re: Some people say I'm nuts...

I like poplar too, but around here it’s simply too expensive. A couple of these doors are 2 years old now and I haven’t had any movement issues with them whatsoever. My experience with them so far has been excellent, as a finished product. The only reason for me to go with poplar or something else would be because it would be easier to finish. This construction stuff requires more effort to sand and fill. One side benefit is that the grain raises so much after priming that the pattern shows through the paint. It gives these doors a very organic appearance that under other circumstances would not be acceptable, but I think it gives these doors a unique character. I really like that, so when I go to finish them, I don’t even attempt to sand very finely. 120 grit does the trick. When I get to the finishing stage I’ll post pictures of what I’m talking about.