Replies

1. 
   _mj_ | Apr 15, 2021 07:09am | #1

   Poplar is my go-to for painted work.

2. 
   gulfstar | Apr 15, 2021 07:13am | #2

   Poplar

3. 
   user-7063600 | Apr 15, 2021 07:18am | #3

   I use beech, poplar or soft maple.

4. 
   john_c2 | Apr 15, 2021 07:53am | #4

   I always use poplar. Around here it costs just slightly more than pine, but it is harder than white pine.

   Whatever is local to you, is inexpensive, and takes paint well is a good choice.

1. 
   user-7022764 | Apr 19, 2021 03:45pm | #12

   "Whatever is local to you, is inexpensive, and takes paint well is a good choice." Yes yes yes!

5. 
   SmartWork360 | Apr 19, 2021 06:36am | #5

   poplar maybe

6. 
   muskokalayne | Apr 19, 2021 11:48am | #6

   Poplar

7. 
   esch5995 | Apr 19, 2021 12:16pm | #7

   Poplar is okay, just be prepared for a lot of movement and released tension causing pieces to twist and bend as you cut it.

   Given the small quantity needed I think I would opt for soft maple, much more stable and reliable for a nominal increase in cost given the quantity needed.

8. 
   _mj_ | Apr 19, 2021 12:47pm | #8

   How can you make a blanket statement like that about poplar and maple? I rarely experienced much twisting and bending when milling. Pronouncing soft maple to be "much more stable" is quite a generalization.

   What if the poplar is air-dried QS and the maple is extreme flatsawn case-hardened in a kiln?

   If you take your time selecting your lumber you can find stable stock in any species. I offer the first 6 responses to the OP as evidence.

1. 
   esch5995 | Apr 19, 2021 02:02pm | #10

   Whoa, I did not mean to offend your love of poplar, by all means if it's your wood of choice keep using it.

   As to why I feel that way, 40 years of professional home improvement and Woodworking is the primary reason.

   I can also relate a conversation I had with a government official whose job at one time was to find commercial uses for poplar, don't ask me why, probably some Senator probably had a lot of poplar trees in his state and wanted to find a way to use them. Anyway his comment to me was the biggest problem they were having was that poplar was too unstable and would tend to warp and cup. Problems I have personally witnessed time after time.

   Does that mean soft maple would not warp and cup or have tension in it from kiln drying? Absolutely not but my first hand experience is it happens much less often.

   But besides the movement issues; a stair top gate would require what maybe 10 b.f. of lumber if it were solid wood much less if it was slatted? With my local prices for facesawn 4/4 poplar currently being $2.75 for widths less than 12" and soft maple $3.85 I would gladly pay and extra $10 for a wood that has a Janka hardness rating roughly twice that of popular. I would spend more that in time fixing every little dent and ding the poplar gate developed before I could deliver it to the client.

2. 
   lat_axe | Apr 19, 2021 02:30pm | #11

   Yes ..... but what is "poplar" in the USA? Many different species, apparently. Some of them are prone to contain lots of "reaction" whilst others tend to be fairly straight-grained and stable.

   How do I know this? Well, I don't really. But this fellow does:

   https://www.finewoodworking.com/1983/08/01/keeping-the-poplars-straight.

   Lataxe

9. 
   DRBWWing | Apr 19, 2021 12:54pm | #9

   Soft maple only b/c poplar can be too soft for many applications.

   A agree with MJ I've never found poplar to be any more stable than maple. Any given board can misbehave.

10. 
    Cayman | Apr 19, 2021 05:03pm | #13

    I've re-trimmed two century homes with poplar with good success. It cuts and sands well. If the project will get much abuse (ie. kids) a harder wood like maple might be better.

11. 
    rob_ss | Apr 20, 2021 02:40am | #14

    I know you said you didn't want to use pine, but it's a really good wood for that purpose. Painted, it will be more than adequate.
    I made kids beds and furniture out of box store pine and MDF - lasted over 20 years and sold for more than I paid for the materials when we were done with it...

    Ash might be a good alternative to those already offered which are also good choices - very cheap. Looks so lovely that you won't want to paint it tho...

12. 
    lordulrich | Apr 20, 2021 09:22am | #15

    I'd find a local hardwood store and get whatever is cheap if you are painting.

    Pine (construction lumber/ spf) is ok for paint grade but right now is expensive and is still, well construction grade. I just got some 2x4s and the price per board ft was more than the nice ash I've been working with. (On a side note ash is really nice wood that is underrated)

    Poplar is good for paint, I don't us it much as the price is a bit higher than other options where I am. Usually I use "rustic" maple, mostly as maples grow like weeds here, and if you don't care about the color or figure, it is cheap. Lumber prices for basic woods are very regional, based on what is local.