Advise on Poplar

[cooks]

I have a client who has asked me to take down 30 large poplar trees and wants the butts milled once down. I am aware of a couple of uses i.e. cladding and boards for trailers as it does not splinter. Can any one shed light on any other uses or if its worth bothering with in the first place. Ta

[John Hughes]

I would not bother milling poplar. The wood is good for nothing except burning.

UK poplar is not the same as American poplar also known as tulip wood that is good for cabinet making.

[Big J]

If you can cover the cost of the haulage, Steve at Helmdon Sawmill, Brackley, Northamptonshire, will buy it all off you for about £37 a tonne. He has a very specific market for it and it's otherwise not really worth milling.

 

Jonathan

[Stubby]

Electric guitar bodies .

[Peter]

Does it need to be in specific lengths or diameters Jonathon?

[Big J]

Does it need to be in specific lengths or diameters Jonathon?

 

Christ, now you are asking! From memory, I think it's multiples of 2.3m, but you really are better off asking Steve. He is always in need of it, and is struggling at the moment. He uses about a 3 loads (75t) every 2 months.

 

Regarding diameter, the bigger the better. He has never had a poplar log too large for the Stenner.

[Peter]

Christ, now you are asking! From memory, I think it's multiples of 2.3m, but you really are better off asking Steve. He is always in need of it, and is struggling at the moment. He uses about a 3 loads (75t) every 2 months.

 

Regarding diameter, the bigger the better. He has never had a poplar log too large for the Stenner.

 

Cool, I'll see if I can find his number.

[armchairarborist]

All depends on if you/they have a market/use for milled poplar, I've got some poplar stems on a pile of logs ready for milling, but i can sell the planks quite easily so it's worth doing. Seen milled poplar used for pit boards with trucks driving over them, also furniture so don't be too put off.

[BigNick]

Helmdon Saw mill

 

Address: Weston Road House, Weston Rd, Brackley NN13 5QB

Phone:01295 760305

[openspaceman]

I would not bother milling poplar. The wood is good for nothing except burning.

UK poplar is not the same as American poplar also known as tulip wood that is good for cabinet making.

 

 

 

In the past, pre 97 large poplar was milled for coffin boards and other one trip uses (dunnage) there was a good market but a lower price than mining timber (chocks, cover boards and wedges not pit props). There was a market for peeling logs with prices similar to softwood bars in the 10" to 24" range. It was not acceptable for mining timber nor pallets because of poor crush resistance but it was used for the inners of cable reel drums.

 

Yellow poplar from the states was p deltoides but I think the tulip tree was also known as yellow poplar in america, Liriodendron wood is similar to poplar but yellow and fragrant.

 

Once the briant and may poplar scheme collapsed and because the 8 metre planting spacing was also the final crop spacing the abandoned plantations produced timber too knotty for good joinery.