Expert: Jamie Yocono - 9/22/2007

Question
Mr. Yocono,
I am in the process of purchasing a "high end" home...the whole process has
made me quite cynical, so forgive me beforehand...
From the very beginning, i made it clear to the builder that I wanted a very  
nicely finished kitchen.  I inadvertently forgot to ask what wood would be
used for the cabinets.  Now as they are laying the kitchen plans out in front of
me, I casually ask that question.  I am told that poplar is to be used.  A quick
search online leads me to believe that poplar is (1) better for paint-grade
projects than stain-grade projects, (2) softer, thus less ideal in kitchens than
cherry or oak, (3) tends to take stain unevenly, and (4) will eventually be more
similar to oak than cherry in ultimate appearance.
I, of course, realize that you can't read my builder's mind and tell me what his
intentions were.  But is poplar a good substitute when the intention is to
deliver high-end "Cherry-like" kitchen cabinets?  Secondly, what is the
comparable cost (percentage-wise) of a kitchen finished in cherry versus
poplar?
Thank you, in advance, for your advice.
Ajay Handa

Answer
Hi Ajay,

I have to say, I've gotten some questions over the years that riled me up, but yours might take the prize for the most egregious example of a contractor trying to pull one over on someone. I will try to help.

First, I have to admit- some furniture manufactures do wonderful work with Poplar. It's a hardwood, and an economical solution to lower end furniture. So in some instances, using Poplar is quite normal and well within the range of being using a useful material.

BUT.... my big problem with your builder trying to pass Poplar off as a quality material for your kitchen cabinets is the fact that you said your home is a high end home. There is no way a high end home should be using Poplar for it's kitchen cabinets. And they certainly shouldn't be trying to convince you of that.

On to your specific questions: But is poplar a good substitute when the intention is to
deliver high-end "Cherry-like" kitchen cabinets?   Honestly, the key word here is high end. There is nothing about Poplar that is high end. It's a utility hardwood, that roughly costs half of what Cherry or Oak costs. As I said, some cabinet companies can work wonders with Poplar, but the bottom line is- it's like trying to convince me that a top of the line Plymouth is better than a mid range BMW. I'd still rather have anything BUT the Plymouth.

Secondly, what is the comparable cost (percentage-wise) of a kitchen finished in cherry versus poplar?  Off the top of my head, I would say that a kitchen of Poplar cabinets might cost 20-30% less than Cherry. Here's the thing- I mentioned above that Poplar is half the price of Cherry. But wood isn't the only cost associated with cabinets. Hardware is a huge cost, as is labor, finishing, and installing. So even though the difference between Poplar and Cherry is 50%, the cost of a finished kitchen isn't going to be 50%. It's only a small part of the whole product. Frankly, the way cabinets are ordered, the difference might not be more than a few thousand dollars.

If it were me, I would confront the builder and ask for a price on the upgrade to Cherry. If it's a ton of money, it might not be worth it to you. But if it's a nominal amount, I would consider switching to Cherry. Especially if you intend on staying in this home for a long time.

By the way, you were dead-on correct about your comments about Poplar. You did your research well.

I hope this helps, write back if you need more information, or just a little moral support. And don't let that builder BS you- selling you Poplar cabinets (and telling you they're as good as Cherry) isn't doing you any favors.

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