Hardwood · Eastern United States
Yellow Poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera
Creamy with green and purple streaks.
Janka hardness540 lbf
Density (12% MC)29.0 lb/ft³
Weight per board foot2.4 lb
Rot resistanceLow
Workability5/5
Price$
Hardness compared
White pine
Yellow Poplar
Black Cherry
Red Oak
Hard Maple
Shagbark Hickory
Jatoba
Working with Yellow Poplar
Cheap, stable and easy to machine — the best wood for practising joinery and for painted pieces.
Typical uses: Paint-grade furniture, drawer boxes, secondary wood, mouldings.
Seasonal movement
| Tangential coefficient (flatsawn) | 0.00289 per 1% MC |
|---|---|
| Radial coefficient (quartersawn) | 0.00158 per 1% MC |
| T/R ratio | 1.83 (prone to cupping when flatsawn) |
| 12" flatsawn board, 6% → 11% MC | 0.173" (≈ 4.4 mm) |