How to stain poplar for a nice even color. Step by step on how to make poplar look like cherry wood

[@JacquelineSzeszko]

I’m so glad to find your channel you are amazing ! I’m a 66 year old woman who loves to do things with wood I don’t have your skills but to explain things so well and I can learn so much from you thank you Best regards Jax

[@JayCaruso]

This is probably the first video where I've seen someone use dye before a stain. It looks great!

[@alsan623]

Looks like teak. Gorgeous.

[@buddingcolors7398]

I just so happen to be installing some poplar wood sills in my art studio! Thank You for the info!

[@TheMoppersmurf]

It is amazing how you really explain step by step without getting boring. Not many youtubers have such talent. And it is all usefull. This staining is something i am gonna do very soon and following your guides it will be succesfull. So thanx again from the Netherlands. :)

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you so much for your kind comment. And you are welcome

[@edmd]

Thanks!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Oh, wow thank you so much for your generosity!

[@adrianlouviere7650]

Very nice job. Thank you for sharing.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thanks for watching!

[@Sebastopolmark]

That came out GREAT. Looks like some South American Hardwood! !! !!!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you

[@geraldmay7606]

I stumbled onto your videos yesterday and I’m glad I did. I immediately subscribed. They are put together very well. You explain everything clearly and speed up where necessary to avoid your videos becoming boring. I’m looking forward to many more of your videos.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you so much. Welcome aboard

[@kenharper7189]

Nice job making poplar look great! 👍 I'm still a fan of oil based stains and an old t-shirt, but the water based clean up is hard to beat.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

I agree

[@tony4360]

Love your videos your good and will continue watching keep it up

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you Tony

[@tony4360]

​@@woodworkingwithSkylercould you have a go at making a birdmouth lamp ?

[@jamieduv]

Pretty wood. At first I was hesitant after you did the dye and it came out bright yellow, but the end result came out very nice. I never thought of the trick of using higher grade sandpaper only on the end grain. I will have to give that a try.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you. Yes the dye is not good looking on its own but looks great under most stains

[@jasonevans9649]

The dyed and stained poplar looks great! Thanks for the info!

[@zuikoglass4091]

Excellent.

[@mikec2810]

Thank you for the excellent step by step explanation of this process ! It looks fantastic!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

You're very welcome!

[@dl6519]

Wow, VERY impressive results! THANKS!!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you!

[@manskavewoodworking8616]

What type of dye and color would you use befoe doing a darker gray stain on poplar?

[@groverearp2600]

Your project turned out beautyful

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you

[@dannmarks]

Real nice video on the subject matter. You do it slightly different than I do and I will be trying your method ASAP.

[@searchmanager9372]

That was an amazing change to a popular board. Nice, I will give it a try.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Go for it! Thank you

[@flashwashington2735]

I had not considered sanding end grain more finely to control stain absorption. Great stuff. Thanks.

[@stevegrimes5105]

Thank you so much, that's very helpful!

[@styloroc2000]

looks beautiful, I would like to know how to make it look like Walnut.

[@sean6077]

The first time I stained something, I was nervous about messing up. But I took my time and it came out pretty good. But I’ve never used a dye. I may have to give this a try to see what kinds of effects I can get. Nicely done!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you. I love using dye underneath stain. Gives it a lot of depth. Playing with different colors is fun

[@daveengstrom9250]

I am going to try that dye under the stain trick.

[@flashwashington2735]

Nice playing with the treatment colors almost like teak. I thought that yellow dye was too much but your result was fantastic. God bless.

[@csimet]

Good info and explanation of the steps. While I painted my new cabinets, I'm leaving the internal parts (shelves, drawer bodies, etc.), all made of poplar and birch plywood, stained natural. I like the look of semi-unfinished internals.

[@groverearp2600]

To save money after doing the proper sanding and conditioning , I bought Minwax Gunstock which has a lot of orange in it, then Minwax Cherry. I followed your steps and it turned out a perfect cherry wood match ! Like I have said before , Skyler you are more than eye candy ! I have also used your rust removal method with perfect results.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thats awesome! Thank you

[@rickhand8228]

That made the poplar look amazing! Thank you for a great video!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

You are so welcome!

[@curtisg7924]

You have awesome teaching skills. Thank you for another informative video.

[@norm5785]

Thank you for sharing this with us today. Looks great, the extra mile does a wonderful end project. Everyone stay safe, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

:) Thank you

[@pg5604]

Really enjoyed the content! Working on my first poplar project! Thanks for clear concise instructions.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Glad it was helpful!

[@techslfink9722]

As always, great explanation of the process! Thanks!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

My pleasure!

[@plato9501]

The poplar looks great after staining! What is a good finish to use over the stained poplar? Can you still use an oil finish?

[@GrandmawsWorkshop]

I always love your tutorials. The dye and staining is fantastic and the end is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing. I will be using that technique.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

So glad you liked it. Thanks for watching

[@BriannaPaesano]

Hi! I love this video. I want to stain my poplar with an oil based espresso stain. what color dye would you recommend underneath it?

[@bradlapinski127]

Never used a dye - that makes the Poplar look very rich. I am framing some prints soon and will make the poplar - Cherry! Thanks for the great videos.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

You are so welcome!

[@FrankWink]

I think your decision of using the General Finishes water based stain was a good choice. I really like the their stains too for most applications however, I have never used it on Poplar. It turned out great. I'm curious how the final top coat finish will make the color pop. Thanks for sharing.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you.

[@celticwoodworking8706]

The Dye seems to work like a sanding sealer. Added benefit with color enhancement. Thank you.

[@dian3145]

I really enjoy your content! Very detailed without needless chatter. I think your “origin story” could be inspiring to other ladies out there, in this male dominated field. Especially considering you have only been doing it a couple of years. I look forward to exploring more of your videos, the endgrain box was very cool!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you! 😊

[@stevekarnes6116]

I just bought a brand new bed frame made of poplar and the wood is unfinished but appears to be very smooth and ready for staining. Is sanding still always a good idea? Thank you much for the excellent video. I will be trying to match the frame to a teak headboard and your color is close.

[@johnwhitley2898]

Great setup! Sand, condition, and dye lets the stain penetrate uniformly, on popular. I wonder if this combination could work with other woods..🤔? Experimental research with the scrap bin is next.. 😆! Seriously, this is great info!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you John. Yes. Works with many wood species. Experiment with different dyes ( I especially like the orange, red tones)

[@DanDDirges]

Enjoyed watching your video. You make it look easy. Staining has been a nightmare because of blotching for me. I carve things which is harder to uniformly sand even is probably why so now I just resort to painting unfortunately.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Carved pieces definitely harder to stain

[@DanDDirges]

@@woodworkingwithSkyler So true. Sometimes I just leave the stain on and make it uniform and not wipe it off. Then seal it in with a clear top coat. It works but it`s a hassle.

[@juliepolhamus7039]

I bought poplar ready to assemble cabinets, on a very tight budget, I'm trying to attempt a natural hickory color, like the Denver cabinets at Lowes. I can not find a stain that looks like it will turn out close to the look I have envisioned, I have a clear that is somewhat similar and I also have the wood conditioner already. Do you have any idea's how to accomplish this? As I do not want to attempt anything and have it not be some what similar and it be a waste. Thank you

[@mikemyers2047]

I found a large piece of driftwood which is perfect for a staff. After sanding it down it appears to be Poplar. I will add some carvings and maybe even add some stone insets. I was thinking about dyeing it amber and then adding a quick layer of black stain. What are your thought?

[@tomaylor3683]

Thank you. I like this color better than the green. I think poplar may become my go to. How did you know what color dye and stain to use to get that finish color? Just experimenting?

[@byfordbarnard2264]

Good job. Ty for information 😊

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

You are welcome

[@nene1964]

It was so satisfying when she applied the black cherry 😅

[@Bitcoincarpenter]

Wow amazing work

[@blossominvestmentgroup7444]

Do you use the dye for lighter color stains as well?

[@usaf4dbt]

Thank you!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

You're welcome!

[@oceanz55]

Good morning Skyler! Beautiful as ever! I have been staining some ash wood recently and I'll tell you that your work is looking far better than mine! LOL... Thank you for the video and I will try this technique next time :)

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you

[@Philosopherkey007]

The finished board looks like mahogany!

[@mikedrabik1]

That is awesome, I work with poplar a lot, thanks to you now I know how to finish it. Could I use osmo for a top coat? Thank you for sharing 😊

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Yes, absolutely. Just make sure is completely dry. At least 24 hours

[@fredparsons5134]

Looks good Skylar. It is hard to get a good finish on poplar and your process did a good job. Poplar is nice to work with, I get it locally at a fair price. I’ve use water base dye on it but never did the top coat stain over it. Was that a water base stain or oil base?

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you. Was water based stain.

[@RYwoodview]

Thank you, Skyler. Poplar can be very useful and apparently need not just be for unseen parts. Question: Is it necessary after prestain to tint it before final staining? Edit: I read below about the value of using a red dye to mask the green of the poplar. That makes sense. I suppose it wouldn't matter on other wood species.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Not at all. But I like to do it with a different color than stain for added dimension.

[@howardappel3596]

Thanks. One reason I have always hating working with poplar is that I couldn't come up with a good finish.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

You are welcome

[@samTollefson]

Nice tutorial! Thank you. Try mixing some oxalic acid in water and apply it to the poplar and let it dry, it will turn the green wood into a nice soft brown at which point you can finish it naturally with oils and or wax, or stain it however you want. I once built an interior stair rail and pickets for an old-time disabled Carpenter out of Poplar, I thought he was crazy, but once I applied the acid wash it turned very nice, we left it natural and waxed it, it was a beautiful light butternut and soft brown color that was quite stunning!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

:) thank you. Yes, video was on my to do list. I used oxalic acid to remove water damage spots ( the black ones). I know it removes the green in poplar but haven’t tried it yet as I don’t know the correct water to acid ratio. To remove stain I just mixed about two tablespoons in about 8 ounces water

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Hot water that was

[@samTollefson]

@@woodworkingwithSkyler I don't recall the ratio but yours sounds close. You can just watch it and stop the process by rinsing it with water when it gets near what you like, you can always add more later for more effect, it's not a one-time shot. I hope this is useful. Best of luck to you!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

@@samTollefson thank you Sam.

[@samTollefson]

Also, I love poplar as it is such a strong and stable wood, it is largely used as paint-grade custom trim wood here and is often overlooked for stained or natural finishes because of its lacking of grain character and green hardwood core. Once you overcome this issue, it can be a beautiful feature wood at about 1/2 or less the cost of other hardwoods, at least in my area.

[@jazzbassmc8043]

What would be the result if you only apply the stain without the prestain and the dye...? Is that way of stainning is only for poplar? Thank you very much for all your intersting video!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

If you don’t use pre stain, your color it will end up uneven. If you don’t use dye, it’s ok but the color would be more reddish brown with some green tint. Also it will look more dull. When you layer two different colors you end up with more depth. This is not just for poplar. This works on most woods. I chose red tones because red tones cancel the green.

[@jazzbassmc8043]

Thank you very much!@@woodworkingwithSkyler

[@DeepSouthSlingsDarrellAllen]

Looks great Skyler, how’d you like the staining pad as opposed to the foam brushes ?

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

I really liked it. A lot easier to apply on large areas

[@erickovach]

The color on the board looks nice. I'm curious to know if after you raised the grain, did you sand again with the random orbit sander or did you sand by hand with the grain only. If you used the sander, did you get swirl marks from the sander in the wood. I always seem to get swirl marks unless my final sanding is by hand with the grain. Also, I have never heard of dying the wood and then staining over it. I will have to try that. Thanks!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

I hand sanded with the grain

[@jsaurman]

4:00 I heard someone say that it's just Elmer's Glue and water mixed together, then they put in a can and quadruple the price.

[@philwoodard5439]

Very cool. I like poplar a lot and will definitely try using a dye next time. Thanks!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thank you for watching

[@giorgosroumeli4782]

Super Video und gleich ein Abo

[@peterclifton7069]

How did you decide on the colour of the dye? Beautiful job nonetheless.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Hi Pete! I bought this dye as a recommendation from an other KZbinr to use it on walnut. Since I had it, I decided to try it on many other woods with different stains. Poplar has green in it and as a photographer I knew red cancel the green tone. So adding warm tone will made the green less visible. Just the stain alone looks a little flat so adding a dye gives it dimension , depth.

[@peterclifton7069]

@@woodworkingwithSkyler thank you very much.

[@KLartrandM]

I passed up some nice $3 boards (2'x5") today. I think i need to double back an get them after seeing this

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

:)

[@DavidZupec]

Looks awesome! Have you ever tried staining poplar to look like walnut wood?

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Yes I have. I think I used an oil base stain in color Kona

[@DavidZupec]

Thank you! I'll have to try them both. @@woodworkingwithSkyler

[@larryp58]

I came for the staining of the wood, but stayed for the nice low-cut shirt!!! What a nice view!

[@planouser]

This is the proper way to stain tide grain wood that wasn’t meant to be stained. Such as Beech, Poplar, and sometimes Maple.

[@daleclaxton1811]

You do wonderful videos with good information but I think we would like to know more about you. Something like how did you get into woodworking, how long have you been woodworking, you know, that kind of stuff.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

:) I been woodworking since end of November 2022. Till then never used any tools other then an occasional screwdriver or hammer

[@genelegate1308]

I think it took on an appearance of a piece of mahogany, nice job!

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

Thanks

[@rogeliogarcia7423]

A love it when you move the camera. I get a better view as you work. Really, that’s a nice peace of work!😮😊😅

[@coppulor6500]

With quality videos like this I bet you're very poplar

[@robertbuckley3480]

Why use 2 stains ? Only need 1, cos more money for 3 tins

[@groverearp2600]

Skyler , how and why did you choose amber as your base color ? Did you experiment with other base coat colors first ? I often work with Poplar and is very helpful. This is further proof that you are more than just eye candy.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

:) Thank you. Red warm tones will cancel the green in poplar. Initially I bought amber to use on walnut under oil based top coat ( recommended by a KZbin channel) to give walnut a warmer tone. I tried it and didn’t like the results. Then I tried to stain different wood with just stain and I didn’t like that either as most had an ugly brown with green undertone color. So I started exploring the amber and more reddish dyes under stain and every time the color was better then just stain alone.

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

I also got better results from not leaving the stain on too long and building multiple coats for darker colors. Most people leave the stain for too long in order to achieve darker tones and they get spots where the finish dry quicker and that will produce uneven finish

[@groverearp2600]

@@woodworkingwithSkyler I have been a wood worker for 6 years , so I'm still learning. I originally subscribed to your channel because of your feminine allure and beauty. I hope this channel continues to grow .

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

@@groverearp2600 thank you. I hope you find something useful in my video. I been woodworking since November 2022 so lots of learning to do

[@mightyV444]

"How to properly stain poplar" is almost a tongue-twister! 😅

[@woodworkingwithSkyler]

:)

[@bobd5119]

OK everybody! Devil's advocate here. I do not stain. The wood has its natural color. What other people call "blemishes" I call features. Although I prefer oil, all the oil varnishes I've found force a phony yellow tint, so I use water-based clear finish.

[@NA-hb7kl]

@bobd5119 have you tried 'sun-tanning' it (exposing it to strong sunlight until the color has changed to your liking) before the clear finish? If so, how did you like that?

[@truthbetold2914]

JEEZ! NICE RACK!

[@JonathanSmith-h5c]

No it's not worth it using your process.