Poplar vs oak wood. The number represents how many po. There is a scale that rates the hardness of woods called the janka hardness scale. On the janka scale a scale that rates all wood for density red oak ranks 1290 while poplar is only 540. And when were talking about the white pine and yellow pine most commonly used for furniture they are also fairly softwoods.
Poplar is a fairly soft porous wood. Brazilian walnut at the top of the scale ranks 3684. The difference in density means red oak is also heavier than poplar. Poplar is a hardwood but it isnt a hard wood.
The scale ranges from about 70 being the rating for balsa wood softest to 5060 being the rating for australian buloke hardest. Poplar is a true hardwood and although it is not harder than red oak it is much harder than the normal 1x pine material that is available in the lumber yards. The most common species in the united states yellow poplar liriodendron tulipifera is found throughout the northeast as well as in canada and. For the sake of comparison at the bottom of the scale white pine ranks 380.