Replies

1. 
   Gretchen | Feb 22, 2006 07:03pm | #1

   Wipe it down with mineral spirits and see what it looks like. That will be the finish "look" you will get with a clear finish like varnish or uncolored shellac. If that doesn't do it, maybe someone can advise about stains.

   Gretchen
1. 
   PCWoodworks | Feb 22, 2006 09:26pm | #2

   Powder coat?

2. 
   jerrymayfield | Feb 23, 2006 06:01pm | #3

   If the poplar has any grain pattern,most do, you can color it to mimic almost any wood. I have colored poplar to resemble cherry. Give it a try on some left over pieces of the project.

   Regards
   Jerry

1. 
   RobertRidpath | Mar 04, 2006 06:03am | #8

   Hi Jerry,

    

   How did you stain the poplar to look like cherry. Did you pretreat? How did you cover up the green. I am hoping to do this on a sink base I just build. I know that there was a good article in an older addition of fine wooodworking, but I have not been able to find it.

    

   The legs have been laminated on the base so I was wondering if the light/green/light  front should be covered with a highly pigmented stain. Your thoughts?

   Do you know of any sites, articles..etc where I could look this up.

    

   Thanks in advance for your input.

    

   Robert

3. 
   YesIWood | Feb 24, 2006 12:58am | #4

   Bill,

     You can dye it any color.  I use a Transtint powered dye, works like a charm.  Please practice on some scrap.  And, move and/or cover-up your project away from where you will be practicing.  Nothing worse than getting a couple spots of your project.

   Enjoy.

   Joe

   Is it really saw dust or wood dust?

4. 
   WillGeorge | Feb 24, 2006 05:09am | #5

   A post I just made..

   Gee.. Not a finisher BUT!

   I just made a shelf (or two) for me'.. new BIG TV fer' on the wall.. Short of cash (after that TV) so I used Poplar wood..

   I used some Olympic Antique Danish Oil on it.. It is just full of sort of red streaks in the grain.. Hell, Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.. I thought it was wonderful! But I'm strange... I'm OK with that!

   A old sayin' 'Try It You Will Like It'

5. 
   cadiddlehopper | Mar 02, 2006 01:56am | #6

   Like WillGeorge, I have finished poplar with oil (linseed & tung), tung oil varnish, and polyurethane varnish. The ambering given by tung oil or varnish is nice. Expect it to darken very gradually to even more pleasant colors. Some people probably don't like light colored woods, but I do. Actually, poplar can be have colors with attractive grain. The green heartwood will turn milk chocolate brown in about a year.

   One thing to look out for: Even if you raise the grain with water before final sanding, the finish can be a bit rough. Be willing to sand between coats to get rid of this. I've never lacquered poplar. Don't know how that would work.

   Cadiddlehopper

1. 
   user-70678 | Mar 03, 2006 09:49pm | #7

   Thanks to everybody for their input!

   I ended up finishing with 4 coats of wipe-on poly -- sanding between each coat.

   It came out nice, and the wife is happy with the finished product!

   I agree with cadiddlehopper -- poplar isn't such a bad looking wood.  No need to cover it up with paint.

   Thanks again for your replies!

   - Billy C.

1. 
   Gretchen | Mar 04, 2006 03:28pm | #9

   I know you say you are happy with it, but 4 coats is usually not really enough. Another 2 or 3 might make it superlative. Especially with sanding between coats you barely have one good coat of varnish on it.Gretchen

1. 
   user-70678 | Mar 07, 2006 12:27am | #10

   I believe you, Gretchen.  But here's why I stopped at 4.  My workshop is in my unheated garage.  I applied the first 3 coasts in the workshop.  We've had a pretty severe cold spell here in Pennsylvania lately.  And the folks at Minwax told me that applying Wipe-On Poly in those 30 degree temperatures was a big mistake.  So, I applied the 4th coat in my kitchen.  Did my best to keep things tidy, but you know how that is . . .  Also, the fumes were not well received by wife and kids.  I decided the finish was acceptable, and it really is.  But I agree that a few more coats could have made it even better.

   Thanks!

   - Billy C.

1. 
   cadiddlehopper | Mar 22, 2006 04:30am | #12

   Minwax wipe-on poly & temperature (or is it humidity?): I have great difficulty with it above 70 degrees F. Where I live the humidity stays above 50% most of the time. Had any experience with that?Cadiddlehopper

2. 
   WillGeorge | Apr 02, 2006 06:35pm | #13

   cadiddlehopper As in Clem? I wonder...

6. 
   MMeyer | Mar 20, 2006 10:40pm | #11

   Over the winter I made a small box shelf for the bedroom out of poplar. I knew I wanted it to be red or at least a dark color to contrast the color of the wall, but because there was so much visible grain I couldn't see painting over it. So I went and got a can of minwax poly shades in a bright red color.  The finish on that shelf turned out awesome!  I also built a little stand for my forstner bits out of some extra poplar I had, and just for kicks I put some dark paste wax on it, and that came out looking pretty nice as well.