Wood Species Guide

Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

Also called: Yellow Poplar, Tulip Poplar, Tulip Tree, Whitewood, Canary Whitewood, American Tulipwood, Tulipwood (US)

Yellow poplar is the affordable, easy-to-work hardwood that ends up inside most painted cabinets and trim. In slab form it is a light, budget-friendly option, often with surprising green and purple streaks.
DomesticHardwoodDomestic Utility Hardwoods
Good forTabletops & SlabsBudget-Friendly

About the name “Poplar”

In the US lumber trade 'poplar' almost always means yellow poplar, which is actually a magnolia relative and not a true poplar (Populus).

Tulipwood can also mean Brazilian tulipwood, an unrelated rosewood (Dalbergia).

What Poplar looks like

Creamy white sapwood and a pale yellow to olive-green heartwood that can carry purple, gray or black streaks. The green fades toward brown with light exposure.

Grain and texture

Straight, uniform grain with a medium to fine texture.

Working Poplar: planing, cutting and gluing

Very easy to cut, plane, glue and screw. It is soft enough to fuzz up with dull tools, so keep them sharp.

Finishing Poplar: oil, film finishes and epoxy

The best paint-grade hardwood around. Stains can blotch, so use a conditioner or gel stain. Epoxy and oil both work fine after a seal coat.

Durability, stability and Florida humidity

Not decay resistant; indoor use. Fairly stable once dry. In Florida, acclimate and finish both faces.

Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop

We carry poplar as live-edge slabs and as lumber. It is an affordable slab for shelves, benches and painted or stained projects, and a nice wood for practicing your first river table before you move to walnut. The occasional purple or green streaks make for a fun natural-finish piece. It also makes good secondary wood for drawer boxes.

Common uses for Poplar

Paint-grade cabinets and trim, drawer boxes, secondary wood, furniture frames, shelving, plywood cores and carving.

Sustainability and CITES status

Not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Safety and toxicity

Our toxicity rating LowWhat the ratings mean
  • Skin irritation
  • Respiratory / asthma

Poplar is a mild wood for most people. A few cases of allergic skin rash from the wood and bark are documented, and the dust can irritate airways.

In the shop
Dust collection + dust mask when sanding
Food contact
Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils

General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.

Poplar dust can irritate skin and airways in some people. Use dust collection and a mask.

Wood toxicity and dust safety guide: every species compared

Poplar in stock now

Live edge slabs in stock (1)Hardwood lumber in stock (1)

Want to see them in person? Book a slab & lumber visit.

Similar woods: Domestic Utility Hardwoods

See the Domestic Utility Hardwoods group guide

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