I requested an exterior trim package from a local millwork house and received a package of poplar.
My question is, with two coats of oil based primer and each cut primed will poplar stand up to Pacific Northwest weather?
Should I go back to the supplier and make a stink about poplar being sent out as an exterior grade product? I spent a dime on custom ground knives to match the original profile.
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Make a stink. Poplar is a lousy performer outside. You get about five times the rain we do, and it falls apart in under a year here. Run of the mill cedar would have been a better pick, and still economical.
"The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb " lyrics by Roger Waters
Any hope with back priming?
I would also use a paintable, water replant, protectant.
I'd hate to use it. how did you come toorderthis without being more specific anyway? Never heard of Poplar as an exterior wood.
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I asked for their lowest cost exterior grade product and they sent poplar. I didn't even think that it was an option.
I guess that if I had asked for the lowest price stuf they had without checking it out, I would be a bit embarassed to make a stink about it. I would either paint the snot out of it and make sure no water could lay on it, or I wouldgo back with hat in hand and head hung low to investigate the alternatives and be ready to pay a re-stocking chargeif I decided to change materials.
maybe these other posts encourage you a little.
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I requested an exterior trim package from a local millwork house and received a package of poplar.
We've been around on this subject before and there's confusion on what is "poplar".
Others apparently have something other than what's sold here, which is Liriodendron tulipfera. Called tulip poplar locally. It works fine for exterior as long as it is well drained. Let it stand in water, and you'll have a problem. I used it for siding on my lumber drying shed.
Monticello, Jefferson's home, has original tulip poplar around the roof. As siding, I copied 75+ yr old buildings that used it successfully. Probably you have more rain, but we had 73" last year. Not exactly dry.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
And ALL heart wood Poplar, ( Yellow, or Tulip) is still good on my place (150+ Yrs. old) that was used for siding and Ext. trim..protect it with paint, and avoid the sap wood..that is prurty much true with any wood..right Tom?..
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I 've had poplar german drop siding on my house for 17 years with nothing on it and its like the daY I put it up.If its exposed to constant weather,or in an area that stays damp I wouldnt use it. Id almost classify todays poplar as a softwood since most of it grew as second and third growth with out much competition and has wide growth rings.The poplar ive taken out of old houses is a lot denser.Love sawing it on the mill.
Ext. trim..protect it with paint, and avoid the sap wood..that is prurty much true with any wood..right Tom?..
Thank you for the correction. Absolutely, heartwood is decidedly preferred. All I do is smear a lot of boiled linseed oil on it.
Species that are classed as decay resistant or highly decay resistant (white oaks, black walnut, black locust, your Osage orange) have a much larger difference between the sapwood and heartwood. Liriodendron tulipfera is classed as nonresistant, therefore requiring good drainage, and less performance difference between heartwood and sapwood.
According to Hoadley, yellow poplar is Liriodendron tulipifera. Apparently Yankees don't call it tulip poplar, although he mentions it in passing. This is also the same tree that has been the core of hardwood plywood for quite awhile.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!