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SOFT MAPLE HARDWOOD IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
Soft Maple
Soft maple represents a family of maple woods. The term “soft maple” is used commercially to distinguish certain types of maple from hard maple. Soft maple species include red maple, silver maple, box elder, striped maple, and bigleaf maple. [1]
By comparison, maple trees that are considered “hard maple” include Acer nigrum (black maple), Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and Acer floridanum (Florida maple) – all of which growth along the East Coast.
Soft maple wood is primarily used for lumber, paper pulp, cabinetry, and woodworking jigs and forms. While not as tough as hard maple, it has better resistance to warping and twisting. [2] It can also be used for a variety of millwork, inducing architectural mouldings and more.
Soft maple lumber takes well to machining, drilling and planing, and it is often easier to work with when compared to its hard maple counterparts. [2]
All soft maple species average between 700 - 950 on the Janka Hardness Scale. [4] Due to this range in hardness and density, it’s not recommended for flooring or countertops. Soft maple is easy to work in regard to cutting and sanding, and takes stain, glue, and finish well. It’s important to note that soft maple wood won’t take as high a polish as hard maple. [2]
Soft maple has a large growth area throughout North America, being found from southeastern Canada and Maine to Minnesota, and south to Alabama. It grows most prolifically around the Great Lakes, with Michigan and New York producing the most trees.
Species of soft maple prefer damp ground in lowlands, swampy areas, and stream banks. [2] Red maple is more common in the northeastern states, while silver maple is more common in central and southern states. [3]
All data derives from Forest Inventory Data Online (FIDO), a component of the U.S. Forest Service Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA). Data was compiled by AHEC in January 2016 using the most recent state inventory available (2014 for most states). "Forest volume" refers to "net volume of live trees on forest land," as defined by FIA (see glossary). FIA forest volume data is available for 49 U.S. states (Hawaii and Washington D.C. are omitted) with total hardwood forest volume of 18.1 billion m3 of which 13.5 billion m3are commercially significant.
Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods is happy to assist with any questions you have about our Soft Maple products, which include a variety of Soft Maple rough lumber, Soft Maple plywood, and other items.
Please call 1-800-732-1697 or Contact Us if you need help with our extensive inventory.
Source: The Department of Agriculture's Wood Handbook
*Data is based on a moisture content of 12%.
Impact Bending — In the impact bending test, a hammer of given weight is dropped upon a beam from successively increased heights until rupture occurs or the beam deflects 152 mm (6 in.) or more. The height of the maximum drop, or the drop that causes failure, is a comparative value that represents the ability of wood to absorb s hocks that cause stresses beyond the proportional limit.
Janka Hardness — Defined as resistance to indentation using a modified Janka hardness test, measured by the load required to embed a 11.28-mm (0.444-in) ball to one-half its diameter. Values presented are the average of radial and tangential penetrations.
Modulus of Elasticity — Elasticity implies that deformations produced by low stress are completely recoverable after loads are removed. When loaded to higher stress levels, plastic deformation or failure occurs.
Specific Gravity - A measure of the ratio of a wood's density as compared to water. If a wood species had the same density as water, the specific gravity would be 1.00.