# Getting right thickness wood



## bgilb (Jan 9, 2010)

If I buy regular poplar from the big box store it's about 3/4 thick. But either bowed, cupped or twisted so needs to be squared up. The problem is I need 3/4" thick. After squaring up it's going to be less than 3/4" thick. What do I do?


----------



## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Get it from a hard wood supplier, it should be at least 13/16" or 7/8" if rough.


----------



## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

http://www.houstonhardwoods.com/lumber.php

http://dakotahardwoods.com/products_hardwood_lumber.html

Find a lumberyard about town or maybe get some 5/4 or 4/4 rough stock and mill your own.


----------



## HammerSmith (Mar 3, 2018)

> If I buy regular poplar from the big box store it s about 3/4 thick. But either bowed, cupped or twisted so needs to be squared up. The problem is I need 3/4" thick. After squaring up it s going to be less than 3/4" thick. What do I do?
> 
> - bgilb


Poplar is not a very stable wood in the first place. Even if you get a straight piece, it probably won't stay that way unless it's fastened to something.

Of course, each stick is unique. Some will twist more than others. Quarter sawn pieces are much less likely to cup and twist.

What are you making?


----------



## bgilb (Jan 9, 2010)

It would be for face frames.


----------



## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

I have purchased poplar boards at our local big box store with no problems of warp, twist, or cupping. You may have to look thru their stock to find what you want.


----------



## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Personally. I don't worry too much about it. Nailing and gluing to the carcass will fix it.


----------



## 9x9 (Jan 2, 2015)

go through the stack untill find something doable. move on to another store if have to.


----------



## Jared_S (Jul 6, 2018)

> Get it from a hard wood supplier, it should be at least 13/16" or 7/8" if rough.
> 
> - bondogaposis


If your yard is selling you rough stock under 1" you are getting over charged.

Rough 4/4 should be 1 to 1&1/16 dry.

To the op, the big box stores do not carry solid hard wood you actually want to use. Find a local HW dealer and buy from them.

As an example home depot is over $5/bd ft for poplar (s4s) my local yard has rough 4/4 for $2.05. The yard a bit farther away has s2s r1e at 7/8" for $2.35/bdft or s4s at 3/4" for $2.70

This stack of 4/4 poplar finished out at 1 inch after planning. It never saw a jointer (moulding blanks) it's flat, and stayed that way. Having a yard that knows how to run a kiln helps.









I'd throw out face frame Stock that didn't behave.


----------



## GrantA (Jul 19, 2014)

As has been said, sort of… It'll depend what you're doing. If you need flat stock you need to develop a relationship with a local hardwood supplier! If not you'll just have to spend some time digging through the stacks at the big box store.


----------



## HammerSmith (Mar 3, 2018)

> It would be for face frames.
> 
> - bgilb


 I think it'll be fine then. Poplar isn't too strong, so attaching it to a plywood box with stabilize it nicely.

If the pieces you get are all warped and hard to mill, just cut it into shorter pieces before you go to the table saw.

I agree with the things said above, Poplar is ok for many things, and the price is right!

But I've seen the way Poplar likes to twist and warp, even when it's laying flat in a dry place… It seems to me that Poplar has to be held in place.


----------



## HammerSmith (Mar 3, 2018)

> Personally. I don't worry too much about it. Nailing and gluing to the carcass will fix it.
> 
> - TheFridge


Yup. I'll second that..


----------



## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Within reason of course.


----------



## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

I buy wood in the rough from a hardwoods supplier and mill it to 3/4 inch. Running it through my planer (DW 735) let's me get all boards to the exact same thickness. If i buy from HD or Lowe's I can mill it all to the same thickness, but it won't be 3/4 inch.


----------



## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

If its just for face frames, find a decent supplier(generally not home depot or menards, but not always). Google wholesale lumber or S4S lumber. Something will pop up in your area.

Honestly the best and easiest supplier for 1.5" poplar for me is Menards. And this is coming from a company that buys at least 1000$ board foot per month. The problem is that they only have certain sizes.

Good lumber yards will give you what ever you want as long as you treat them right. With lumber yards, money talks. Treat them right, they will return the favor.


----------



## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

I have found poplar to be extremely stable if it is used in a manner that takes into account changes in dimension with humidity - just like any other species. In 40 years of woodworking, this is the first time I have heard anyone talk about stability problems with poplar. Of course it is possible to cause any species to warp if you try hard enough.



> If I buy regular poplar from the big box store it s about 3/4 thick. But either bowed, cupped or twisted so needs to be squared up. The problem is I need 3/4" thick. After squaring up it s going to be less than 3/4" thick. What do I do?
> 
> - bgilb
> 
> ...


----------

