Replies

1. 
   ring | Feb 12, 2009 08:28am | #1

   My shop makes kitchen cabinets as our principal business. We always used soft maple for painted units, but switched to poplar for financial reasons. We've done about 50 kitchens by now using the poplar, and I haven't seen any problem like you mention. Of course, it hasn't been 30 years yet, but I think that the poplar is just fine.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

1. 
   JeffHeath | Feb 12, 2009 10:28pm | #3

   Dave

   Here's the Devil's advocate question......What would you use if they were going in your house????

   I'd use the soft maple.

   Jeff

1. 
   ring | Feb 13, 2009 07:18am | #6

   Jeff,I think that the only objection to the poplar is how soft it is (and not that the grain telegraphs through like the OP asked). So if I was looking for a crisp painted finish then the maple would be a better choice. But if it was going to be a slightly distressed finish ( which we most often use) then the poplar would be just fine. Even for my house.regards,David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?lang=e&id=1

1. 
   oldusty | Feb 13, 2009 08:31am | #7

   Hey , the cabinets in my house have a distressed finish , now !

2. 
   oldusty | Feb 12, 2009 06:04pm | #2

     Chris ,

               For years we used Alder for paint grade solids , then switched to Soft Maple and Poplar finally .

       Any of the Maples are harder then the Poplar but in my experience the waste factor is higher and the yield is lower with Maples then Poplar.

    The only negatives on Poplar is it does tend to fuzz up a bit in some machined details , and creates green boogers .

     The Poplar is close to the same hardness as say Alder .The Poplar boards come wide and clear for the most part . Usually I can buy Soft Maple for about the same as Poplar . Quite a bit of nice cabinetry I have built has been painted over Poplar , save some money save some time .

         good luck               dusty,boxmaker

3. 
   jako17 | Feb 13, 2009 02:49am | #4

     I am just in the process of building some cabinets with poplar face frames and build most paint grade work that way.Sometimes I use  maple for the bead round the openings as it resists dings with pots and pans better. otherwise stick to dusty's advice.

4. 
   matt calnen | Feb 13, 2009 04:44am | #5

   In the shop I work at we switched from tulip poplar to soft maple for all of our paint grade work. The main reason was the tulip dents to easily. Most of our finishes are sprayed laccuer and the chance of damaging a fine finish from handling, installation, and general use is high if the wood isn't durable.  The best finish in the world won't last if the wood its applied to is soft. We've cut out alot of touch ups and redos simply by making the switch.