Poplar or Tulipwood

[brianhabby]

Hi there,

Just been watching Norm and he uses a lot of poplar as a secondary wood. He often uses it for projects that will be painted as he claims it takes paint very well.

I've never seen poplar advertised for sale and I'm sure I've read somewhere that poplar is the same as tulip wood but I can't imagine getting any wood from the tulips in our garden, so where does this wood come from. Is there such a thing as a tulip tree?

regards

Brian

 

[Chris Knight]

The Tulip wood you refer to is Liriodendron tulipifera - otherwise commonly known as (American) poplar.

You sometimes see it called American Whitewood or Canary wood.

There is indeed a Tulip tree but it's not always the same thing - in the USA where the wood we are talking about comes from it is also called tulip poplar. There is also an exotic from Brazil called Tulipwood - different again, its Dalbergia decipularis.

 

[dirtydeeds]

tulip wood is used as a vernarular name for two woods

the most common is poplar (tulip wood sounds much more exotic than poplar

the less well known wood is a brazillian hardwood, ive got the impression its been over harvested

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Tulip poplar here is also called yellow poplar. It has generally been a secondary wood. It is quite nice to work. Large clear pieces can be had without any trouble. It commonly has greenish streaks in it but with exposure to UV takes on a nice brownish color.

Among other things, the seats in the sailboat I built were made of it. Not he best pictures but...

 

[AndreB]

Sweet boat, Dave!!! Is that a Weekender? Looks great!!

Andre

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Thanks Andre. Yes it is a Weekender. Unfortunately I sold her back in June so she's no longer mine. More pictures here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v506/ ... Weekender/

 

[jasonB]

Dave, any particular reason for using the tulipwood for the seats as I have always regarded it as a perishable hardwood so only use it for internal work, or was that why you got rid of it quick :wink:

Jason

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Jason, tulip or yellow poplar is definitely not a rot resistant wood but for trailer sailor, it works just fine. All of the wood is protected and is dry most of the time. Actually the keel, stern post, rudder, bowsprit, cabin beams, butt blocks and stringers are all yellow poplar.

The reason for using yellow poplar is because I get it in long wide pieces that were entirely free of knots. Also I could afford it.

There was no rot on the boat when I sold her and it was a hard decision to come to. After buying a 27' sailboat in the spring, I new we wouldn't use the Weekender and I thought she should be sailed not just sitting on the trailer. The new ower apparently sails her frequently and is having a lot of fun.

FWIW, Robb White, a boat builder in Florida, now gone over the bar, built many boats of yellow poplar. He had an interesting trick in which he would heat his entire shop including the wood for the boat to over 100° and then apply epoxy to the wood. He would then quickly cooled the shop air temp. His process would force the epoxy into the wood and encapsulate it.

 

[brianhabby]

Thanks for the replies guys,

That's a nice boat Dave, I'll bet you were proud to have built that

regards

Brian

 

[AndreB]

Hi Brian,

To get back to the original topic, poplar also goes by cottonwood or aspen. The trees, at least the ones in Canada, are very fast growing and can get to a massive size relatively quickly in areas where other trees just don't get that big ie. the Canadian Prairies. It is also sold as low-end hardwood in Home Centres such as Home Depot and is called Whitewood, if I remember correctly. I don't think I'd ever heard it called Tulipwood until I arrived in the UK, but I seem to remember the term Tulip Poplar being used in the US.

Andre

 

[brianhabby]

Wow, having read this thread in detail now I think I'm more confused than before I asked the question.

Liriodendron tulipifera - (American) poplar - American Whitewood - Canary wood - tulip poplar - Tulipwood - Dalbergia decipularis - yellow poplar - cottonwood - aspen.

Any advances on those ten different names?

regards

Brian

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Check out the information at the following link. You can download the entire document if you wish. Good info. http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgt ... gtr113.htm

there is a bit of confusion about some of these woods. Cottonwood and aspen are not the same as tulip or yellow poplar. They are sometimes referred to locally as poplar or even popple. Cottonwood is rather stringy and very white. It has little strength. Aspen is, too. Yellow poplar may have some light colored areas but tends toward green and yelllowish. It is stronger and harder than aspen or cottonwood.

 

[bjm]

It's very simple

Poplar in the UK equates to what our N American cousins call aspen or cottonwood. What they call poplar is also known as yellow poplar or tulipwood but it isn't a poplar in the botanical sense that polar is and which we know by the name of canarywood or canary whitewood which is also traded by the Americans who claim it as their own and call it American whitewood which leads to confusion because it is yellow and doesn't have anything to do with tulips?

I hope that clear up the confusion?

Brian

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Brian

Any advances on those ten different names?

Canary Whitewood. :lol:

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Chris Knight]

More than you ever wanted to know here

 

[wizer]

What about cost. I take it, in the US, Poplar is used because it is cheap among other reasons. Is that the case in Britain?