# Will poplar make a good bench top?



## HamS (Nov 10, 2011)

I have several logs from a large poplar tree we had to cut down two years ago. It is time to decide whether to turn it into lumber or firewood. I have had visions of splitting it and hewing it into the pieces for a workbench. I do not envision a Roubo bench, but more of a contemporary bench with features. I want to build it without using any machine tools.

Will the poplar be to soft to make a satisfactory bench top?

Is poplar too light to make a massive bench that will not move. My current thoughts are four by six inch legs and three by six inch stretchers and a three or four inch thick top. The top would be three by five and be something between a classic bench and an assembly table. I think a wagon vise would be very useful on the short axis of the bench and one on the long axis.

I solicit advise and if someone wants to send me a vise, I would gladly accept it .


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

Poplar is soft, like alder; very similar wood. Generally lighter in color, and somewhat flexable. But what the heck, if it doesn't work it would be a fantastic base to lay a chunk of harder wood over someday if you thought it better. It will be perfect for the framework.
As far as weight goes it just depends on what you are going to do with it. If you are going to work with 10' long 12×12's then it's too light; the same exaggeration could be made the other way. You could always add a shin-high shelf that could hold heavy things as a ballast but as you describe it it sounds like it will be nice and heavy.


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

Alder be softer than poplar, but at 4" poplar should be pretty stable, I would however makes some sections where the grain runs opposite of the rest, so that it has less likelihood of warping or cupping.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

And poplar makes terrible firewood. It may actually be worse than pine. As for lumber I love working with poplar. I almost made my bench out if it, but managed to scrounge up some harder wood. Most of the poplar I use is native and self saw. Some has some nice grain and a greenish tint to it.

It is a lot lighter than most other hardwoods. I believe the bench you describe will serve you very well however.


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## benchbuilder (Sep 10, 2011)

I have a 7' x 40" poplar workbench top that is about 22yrs old now, it has cupped a bit do to its 40" width but not in its length. It is very heavy, the color is gone do to many glue, oil and several other types of drips. It has dents, tearout for removing epoxy drips and dented, cut and missing chips along the front edge. The dog holes are still good and I use them a lot. I have never attached it to the base with any connectors as its weight is enough to hold it in place. I clean it off and add a coat of BLO every few yrs. So, will it make a good workbench top, yes.


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

There's no reason why you can't make the bench from your poplar and put an mdf top on - then if you destroy the mdf with saw cuts, drill holes, glue, paint, chisel gashes, knocks and dents etc, you can just turn it over and use the other side. Then burn it and start over again with a new mdf top.


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## NJWiliam (May 16, 2011)

I'm just finishing a Nicholson style bench out of 12/4 and 8/4 poplar. It's plenty heavy between top and aprons. I picked it in good part since it will be softer than the wood being worked on it and less prone to damage projects.


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

I agree with renners, use a sacrificial top of hardboard, MDF or thin ply.


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## Diozark (Oct 24, 2017)

Poplar Bench Works Great.
8' Long
5 1/2 ' Wide
21" Tool Well

Making Mods all the time, building an 8' x 5' x 8" drawer for the underside to store tools.
6' Moxon Vise from bamboo plywood and poplar, Wood Holdfasts hold it in place.


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

Yes.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

Poplar is pretty soft for a workbench, but boy is it easy to plane, cut, and shape. It's like cedar in that regard.

I'd go at least four or five inches thick for the top. The more mass the better for a workbench. You can always toss a sheet of plywood on top if you find the poplar surface too soft to work on.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

My poplar Roubo workbench has held up great, I think it has been 4 or 5 years now. I did hedge my bets a little bit by using ash for the front edge of the bench, that is where most of the abuse occurs.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

When you say poplar are you talking about the greenish hardwood you find at the lumberyard which is really in the magnolia family (aka tulip tree or yellow poplar) or are you talking about true poplars such as cottonwood and aspen? I would think that true poplars would be annoyingly too soft and not very durable for a workbench.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Since this thread is six years old, I'm guessing the bench is probably done.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

LOL, I just looked at the date on the recent posts.


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