Poplar timber
Poplar
The poplar is a widespread species in France with a rapid growth rate. Renowned for its large oval fine toothed leaves, its fruits (ovoid capsules) and its straight and slender trunk (up to 40 m), it’s in great supply in France. Clear appearance, white to greyish, its grain is straight, lightly undulating. Its grain is fine and uniform, with a satin appearance. Its great strength is the fact that the poplar wood can be completely used.
Physical and durability properties of natural wood (besides sapwood)
- Density of poplar timber : between 420 and 480 kg/m3 (light to very light wood)
- Young modulus: 8,800 MPa
- Monnin hardness: Very soft wood (0.5 < d < 3 N/mm)
- Stability: Average
- Fungal durability and use class: Class 2 lifespan between 50 and 100 years/class 3a lifespan between 10 and 50 years/class 3b lifespan < 10 years/class 4 lifespan < 10 years
Physical and durability properties of THT wood
- Density: between 350 and 400 kg/m3 (light to very light wood)
- Young modulus: 10,000 MPa
- Monnin hardness: Very soft wood (0.5 < d < 3 N/mm)
- Stability: Good
- Fungal durability and use class: Class 3a lifespan > 100 years/class 3b lifespan between 50 and 100 years/class 4 lifespan between 10 and 50 years
Uses of the poplar wood species
- Interior layout
- Wood very often sawn or used to make plywood or lattice panels, for partitions, arrangements, wainscot
- Furnishing: furniture called “white wood”
- Structure
- Poplar cladding for exterior layout (siding/cladding) after high temperature treatment
Special features of poplar wood
Average drying speed, with risk of deformation, collapse and pockets of humidity
Pilling tendency from sawing
Gluing: easy, absorbent wood
Easy to roll, glue, stain, paint and nail
Supports bending well
With its fluffy fibres, difficult to obtain a perfectly polished surface by machine.
Origin France
