: I worked with Poplar about 5 years ago. It was available in wide
: planks and most had a beautiful straight grain, I could cut it
: really thin without twisting and it seemed to take glue well.
: Very split-resistant and seemed unusually strong across the
: grain (same thing?) - I truly thought I was on to a good thing.

: However, the stuff available at the same place more recently had
: the grain going all over the place and seemed much denser; I
: didn't trust it. You have made me wonder if it was the same
: species. I must have another look; they have moved all their
: wood indoors at last and may have some nicer stuff. I was using
: it for chine logs, where its cross-grain strength is a great
: advantage.

: If you get the good stuff it's a much under-rated wood. BTW if you
: can get old-growth (not likely but maybe from a demo site) I
: read that it is far more rot-resistant - in fact it was often
: used for veranda and porch posts that have lasted for 100+
: years.

There are a whole bunch of different poplars, the more common variety is a very fast growing tree, an old one is like 40 years old.

As I remember tulip poplar used to be fairly common and was reputed to be fairly rot resistant, the more normal stuff isn't in the least, have seen it rot to powder in a matter of a couple seasons.

Bill H.