clique2

We have two mature (9ft round the trunk) white poplars. The wife has taken a dislike to them and is thinking of having them taken down. She thinks it'll be good for firewood but I cringe at the thought the process and storage, let working like a stoker on the Titanic feeding matchwood into our 8kW stove! (Have done it before with Lombardy poplars but I was 10 yrs younger!) Is there any demand for poplar timber as planks etc? We are in West Essex Regards Graham

Poplar is used for matches-burns easily when properly dried, so much so it'll light with a match held to the log. However it is very light ie not dense so doesnt last-several baskets of poplar vs half a basket of ash etc. Good for a quick bright fire on a cool evening but needs "reloading" too often for a long winters day

Two types-the first is bark beetles, the other woodworm. Bark beetles come in on the firewood and, when they notice the change in conditions, tend to try and exit to the wild-lots of beetles on the window sill! Woodworm-you see there holes into the timber and you sometimes expose a worm on splitting. These will mature and find any "dead" wood such as furniture. ("Live" worm holes are sometimes revealed by a little pile of dust under the hole). Having had bark beetles, the problem is they look very like the pictures of woodworm and so we were a bit worried about the intergrity of our "half timbered" house! We caught some and asked the local Environmental Health. Best -if selling- is to say there is the chance of beetle, which could be woodworm, and only bring in a small "ready to use" stock at a time

Poplar seems to have a bad image-however-I have a huge pile left from the trees taken down for other reasons-ie free! If dry it burns very well-you can almost light a log with a match-which is because matches are poplar! The smoke is bitter but not eye wateringly so. It burns brightly and is ideal for "top up" heating and gets going quickly, making it good for an "after supper fire" on a chilly evening. It burns well on a bed of ashes in an open fire and doesnt seem to spit. The problem lies with its density-almost half that of the the heavier hardwoods. When fully dry, the logs feel very light when hefted in the hand. Therefore takes up twice the space and, psycologically, it seems you get through a lot! It makes excellent kindling. Therefore -don't give it away but make sure it is dry