Replies

1. 
   BHerman | Feb 11, 2003 11:00pm | #1

   Sealer will help - I use Zinsser Bulls Eye Seal Coat thinned 30-50% with denatured alcohol. As an alternative to poplar, try alder - grain pattern is even more like cherry, without the greenish tendencies of poplar.

2. 
   seramala | Feb 12, 2003 02:00am | #2

   Poplar is always a problem with stain............dye it instead with a good  dye. Better color and you can sand it after dying and get it smooth after the grain raises a bit from the water.  Alder, as the other chap mentioned, is better. I love poplar for drawers and painted furniture, though.

   seramala

   
   

   ---

   Edited 2/11/2003 6:02:12 PM ET by seramala

1. 
   Elmaflash | Feb 12, 2003 05:06pm | #4

   Thanks for the suggestions of using a dye technique. I've had very limited experience with this, but if it solves the problem, I'll try it, as I do like the grain of Poplar not to mention it's relative cost to cherry. 

1. 
   seramala | Feb 12, 2003 05:14pm | #5

   Cherry here is almost $8.00 per foot. I love it, but my purse doesn't. I have found birch to look like cherry after dyed. Its a cheap as popular here. Good luck.

3. 
   Paul_Snyder | Feb 12, 2003 02:19am | #3

   A very nice coloring technique for poplar is to first dye the wood 2-3 shades lighter than the stain color you plan to use. Then apply a coat of your finish thinned 50% (or a 1 pound cut of shellac for water-base dyes; a coat of glu-size for alcohol based dyes) and let it dry. Sand the sealed wood lightly until smooth, and then apply your stain.

   The dye will color the wood nicely and highlight the grain (as long as you don't go too dark). The coat of thinned finish will seal the wood to some degree. Then the stain will complete the coloring without blotching (the thinned coat of finish limits the stain penetration).

   Paul

   F'burg, VA

4. 
   goldhiller | Feb 13, 2003 06:18am | #6

   I've posted this technique before on this subject and so I don't want to bore anyone with repition, however it may prove helpful to you if you have the facilities to spray.

   http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=10227.6

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.