American Soft Maple

TEMPERATE HARDWOOD

Uses: Soft maple is used for domestic flooring, furniture, interior joinery, piano actions, dairy and laundry equipment, sports goods, turnery, panelling, etc. Selected logs are rotary cut for plywood manufacture in Canada and USA, and sliced for highly figured decorative veneering.

General Description: Soft Maple is creamy white and is straight grained. It is less lustrous than rock maple and the growth rings are comparatively indistinct. The rays are narrower and less conspicuous but pith flecks more frequently present. Weight 630 kg/m³ (39 lb/ft³); and specific gravity .63 average.

Further product details

Mechanical Properties

Medium bending and crushing strengths, low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. It is good for steam bending.

Seasoning

Dries slowly with little degrade or problems. There is small movement in service.

Durability

The heartwood is non-durable and liable to attack by insects. It is moderately resistant to preservative treatment but the sapwood is permeable.

Other Information

Family Name: Aceraceae

Latin Name: Acer rubrum

Distribution: Canada and Eastern USA.

Also known as: Soft maple (UK). Pacific maple (UK).

American Ash American Birds Eye Maple American Black Walnut American Cherry American Hard Rock Maple American Red Elm American Red Oak American Soft Maple American Tulipwood American White Oak Western Red Alder