Wood ID this kitchen counter

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jdinspector

Feeling the Heat
Jan 22, 2009
411
Northern IL
Ok, strange wood ID here. This wood is in my friend's paint shop. He is finishing this wood for a client's kitchen. The client purchase it from a salvage place, but does not know what kind of wood it is. It is very soft, but does not have a strong odor. For sure not a pine smell. The growth rings are as much as 1/4" apart, so this was a fast growing tree.

Any ideas? image.jpg image.jpg
 

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Hard to tell. I would guess poplar
 
Thinking Soft Maple,like Hard Maple it also has those waves & ripples,even in areas that arent near knots.
 
I'm going soft maple, but both poplar and basswood probably have just as good of a shot at being right. Whatever it is, I'm not sure I'd choose it for a countertop, but that wasn't the question. ::P
 
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I think it could be catalpa - softwood, almost like pine; it grows very fast when young (hence the huge growth rings near the core) and it grows to become quite a large tree. I knew a guy years back that used to carve carousel ponies out of catalpa so I've seen it before. If it is catalpa - it has a beautiful grain that will really pop out when that slab is stained and finished.
 
Not Soft Maple, nor Hard. Not Basswood, and I'm nearly certain it is not Tulip(Yellow Poplar).
 
All the Catalpa I've seen (still have a few small chunks/blocks from the early '90's) is light tan/fawn colored like Butternut,with coarse grain similar to Elm & Ash.Its pretty soft & lightweight but quite stable once dried.Wouldnt want it for tabletops or counters though its very attractive.
 
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