Yellow-Poplar (Tulipwood)
Liriodendron tulipifera · hardwood · Eastern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 540 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 29 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.42 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 8.2%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.6%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.8 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes The shop’s utility infielder — straight, cheap, stable enough, and kind to every tool. The green-purple streaks disappear under paint, which is where it usually ends up.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for yellow-poplar (tulipwood) across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.105″) | 1/16″ (0.059″) |
| 12″ | 7/32″ (0.211″) | 1/8″ (0.118″) |
| 24″ | 13/32″ (0.422″) | 1/4″ (0.237″) |
| 36″ | 5/8″ (0.633″) | 11/32″ (0.355″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to yellow-poplar (tulipwood):
Typical swings:
Yellow-Poplar (Tulipwood) questions
How much does yellow-poplar (tulipwood) move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn yellow-poplar (tulipwood) board moves about 7/32″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/8″. Its tangential shrinkage is 8.2% and radial 4.6% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is yellow-poplar (tulipwood)?
Yellow-Poplar (Tulipwood) rates about 540 lbf on the Janka scale — soft enough to dent in daily use (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 29 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is yellow-poplar (tulipwood) good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.8:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is moderate. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
American Chestnut · Northern Catalpa · Red Alder · Butternut · Spanish Cedar · Sassafras
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.