When renovating or beginning a new carpentry project, an important thing to consider is the type of wood to be used. We will help you with this decision by considering cherry wood and poplar wood and their usefulness when building furniture, cabinets, and flooring.
Cherry wood is magnificent in color, durable, and ages well. Cherry wood is sensitive to water and sunlight. Poplar wood is often used when building furniture because it has impressive compressive strength and bending strength. Poplar wood tears quickly when blunt tools are used.
When comparing Cherry wood and Poplar wood, we need to consider a couple of things: the specific project you want to complete. We will specifically be looking at its usefulness in regards to furniture, flooring, and cabinets.
Related: Maple vs. Poplar Wood | Maple vs. Cherry Wood | Cherry vs. Birch | Cherry vs. Oak | Cherry vs. Pine | Cherry vs. Cedar | Types of Cherry Wood | Poplar vs. Pine Wood | Poplar vs. Walnut | Types of Poplar Wood
Cherry Wood: Furniture
Cherry wood is considered a good and luxurious wood for building furniture and has been used in this manner for a long time. Although it is a little pricey, it also has long durability when treated right. The color of the cherry wood is remarkable, with its rich red or brownish-red color changing to a deeper red when it is exposed to sunlight.
It will give any room a touch of class when furniture made from Cherry wood is added.
When constructing furniture, it should be considered that the wood is not water-resistant and needs to be treated well when considering using the furniture in a laundry room, kitchen or bathroom.
It also tends to age quicker when exposed to direct sunlight, and the wood is hefty, so moving it around will be quite an effort. When using Cherry wood outside, it is best to consider placing it under a canopy or patio.
Cherry wood is relatively easy to work with, as it machines well, handles nails, screwing and glue well, and when finishing or polishing, it has a glossy appearance. It is stable in its dimensions when it is dried.
Overall the cherry wood will be a good pick for furniture, although it is an expensive wood that needs a lot of care.
Poplar Wood: Furniture
Poplar wood is considered one of the top 10 kinds of wood in America, and it is a winner for any furniture that might be constructed. It comes in a variety of colors from black to light brown and even dark green.
Poplar wood might not have all the patterns and grain work that other wood types have, but are has a clean finish and is readily available.
It is also low in cost primarily due to its availability and not its quality. When working with Poplar wood, it is also essential to consider that it might have a rough finish, making it very suitable for outdoors or furniture with a more rugged look.
Poplar wood takes well to any paint and is somewhat water-resistant, making it ideal for any furniture, indoors or outdoors.
It does not have a hardness that is comparable to cherry wood and is considered a softwood rather. Because of the softness of Poplar wood, it is easy to make carvings into this wood, which will give your design a personal touch.
Cherry Wood: Flooring
Cherry wood is exceptional for hardwood flooring, although it is not as durable; it is highly shock-resistant and serves well for flooring.
It is also resilient and does not decay quickly; due to its hardness, it has a natural ability to absorb water through the air.
Another fantastic advantage is that it looks sophisticated in its colors and will add a touch of antique to any room it is laid in. The variation of color that cherry wood comes in gives homeowners various choices, whether deep-red, pinkish, or blond.
Poplar wood: Flooring
When using Poplar wood in flooring, there are a couple of things to consider. Although the graining on the wood is lovely and appears well, it is technically softwood.
Wood as soft as Poplar wood will dent easily, and the durability of this wood is low. The low durability and the easiness in which it dents will make this wood unsuitable for flooring unless the builder is willing to redo the floors every once in a while.
In this case, it is always better to go with the more durable and harder woods, as they will have a lot of underfoot activity to withstand.
Cherry wood: Cabinets
Cherry wood has often been used in more stylish and traditional kitchens thanks to its variety in color, its durability, and the unique finish this wood possesses.
When using Cherry wood in the kitchen, it needs to be treated, as it is prone to water damage. There are two options to consider depending on the design style of the kitchen:
- Glazed wood: Glazing Cherry wood for the kitchen will give it a nice finish while protecting the wood from water damage. The glaze will also help the wood keep its original coloring. As the cabinet ages, the glaze finishing will complement the original characteristics of the wood.
- Tung or linseed oil: A finish of Tung or linseed oil can leave your wood with a darker and more natural finish, perfect for a kitchen with a little more character. This treatment will also help your wood age better and give it a finish that brings out all the characteristics that make it Cherry.
It will also be wise to consider the price, as Cherry wood tends to be expensive; however, Cherry wood is also a durable wood when treated well and will have a longer life than most other woods.
Poplar wood: Cabinets
Poplar wood is becoming more and more trendy when installing kitchen cabinets; although this is primarily due to its low price, it also has to do with the character of the wood.
Poplar wood is a hard softwood, making it a lot more durable than most softwoods. Because it is a softwood, it also carves well and is easy to work with and machine. It is also known that poplar wood takes well to paint, and the roughness after a finish makes for a rugged, old-fashioned look.
Treating Poplar wood is done with ease due to the easiness with which it takes to paint.
On the other hand, it should be noted that Poplar wood and the softness it inhabits can cause the cabinets to dent, mainly when heavy pots or knives are used on the surface. A glass cover can be placed over the surface to prevent denting from taking place.
Conclusion
When choosing between Cherry wood and Poplar wood, the type of project should be considered. Both these kinds of wood will be a good choice for furniture construction, depending on the desired design style. Cherry wood will lend a classy look, while poplar wood is easier to work with and will give the furniture a more rugged look.
Cherry wood will be your best choice with flooring, as Poplar wood is more prone to dents and will not handle being under footwell.
For cabinets, both Cherry wood and Poplar wood are good choices. Cherry wood will give the kitchen a more traditional and warm feel, while Poplar wood is easier to work with and carved easier.
Cherry wood is on the expensive side, and Poplar wood is cheaper easier to come by. Cherry wood also needs to be treated well before use, as it is prone to water damage.
References:
GetRit.com: Advantages And Disadvantages Of Cherry Wood: Properties, Pros And Cons
Vermont Woods Studios: Cherry Wood
Woodworking Trade: Is Poplar a Good Wood for Making Furniture?
Wood Floors Cleaner: Is Cherry Wood Good For Flooring?
Kitchen Cabinet Kings: CHERRY KITCHEN CABINETS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
