Service life of poplar, a low durability hardwood

Hybrid poplar is the most common plantation hardwood of the temperate climate zone and is complementary to natural stands of aspen with mainly plantations in Europe and China. Poplar wood has been considered as a valid alternative for many of the construction applications of softwoods especially when considering engineered wood products.
The natural durability of hybrid poplar is low and for a range of applications an increase in resistance to decay will lead to improved performance. Poplar wood is considered to be easily treatable, however refractory zones may lead to insufficient presence of biocides or chemicals in general. The positive moisture dynamics, especially when incorporated in products like plywood, allow for certain use class 3 applications without additional treatment. For cladding applications thermal modification of poplar is becoming a commodity product on the European market. The growing potential of CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) alongside glulam has initiated a range of studies and industrial trials checking on the potential to use poplar as complementary material to softwoods. The properties of hybrid poplar wood might even in some aspects be beneficial as can be seen from data on moisture dynamics. The focus on using hardwood species like hybrid poplar for construction products complementary to softwood-based products is a valuable aspect for sustainable production of wood in relation to a bio-based circular economy in support of the sustainability development goals.