Hard Maple

Common Name	This wood is commonly known by Hard maple, sugar maple, rock maple.
Scientific Name	Acer saccharum
Distribution	Native to Northeastern North America and is seen in parts of Canada.
Tree Size	This tree can reach to a certain height of 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall and can reach the trunk diameter of about 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m).
Dried Weight ( average )	44.0 lbs/ft3 (705 kg/m3).
Specific Gravity	.56, .71
Janka Hardness	1,450 lb_f (6,450 N)

Known to the scientific community as Acer saccharum, the hard maple wood has been given the title 'king of the Acer genus' due to the exceptional properties like stiffness, hardness, and density it displays regarding strength. The maple sap tapped from this tree is the key ingredient of maple syrup. But you would be interested to know more about the wood than the syrup. This cold climate species grows abundantly in Vermont and throughout North US and Canada.

There are dozens of species of maple trees each known for different purposes but the hard maple wood is commonly used. The hard maple wood is commercially available in lumber form. These are fairly very strong and therefore you can understand the reason for using this particular wood for the flooring of basketball courts, bowling alleys, and dance studios. Other common uses include veneer, paper (pulpwood), musical instruments, cutting boards, butcher blocks, workbenches, baseball bats, and other turned objects and specialty wood items.

Although woodworkers and furniture aficionados find this wood very easy to work with there are certain issues to be considered. The foremost being that this wood is non-durable i.e. perishable and susceptible to insect and pest attacks. These can be made to stay longer by proper treatment while working and a suitable and protective coating. Maples in the Acer genus are classified as irritants as they cause irritation to the skin, runny nose, and asthma-like respiratory effects therefore proper protective gear must be provided to the workers during working with this wood.

Unlike other Exotic woods where the heartwood is more commonly used. Here we can find that the sapwood is the one that gets all the attention for its light, cream color, smooth grain pattern, and great strength. In its natural and unpolished state, the use of this wood can brighten even the dullest of spaces. The stained form of hard maple wood is equally good in appearance and can be changed accordingly to suit one's taste.

Color: 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. All hardwood changes color with age and the hard maple wood is no exception. But there is a catch, normally the heartwoods of all the exotic woods progress from a much lighter to darker color. Here we can see that when the tree is cut the heartwood is of brownish-red color that mellows with age. 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 (therefore called the curly maple) or quilted grain patterns.

Texture: The grain is usually straight however is also wavy. Has a fine, even texture.

Odor: No characteristic odor even whereas operating with this wood.

Workability: Fairly straightforward to figure with each hand and machine tools, although slightly tougher than soft maple because of hard maple’s higher density. Maple tends to burn once being machined with high-speed cutters like during a router. Turns, glues, and finishes well, although blotches will occur once staining, and a pre-conditioner, gel stain, or toner is also necessary to induce a fair color.

Availability: It ought to be moderately priced, although slightly dearer than soft maple. Also, patterned items like birdseye, curl, or quilt square measure seemingly to be far more dearly-won. This wood species has not been nevertheless listed within the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of vulnerable species.

Uses: The hard maple wood can be used both in its natural state and polished state. Each serves their functions well for brightening up even the smallest of places and adding a little touch of class. These woods are fairly terribly robust and thus you'll understand the reason for selecting this specific wood for the flooring of basketball courts, bowling alleys, and dance studios. Another uses for this wood embrace veneer, paper (pulpwood), musical instruments, cutting boards, butcher blocks, workbenches, baseball fruity, and alternative turned objects and specialty wood things.

Frequently asked questions

Hard maple (from a maple tree) rates one,450 Janka. It cracks most alternative hardwood varieties that ar fashionable piece of furniture manufacturers. as an example, oak is that the next in line at one,360 Janka. this can be followed by an oak tree at one,290 Janka, walnut at one,010 Janka, and cherry at 995 Janka.

Maple trees are one in all the foremost common species found within the hardwood forests of North America. There are several variations of the species.

There are many kinds of maple trees across the world. every form of wood includes a special quality that creates it suitable for sure functions. The wood used for a piece of furniture out there through the Exotic Wood Zone is typically from the maple tree unless otherwise fixed.

Acer saccharum (translated sugary) refers to the sweet sap that saccharide springs from. it's called exhausting sugar maple, Sweet Maple, White Maple, and Black Maple. throughout growth, varied little leaves extend outward from the trunk encompassing it from the stump upward to the cover.

Northwest's exhausting Maple is fully grown in each of the Glacial and Appalachian regions. in contrast to alternative hardwoods, the wood of exhausting Maple is employed instead of the duramen. loved for its stunning cream color fine texture, the grain is usually straight however additionally happens as “birds-eye,” “curly,” and “fiddleback” grain.

Hard Maple grows at a slower rate than Soft Maple. exhausting Maple sometimes includes a lighter, additional clothed color. whereas Soft Maple is often darker, generally carrying hues of brown, red, or perhaps gray. exhausting Maple leaves have sinuses that are U-shaped valleys between the points of the lead, additionally cited as lobes. The lobes are almost like the spherical gaps that we've got between the fingers on our hands.

Start by creating a take a look at the board along with your chosen sealer concentration. Then stain the whole board. Let it dry and add a second layer of stain to all or any however one section. Repeat this method until you get to the required color depth.

However, applying multiple coats of stain isn’t forever the simplest thanks to coming through a deeper color. For one factor, it’ll take an extended time to end the project. you have got to attend for every layer of stain to fully dry before adding the future. Otherwise, the new coat can dissolve the previous coat and you’ll have a true mess on your hands. In fact, some stains can dissolve the stain below though it's dry. (That’s why testing is vital for a pleasant end.) Another downside with multiple coats is that the stain can begin to obscure the natural grain. One answer is to elect a less focused sealer. You’ll get a touch additional blotchy look, however, the grain can show up better—a truthful compromise.

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