After 5+ years finally started barn

[ovrszd]

Poplars- but in my area- they call them popple. -I've got a load of popple ready for the mill, etc.

I don't think I've ever saw anyone build with Poplar. They aren't abundant here. Most were planted as windbreaks and decorative around yards, etc. I always considered them a soft wood. Learned something new.

 

[Tompet]

The poplars used for windbreaks etc. are usually a Lombardy poplar or similar hybrid narrow habit tree. There are different species in the genus of poplar and they are soft woods like aspen and cottonwood.

I think the op might be referring to a different species named native Eastern or Yellow Tulip poplar (magnolia family) which is considered a hardwood, although not hard like oak or maple. They are large straight grained trees. Many old barns were sided with this species. It is really nice to work with and also used for high quality painted trim, furniture drawer carcass etc.. With dyes and stains it can also make a very nice wood interior trim.

 

[ovrszd]

Tom, yeah, I think I've read about those. Not sure I've ever saw one though. We definitely have the narrow trees here.

My Dad logged a lot of cottonwood and hauled to the sawmill for dimension lumber for building projects. He always said it had to be used where it wouldn't get wet. I've still got a couple hundred board feet of cottonwood he had milled. You can still drive nails in it and it's light weight. If properly stored after sawing it stays pretty straight also.

 

[sawtooth]

The poplars used for windbreaks etc. are usually a Lombardy poplar or similar hybrid narrow habit tree. There are different species in the genus of poplar and they are soft woods like aspen and cottonwood. I think the op might be referring to a different species named native Eastern or Yellow Tulip poplar (magnolia family) which is considered a hardwood, although not hard like oak or maple. They are large straight grained trees. Many old barns were sided with this species. It is really nice to work with and also used for high quality painted trim, furniture drawer carcass etc.. With dyes and stains it can also make a very nice wood interior trim.

Yes it's the Tulip poplar tree. Grows upwards of 100' tall and is very straight. We have barns that are 100 years old with original siding. Just keep wood off ground where it can drip dry and your golden.

 

[ovrszd]

Yes it's the Tulip poplar tree. Grows upwards of 100' tall and is very straight. We have barns that are 100 years old with original siding. Just keep wood off ground where it can drip dry and your golden.

That's awesome sawtooth. Where did you say you are located??

 

[sawtooth]

The poplars used for windbreaks etc. are usually a Lombardy poplar or similar hybrid narrow habit tree. There are different species in the genus of poplar and they are soft woods like aspen and cottonwood. I think the op might be referring to a different species named native Eastern or Yellow Tulip poplar (magnolia family) which is considered a hardwood, although not hard like oak or maple. They are large straight grained trees. Many old barns were sided with this species. It is really nice to work with and also used for high quality painted trim, furniture drawer carcass etc.. With dyes and stains it can also make a very nice wood interior trim.

Yes it's the Tulip poplar tree. Grows upwards of 100' tall and is very straight. We have barns that are 100 years old with original siding. Just keep wood off ground where it can drip dry and your golden.

 

[caver]

Tulip Poplar from my yard where I live. I hauled it to my property and made lots of sawdust with the sawmill.

 

[sld]

When you buy boards at Home Depot that are labeled as poplar, are those tulip or the crappy lombardy?

The lombardys are the most disease catching trees I think I've ever seen!

 

[farmer2009]

They should be the tulip poplar. I had some Lombardy poplars here when I first moved started dying from the top and looked terrible best use I've found for them was a brush pile. Tulip or yellow poplar does a really good job as wall studs. Just be careful with it as unsupported floor joists as old timers always told me they don't hold nails well into the end grain.

 

[timswi]

When I make my own trim I use Poplar, generally no knots and paints well..primer's a must..Around here red oak isn't all that much more expensive oddly..For exteriors I've been going with the oak.