Suntanning poplar

If you suntan your wood I would probably use Coppertone SPF 15 that’s usually a good choice

-- always something

If you suntan your wood I would probably use Coppertone SPF 15 that s usually a good choice

- hkmiller

LOL, I’ll make sure and use a roller when applying so I don’t get splinters :)

-- The plan is wrong; my finished piece is right.

If you suntan your wood I would probably use Coppertone SPF 15 that s usually a good choice

- hkmiller

LOL, I ll make sure and use a roller when applying so I don t get splinters :)

- Travis

and wear a hat travis-lol.sorry i couldn’t resist.not sure about poplar in the sun though.

-- sawdust the bigger the pile the bigger my smile-larry,so cal.

Given my Midwestern(ish) location, the main problem I’ve had with tanning wood in the sun is unreliable weather. As a result, I ordered a UV bulb for reptiles off of Amazon. It doesn’t work as fast as full summer sun exposure, but the object can be exposed to light around the clock without exposure to unusual heat or (lack of) humidity.

Just remember that UV light is still bad for human eyes.

I don’t ever recommend “suntanning” any kind of wood because the length of time it takes to get an effect will likely (as you observed) result in some undesirable movement issues.

I suppose if you ran out there and flipped it over every 30 mins…...

But there’s better ways to color wood.

Don’t be afraid of dyes. Experiment!! Get some unpigmented poplar and try some cherry or cinnamon dye you’ll get something almost indistinguishable from real cherry.

-- Everything is a prototype thats why its one of a kind!!

I don t ever recommend “suntanning” any kind of wood because the length of time it takes to get an effect will likely (as you observed) result in some undesirable movement issues.

I suppose if you ran out there and flipped it over every 30 mins…...

But there s better ways to color wood.

Don t be afraid of dyes. Experiment!! Get some unpigmented poplar and try some cherry or cinnamon dye you ll get something almost indistinguishable from real cherry.

- Robert

I figured the “suntanning” would be too good to be true. I’ll have to develop those wood coloring skills eventually, at least poplar is an affordable wood to practice on!

-- The plan is wrong; my finished piece is right.

I have sun tanned poplar before and it came out nice for a desk I made. What I did was complete the desk first and then leave it outside for a few hours in the sun and it developed a light brown color. Had no issues with movement and the desk is solid after a few years of being heavily used. Poplar is a very stable wood and costs cheap so leaving out some pieces in the sun shouldn’t be a big deal.

If you want dark brown poplar without staining loook into Thermally Modified Poplar

Put some on a rotisserie in the sun with the grill off and it should tan evenly.

Just don’t use the tanning beds, or else it will turn into Trumplar.

Bet in seriousness i have accidentally tanned it in my garage through the windows, but the green hasn’t completely gone. If i can find a piece in my stack I’ll post a pic. So i pretty much stick to GF oil or gel stains, super easy and consistent and actually turn out real nice.

Complete with white eyespots.

If I were unhappy with the color of poplar, I think I’d be looking for another species.

-- Murphy's Carpentry Corollary #3: Half of all boards cut to a specific length will be too short.

I have sun tanned poplar before and it came out nice for a desk I made. What I did was complete the desk first and then leave it outside for a few hours in the sun and it developed a light brown color. Had no issues with movement and the desk is solid after a few years of being heavily used. Poplar is a very stable wood and costs cheap so leaving out some pieces in the sun shouldn t be a big deal.

- BalsaWood

Hmm…I imagine the joinery will help keep everything in position. I would worry about unequal exposure though. It doesn’t sound like that was a problem.

-- The plan is wrong; my finished piece is right.

Put some on a rotisserie in the sun with the grill off and it should tan evenly.

- ibewjon

Ha! Reminds me of a Seinfeld episode….. :)

-- The plan is wrong; my finished piece is right.

Just don’t use the tanning beds, or else it will turn into Trumplar.

Bet in seriousness i have accidentally tanned it in my garage through the windows, but the green hasn’t completely gone. If i can find a piece in my stack I’ll post a pic. So i pretty much stick to GF oil or gel stains, super easy and consistent and actually turn out real nice.

- SMP

Good to know, I’ll check those products out. Thanks!

-- The plan is wrong; my finished piece is right.