Obtaining an even finish using stain on poplar is difficult.
Stained poplar cabinets.
Poplar is a very popular hardwood used in building cabinets furniture and other projects because of its relatively low cost.
It is also very easy to work with and can be stained to look like more expensive types of wood such as cherry oak or walnut.
Staining poplar wood is another matter entirely.
Everyone wants to know that the home improvements they re making are durable and add real value to the property.
Stain soaks in and usually looks blotchy and lifeless dull and generally not all that visually appealing.
Poplar is easy to work mills and sands well and holds paint well.
We ve been wanting to do a wood stain study for years now and in my head i wanted to do every type of wood with about 20 different stains each but with limited resources not to mention space we settled on 5 popular species of wood commonly used by diyers with 6 different stains.
A few weeks ago i wanted to see the effects of different stains on white pine well this time i used common poplar that you can buy at lowes or home depot.
The effects of different stains on poplar wood.
Folks who choose poplar with the intention of staining it to make it look like their more expensive cherry cabinets face an uphill struggle.
Poplar and maple finish differently.
2 light 2 medium and 2 dark.
Poplar heartwood is a green color and its sapwood appears almost white.
If that s you here are some tips that may help.
Minwax stain on poplar works fairly well if you are using the gel stain but you should avoid the minwax penetrating stain for poplar projects.
This means it will take stain very unevenly.
For this wood you will need a gel stain or a wipe on stain.
It would be quite normal to specify poplar for painted cabinets.
I have also uploaded the video from my youtube channel.
Otoh it doesn t absorb stain evenly and most people don t find it attractive enough for a clear finish so it s less often used in those applications.
In its native form poplar tends to take stain in a very blotchy manner.
For good results when staining it is imperative that all surfaces are prepared properly with a couple of coats of a pre stain wood conditioner this will allow the stain to be absorbed much more evenly and will make the bland grain pop a bit more.
I hope this helps somebody before the.
I didn t include any exterior stains or weathering treatments in this test but i might do a second round in the future.
Which solid wood type is best for a specific project depends on budget if the cabinetry will be painted and personal preference.
The best wood for cabinetry is widely considered either red oak poplar maple mahogany or plywood.
This post is sponsored by minwax.