Acer saccharum. Hard maple is prized for its cream to white colored sapwood and light red-brown heartwood. Maple is diffuse porous with a subtle grain pattern — highlighted by characteristic springwood. The wood is heavy, strong and stiff. Hard Maple works well; stains and finishes nicely.
Use:
Furniture, cabinets, flooring, interior decoration including stairs and paneling, musical instruments, toys, bowling alleys and pins, woodenware.
Availability:
Generally available in 4/4 through 8/4 thickness, limited availability 10/4 and thicker.
Price:
Moderate to valuable.
Relative Working Properties:
| Machining | Resistance to Splitting in Nailing |
Resistance to Splitting in Screwing |
Gluing |
| Excellent | Fair | Good | Good |
Physical Properties:
| Specific Gravity (12% M.C.) | Average Shipping Weight kilograms (kg) per cubic metre (m3) Air Dry | Average Volumetric Shrinkage (oven dry % of Green) | Modulus of Rupture (Kilopascals) | Modulus of Elasticity (Megapascals) | Side Hardness (Newtons) |
| 0.63 | 655 | 14.7 | 109,000 | 12,600 | 6,400 |