Contents
Is poplar good for a desk top?
Pine and poplar are lighter, softer woods — creamy yellowish-brown for pine and brownish-yellow with a hint of green for poplar. Good woods may make up the entire desk or be paired with more expensive hardwoods to lower the cost of production or to extend a limited supply of a hard-to-obtain hardwood.
Is poplar hard enough for a desk?
Poplar is a hardwood, but it isn’t a hard wood. The question may arise in your mind: “But is poplar wood strong?” and the answer is yes, but it isn’t as hard as most hardwoods, with a hardness rating less than that of some species of cedar, which is a softwood.
Is alder good wood for furniture?
What is Alder Wood Used For? Most of the higher grade lumber is used for furniture, cabinetry, and turned products. Alder is also used in doors, millwork, decorative woodwork, carvings, and edge-glued panels. Alder dries to an even honey tone and can be finished to resemble more expensive fine-grained species.
Does poplar warp easily?
Other woods that are resistant to warping include cherry, walnut and yellow poplar. Yellow poplar contains tannins that make it resistant to decay. It’s a popular choice for siding because it doesn’t shrink or warp much. Oak is a strong, durable pale wood that resists warping and decay.
How strong is poplar compared to oak?
White and yellow poplar are hardwoods, but they are among the softest of the hardwoods. They rank fairly low, with a hardness of 540 pound-feet (lb-ft). By contrast, red oak comes in at a powerful 1290 lb-ft on the Janka scale.
How thick should a wood desktop be?
As a general rule, 19mm thick sheets of plywood are the sweet spot for desk building. At this thickness you have the required strength to keep your desk strong in most circumstances and not have to worry about warping.
Is alder an expensive wood?
One of the biggest benefits of alder wood is the cost. It’s not quite as cheap as it used to be when it was referred to as “poor man’s cherry,” but there’s still a considerable price difference between it and more expensive hardwoods, such as mahogany. Alder is about in the middle of the road of hardwood prices.
Is alder cheaper than oak?
Soft woods, such as pine, often are 10 to 20 percent less costly than hardwoods, such as white oak. Alder is a popular choice in some new home developments because it is about 10 percent less costly than many harder woods.
Is poplar more water resistant than pine?
But Isn’t Poplar More Water Resistant Than Pine? Treated poplar wood is more moisture resistant than untreated poplar. On the other hand, pressure-treated pine can hold up well against outdoor elements, making it a fairly decent choice for outdoor furniture.
Which is better alder wood or maple wood?
Alder is more affordable, as it is a mid grade wood. Maple is a premium hardwood and much more durable, hence the higher price. Several years ago, I was having a custom table built and looking at different woods, including alder. The wood expert told me that alder is the “poor man’s” maple.
Can you use poplar as a finish on wood?
You can find poplar in many furniture projects, toys, and wood turnings because it is inexpensive, fairly easy to work, and takes nails, screws, and glue well. It works best with paint as a finish, but it can be successfully used to simulate finer woods, provided the proper steps are taken in the finishing process.
Why is alder wood used in kitchen cabinets?
Soft + light = easily damaged. So as you can see, alder again is at the bottom of the hardwood list and just barely above white pine. There are many more statistics that show Alder being in the low end of the hardwood category. Again used as a cost lowering method.
Which is better clear red alder or clear red?
Knotty Red Alder is likely to be very inexpensive, on par with other domestic utility woods such as Poplar or Aspen. Clear Red Alder is likely to cost a bit more, closer to other cabinet hardwoods such as Birch or Maple.”