# How do I finish poplar



## RonGoldberg (Dec 11, 2011)

Hey Guys,
I just recently gotten back into woodworking (now that my kids are older and it is not cool to hang out with dad) and have make several greate pojects out of maple, red oak and plywood. My next project is going to be a blanket chest and I want to use a cheaper wood (still releatively hard so it machines well and doesn't dent like pine when you "look" at it). I have chosen poplar. Besides painting it, what are some other finishing alternatives. I know it blotches so my traditional method of sanding (80, 100, 150, 200 then minwax prestain + gel strain than 2-3 coats of wipe on poly with steel wool in between) probably is not the best. Can someone give me a couple of alternatives? Thanks.

Ron G


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

I've used Transfast water soluble dye powder on poplar, and it works well. It hides the green color and doesn't look blotchy. Here is a set of stacking shelves I made using this process.

The process was to dye, sand to cut off raised grain, touch up with more dye, 5 coats of polyurethane, sanding between coats.

(Note that only the ends and the shelf edging are poplar. The shelf is birch plywood as the back panel.)


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

This is one way

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/1430

Joe's looks great


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## BilltheDiver (Jul 2, 2010)

I've just completed a couple of pieces made of poplar. I used minwax wood conditioner, then a cherrywood gel stain (to limit absorption) followed by spraying with shellac. After the 3rd coat of shellac I rubbed it all down with 0000 steel wool dipped in furniture paste wax. Gives it a uniform sheen and silky touch.


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

Your typical minwax stain is a dye stain, that you need to stay away from. I used to love minwax products, but now I find myself going for the cabot dye stains more. I have not used many gel stains, usually if I do it's for glazing, but I digress.

The inherant problem with poplar other than it's blotching is that over time it's grain tends to not show up as well, I've only ever really done one stain grade job with poplar, and to be honest that was about 7 years ago, what I remember that we did use on it was the regular minwax dye stain with no pre-stain, but poplar bought the way I buy it is not a wood I consider expensive wood, so I mainly only really use it for drawers.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I use poplar quite a bit(see my projects) I also use your method of sanding,prestain,stain and poly. I also dye it and then finish with poly.
Michael1 on here uses poplar a lot in his business. Check him out,he has been a great help to me.
Charles Neal has some very good videos on dealing with poplar.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Joe, I've never seen birch ply look that good!


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

If you are going to use birch plywood, what you need to know is that it will absorb stain alot more than solid wood will, sand it to a higher grade, and umm I'm not sure I can say this, but thin your stains. :X


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