Wood ID this kitchen counter

[jdinspector]

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?

 

[gzecc]

Hard to tell. I would guess poplar

 

[DAKSY]

Looks a LOT like Basswood...

 

[Thistle]

Thinking Soft Maple,like Hard Maple it also has those waves & ripples,even in areas that arent near knots.

 

[Waulie]

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.

 

[BEConklin]

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.

 

[nrford]

Not Soft Maple, nor Hard. Not Basswood, and I'm nearly certain it is not Tulip(Yellow Poplar).

 

[Brewmonster]

Light weight with huge growth rings? Maybe Paulownia (Empress Tree)?

 

[Thistle]

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.