wood finish

I'd use a water based acrylic lacquer or polyurethane.

You probably have a problem.

There is a reason poplar is known by some as "paint wood".

Lew

Lew Hodgett wrote in news:7M1ng.348$NP4.226 @newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net:

I have a few pieces of furniture made from poplar and have made shelves from poplar and it is quite nice. I stained and finished the wood and I think it looks good.

Anything will darken the wood...the water based products will darken it the least. You can markedly reduce the darkening by wiping on a very thin coat of white oil paint - about 50% paint, 50% thinner - and then wiping off all you can before applying the clear topcoat. The paint prevents penetration of the topcoat which is what causes the darkening. Poplar will darken/yellow all by itself over time.

Need I say that if you use a water based top coat you'd have to let the oil paint dry first? Not so if an oil based topcoat is used. One can also use thinned water base paint first but it is much harder to apply and remove. Alternatively, one could use a clear acrylic sealer such as Seal-Krete to prevent topcoat absorption.