Wood species

Hard Maple

Acer saccharum · Sapindaceae

The king of the maple genus: stronger, stiffer, harder and denser than every other commercial maple, and the wood under bowling lanes and basketball courts. The tree tapped for maple syrup.

Janka hardness: 1450 lbf
Density: 44.0 lb/ft³
Shrinkage T / R: 9.9 / 4.8 %
Origin: Northeastern North America
IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Shop Hard Maple in stock (10)All live edge slabs

(Pre-Built) Hard Maple Classic Cut Tabletop #PB206 42" x 32" x 1.6" — overhead view — Oak City Customs

Pictured: (Pre-Built) Hard Maple Classic Cut Tabletop #PB206 42" x 32" x 1.6"

About Hard Maple

Hard Maple is the pale one: sapwood from nearly white to an off-white cream, sometimes with a reddish or golden hue, and heartwood a darker reddish brown. Grain is generally straight but may be wavy, with a fine, even texture, and curl, quilt or birdseye figure carries a premium when it appears. It is the hardest and densest of the commercial maples, so keep cutters sharp; it burns under a slow router pass and blotches under stain, which is why we finish it clear with oil or hardwax. It suits kitchen islands, workbenches, cutting boards and dining tops that see hard use. Ours is milled and kiln dried in Zebulon, NC.

Working & finishing

Fairly easy to work but harder than soft maple because of its density; it burns under high-speed cutters, so keep bits sharp and moving and take two shallow passes rather than one deep one. Turns, glues and finishes well; pre-drill for screws. It blotches under stain and needs a pre-conditioner, gel stain or toner for even color, so OCC finishes it clear with oil or hardwax.

Care

Indoor use only; rated non-durable to perishable and susceptible to insects. Wipe spills promptly and keep the pale surface out of standing water. Expect more seasonal width movement than the other maples; a base that allows movement matters.

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