source of cooking and water heating was a wood-stove!  You soon get to learn what heats the water best!
Cheers
Charlie.

[mhasel]

Charlie,

Yes it is poplar, realized that spell check "fixed" it for me, some time computer are too smart. But it is a very popular tree in our woods:)

As for structual & framing lumber Gene, go for it that is all I use for studs, rafters and joists, I do believe Poplar is considered a hard wood with a very nice straight grain which makes it also very useful for woodworking & construction.

Mike

[SwampDonkey]

Well, erm , lets make a distinction here. The genus Populus are poplars and tulip poplar, yellow poplar , tulip tree is distinct from that. ;)

I know i'm gonna here about this. :D :D

[woodbeard]

Yes, indeed! ;) Tulip, or yellow poplar is not a true poplar ( populus ) The botanical name is Liriodendron Tulipfera, it is in the magnolia family. It is more resistant to rot than the aspens, balsam poplars, and cottonwoods that make up the poplar family, but still not very good in ground contact.
I have heard that it is getting even less so with successive generations. Also, the carpenter bees love it.

[Ron Wenrich]

Structurally, poplar has the same qualities as chestnut.  Again, you have to watch for spiral grain, as that will twist when it dries.  You can see it by looking at the bark.  If the bark looks like it twists around the tree, it has spiral grain.

Poplar also has a tendency to develop large checks in a heavy timber. 

Poplar is also used for moldings.  Especially wide moldings are made from poplar.  You can get some really good clear runs on these trees.

[KiwiCharlie]

I think its the cottonwood poplars we have round here.
Ron, thanks for that post, it was very interesting about the spiral grain.  And the tip of looking at the bark.
I say this as I have been wondering how poplar would go as an inside wall/ceiling cladding, cut real thin like 1/2 x 12in boards.
Cheers
Charlie.