Expert: Jamie Yocono - 6/27/2008

Question
should i use poplar wood for my kitchen cabinets or maple if i'm painting the perimeter of the kitchen cream and staining the island black.  

Answer
Gina,

I am a little confused - are you painting the cabinets or staining them?

If you're painting them, Poplar is a better choice, as it's cheaper, and will give a nice surface to paint.  There is no way I would paint Maple, it's a complete waste of the material, and money.

But if you're staining, it's a slightly different story. Maple will stain better, but you will need to do some prep first. And also, make sure you use a stain that will work well with Maple. I suggest getting Bob Flexner's book - Understanding Wood Finishing. There is a lot of good information about this exact subject.

Staining Poplar, on the other hand, won't give as nice a color as the Maple will. See, Poplar has a greenish tint, and it might transfer through the stain, thus making it look like a black/green color. Not good.

So - it depends on whether you're staining or painting.

Paint? Use Poplar.
Stain? Maple, but with prep. It will be worth it.

Good luck, sounds like a nice project,

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com