Softwoods such as fir or pine are regularly used for paint grade trim and moldings since it is generally less expensive and easy to work with.
The most commonly used wood material for trimwork is Poplar and primed Finger Jointed Pine. Baseboards and door casing can take a beating over time. Poplar is a hardwood, which makes it an excellent material because it is so durable over time.
For this reason, pine is also widely used as a trim material. Pine has a slight elasticity to it that allows you to bend it slightly. This is handy when installing trim on long walls that may or may not be straight. When the pine is nailed in place -- even if it's bent slightly -- it will stay that way.
Poplar is a good choice for projects where a premium-quality painted finish is the goal. Also, poplar, which is actually a hardwood, is a bit more durable than pine, which makes it a better choice for applications that receive lots of traffic or abuse, like chair rail in a dining room or wainscoting in a mudroom.
Hardwoods make the best trim. They resist warping and cracking and can be stained to a beautiful finish. It is usually best to apply the stain before installing the piece, and then to touch up the cut edges and apply the final finish. Pine has long been the most common trim material.
Popular choices for wood window casings include pine and oak. Pine wood has a fine grain and is suitable for painting or staining. Oak is a hard wood with a defined grain pattern—popular with homeowners for its versatility and resilience. Stain colors for wood trim can be light, dark, or medium toned.
Hardwoods. Hardwoods like oak and maple are an excellent choice of baseboard materials if seeking wood baseboards that can be stained. Hardwoods take stain and varnish well but are significantly more expensive than jointed pine and MDF. Hardwoods are popular as baseboards because of their durability.
Poplar vs pine: price
Even though poplar is still significantly cheap, it generally comes above pine in pricing. The comparatively higher price can be due to its relatively slow growth or the fact that it's a hardwood.
Pine is cheaper than several other types of wood, including oak. It is commonly considered the cheapest wood used in furniture. In many cases, it's even cheaper than poplar. Poplar tends to be somewhat easier to work with since it's lighter and has fewer knots and less sap.
Poplar is harder than pine and the grade we stock has zero knots. That means it's a good quality grade of lumber. Poplar in general is considered a paint grade wood because of the big variation in color. One-piece of poplar may look almost white, some look greenish, or even purple and black.
The most common woods for use on trim are cedar and redwood, because they naturally resist moisture and insect activity, making them longer lasting than other woods.
Without proper maintenance, wood trim can quickly fall victim to the elements and require replacement within just 10 years or less. To avoid that kind of irreversible and costly damage, wood trim has to be repainted at least every 4-5 years.
Pine is soft, light and inexpensive. It's easy to cut, nail and work with. Generally categorized as a paint-grade material, it can be stained and sealed with a clear coat of exterior-grade finish. Pine is not as strong as other exterior trim materials and, if not properly sealed, can warp, split or crack.
Although MDF is stronger, it is more difficult to repair if dents or marks are made on the material. Finger jointed pine is slightly more expensive than MDF. As it is a natural timber material, it is softer than MDF and can be more susceptible to marks. Intrim ran a test to show the effect of moisture on MDF.
What is the most popular baseboard trim? Three inch rounded or stepped baseboard is the most common type of baseboard. This type gives a little bit of design to the baseboard as well as detail without going overboard and making it overwhelming.
As long as you're not installing it in high moisture areas like bathrooms, MDF can work very well as a substitute for shiplap. You'll get a much smoother finish from this material than you will from wood, and it tends to cost around 5 percent less than its wood counterpart.
Avoid using particleboard, MDF, and softwoods like pine for bookshelves. They sag under a lot of weight, dent and scratch easily, don't offer long-term rigidity, and require extra support for long spans.
Yes, Pine wood is strong. It is a very stiff softwood with relatively high compressive strength, density, and bending strength than most other softwoods. This makes pine wood strong and durable to use for making furniture, paneling, window frames, roofing, and many other woodworks.
It's versatile. Depending on its colour variation, poplar can be stained to look like more dark or expensive woods like Cherry, Mahogany, Walnut and Maple (albeit tricky). But all in all, poplar wood agrees with a wide variety of stains and paint, making it an ideal choice for many home interior trim projects.
Examples of softwood trees are cedar, Douglas fir, juniper, pine, redwood, spruce, and yew. Hardwood refers to wood from broad-leaved trees such as oak, ash or beech. These are deciduous trees that shed their leaves during autumn and winter.
Poplar wood is strong enough for bookshelves. The only problem that occurs when using poplar wood for bookshelves is poplar gets inevitably painted, hidden, or veneered. Poplar is the stiffest and common for basic shelving. The great thing about poplar is because of being hardwood.
Pine does have a stiff quality about it, but the wood doesn't offer as much strength and resistance to wear as oak wood does. Pine can dent and scratch easily. If you're planning to keep the piece indefinitely, oak is likely a better choice.
Real wood, even softwood, is stronger than MDF. So, if you anticipate installing baseboards in a high-traffic, high-impact environment, you would want to purchase real wood or even PVC baseboards.
Medium-density fiberboard is a popular option for trim because it's typically the cheapest. It does come with its own set of issues, though.
Wood baseboards – Pros
Choosing wood is a good option for baseboards in a bathroom. Wood baseboards will not swell when it gets wet. You can continue the look of baseboards that you have throughout your home into the bathroom. Wood baseboards can be stained or painted giving you lots of options to complete your space.