crafts
turning and furnishings
Poplar is a popular wood for learning woodturning with as it is easy to use on a lathe. The setback is that its finish is not as attractive as other hard woods.
Furniture making with Poplar is almost as popular as with Pine, largely because it is usually the lowest cost hard wood. Poplar is a reliable wood for furniture making is it does not warp. Furniture makers who wish to work quickly like it as Poplar is quick and easy to sand and get a smooth finish. Also its hardness prevents dents and marks.
The downside is Poplar not being an attractive wood to look at so it is used for furniture that will be painted.
Butcher's block tables are often made with Poplar.
Poplar is also a popular wood for turning into cremation urns due to its mythological connection to the passing.
construction carpentry
Many folks use Poplar for building outbuildings, garages and fences, but do not trust it for home building. Poplar has to be used green because when dry is too hard for nails. However as it dries, Poplar can be prone to shrinking. As fence wood it may only last a few years as it is a wood that rots quite easily.
other crafts
Electric guitars are often made with Poplar due to ease of working with, low coast and ability to look good when painted. It is excellent wood for guitar necks.
Apparently, Fender made a batch of black guitars from Alder, Ash and Poplar and asked guitarists to borrow them and review them without revealing what the wood was. The result was that the guitars made with Poplar bodies were said to have the best tone and sustain.
Making matches, is another popular use for Poplar.
to read about Poplar as a fuel in the hearth, please click here