Wood Species In Detail: Maple
As you’re learning more about wood types, you may be wondering, what is maple wood and what is maple wood used for? Among the many options for wood types, maple wood is one of the most popular in the furniture industry and beyond. From musical instruments to hardwood flooring and many items in between, maple hardwood is used in a variety of settings.
However, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of maple wood before you use it for your next project. What does maple wood look like? Will it fit within my interior design aesthetic? Here’s a closer look at all the key details of maple lumber and how you can best use it for your woodworking projects.
What Is Maple Wood?
Much like the wood they produce, maple trees come in a few different varieties, all of which can be harvested for different uses.
Sugar maple, also known as Acer saccharum, produces maple syrup and creates some of the densest hardwood currently used in woodworking today. Maple wood from these trees is called hard maple, and it boasts a Janka hardness rating of 1450. This makes hard maple lumber one of the most dense and durable woods available. In fact, this type of maple wood is sometimes referred to as rock maple for this reason.
Other trees that produce maple wood include silver maple and bigleaf maple trees. Like sugar maple, these trees are indigenous to North America and make what’s referred to as soft maple.
With a Janka rating of 950, soft maple is still one of the more durable hardwood types but is much softer and more pliable than hard maple. This type of maple wood has its own benefits separate from hard maple and can be better suited for other types of projects.
What does maple wood look like? The color of maple wood can range from a creamy white to a deep reddish-brown. Many homeowners choose to feature maple wood furniture and interior decor in its original coloring and unique grain pattern (birdseye maple, quilted maple, and curly maple are just a few of the known grain types).
However, this type of wood can take stain or paint well and even closely resembles more expensive wood types when strategically finished.
Maple Wood Durability
It’s clear to see that maple wood is some of the most durable wood out there, especially hard maple. This American hardwood is known to be resistant to scratches and dents, which is why it makes a great choice for cutting boards, butcher blocks, baseball bats, and flooring. Woodworking experts find maple wood easy to work with when designing custom projects, especially pieces that require intricate carving.
Based on its ability to withstand many years of heavy use, maple wood is considered to be an inexpensive option for furniture and interior design. You can incorporate maple wood into your home decor for an upscale aesthetic and a reliable user experience without breaking the bank.
Additionally, when you hire a woodworking pro, you’ll be able to customize your maple wood items to your specifications, including stain, paint, shape, and density.
Is Maple Wood a Hard or Soft Wood?
Maple wood is known as a hardwood, as even the softest maple woods fall somewhere in the middle of the Janka hardness scale. Hard maple is second only to hickory wood on this scale and is harder than both white oak and cherry wood. While maple may not be the best or most cost-effective choice for softwood projects like interior moldings or window framing, it works well for flooring and furniture items that are heavily used.
Hard Maple Wood vs. Soft Maple Wood
Hard maple has a Janka rating of 1450, while soft maple is ranked at 950 on the Janka scale. Both of these wood types are considered hardwood, but each may come with its own benefits or drawbacks. For example, hard maple wood may be more difficult to effectively finish or shape due to its density, while soft maple wood may not be able to withstand the same amount of wear and tear over years of use without chipping or cracking. Additionally, hard maple is clear and consistent color-wise, but soft maple can have mineral streaks, graying, and discoloration, which does not always lend well to staining.
Can I Paint Maple Wood?
Most maple wood has a naturally fine and uniform grain, which means it can be painted easily without showing grain patterns underneath. Additionally, the surface of maple wood tends to be smooth, so you won’t have to worry about the texture of the wood beneath interrupting the smoothness of your paint layers.
Maple Wood Sustainability
Since maple wood is indigenous to North America, it’s one of the most sustainable woods available in the U.S. and Canada. Maple trees are abundant in many forests throughout the continent and can be used for multiple purposes, which makes them an even more eco-friendly hardwood choice.
Maple trees are slow-growing and harvested through a selective process to ensure that the surrounding forests remain healthy and productive.
What Furniture Is Typically Made From Maple Wood?
What is maple wood used for? Maple wood is a good choice for a variety of furniture types, but it’s best used for items that are designed for heavy use, like cutting boards, butcher blocks, kitchen tables, kitchen counters, and hardwood floors.
Maple wood can also be used for cabinets, dressers, doors, and other interior decor features that benefit from dense wood construction. It is also a popular choice for wooden musical instruments that need to be durable while still maintaining their acoustic integrity.
The Benefits of Using Maple Wood for Furniture
Maple wood’s durability and thickness are some of its greatest benefits when it comes to furniture building and woodworking. However, the ease with which maple wood takes stain and paint is also a huge asset for creating custom furniture pieces. And despite its reliability and popularity, maple wood is easy to find and moderately priced compared to other hardwoods.
Learn More About Maple Wood for Your Home Decor
Maple wood is a great hardwood choice for a variety of different home decor and woodworking projects. Ready to learn more about how maple wood could upgrade your space? Chat with one of our product specialists today at Osborne Wood.
Check out the links below to read more in-depth about all the other wood types we offer:
- Maple (hard, soft, tiger/curly) – this post
- Pine (knotty, heart, specialty)
- Oak (red, white, rift vs. quarter sawn)
- Rubberwood
- Beech
- Mahogany
- Cherry & Alder
- Black Walnut
- Hickory
- Poplar
- Miscellaneous & Specialty Woods
