The wood of poplar species are generally perceived as susceptible to decay, however, poplar is still widely used as columns in traditional Chinese buildings. Understanding how decay affects the compressive properties of this material will help engineers better assess wood condition during routine inspection and maintenance. The effects of decay on compressive properties of Chinese poplar were explored using a brown rot decay fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum). Changes in compression strength were fairly linear and more closely correlated with mass loss (R2= 0.75). The results suggest that residual compressive strength could be roughly predicted using wood density as a surrogate measure.