Maple
Quick Facts:
Common Name’s: Sugar maple, rock maple
Scientific Name: Acer saccharum
Tree size in length: 80-115 feet/ 25-35meter
Tree size in diameter: 2-3feet/ 60-100 cm
Average dried weight: lbs per cubic ft/ kg per cubic meter
Shrinkage radial: 4.8%
Shrinkage tangential: 9.9%
Shrinkage volumetric: 14.7%
Odor: No characteristic odor.
Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, and is reported by the IUCN as being a species of least concern.
General Info:
Unlike most other hardwoods, the sapwood of hard maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood. Sapwood color ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream color, sometimes with a reddish or golden hue. The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown. Birdseye maple is a figure found most commonly in hard maple, though it’s also found less frequently in other species. Hard maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns.
Grain/Texture:
Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. Has a fine, even texture.
Workability:
Fairly easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though slightly more difficult than soft maple due to hard maple’s higher density. Maple has a tendency to burn when being machined with high-speed cutters such as in a router. Turns, glues, and finishes well, though blotches can occur when staining, and a pre-conditioner, gel stain, or toner may be necessary to get an even color.
Notes/Comments:
In tree form, hard maple is usually referred to as sugar maple, and is the tree most often tapped for maple syrup. Sugar maple’s leaves (pictured below) are the shape that most people associate with maple leaves; they typically have either 5 or 7 lobes, with vivid autumn coloring ranging from yellow to purplish red.
Hard maple ought to be considered the king of the Acer genus. Its wood is stronger, stiffer, harder, and denser than all of the other species of maple commercially available in lumber form.
