Other Names:
Sugar Maple, Black Maple
Uses of Hard Maple:
Used for lumber, wall paneling, flooring, furniture, handles, interior finish, cabinets, woodenware, and novelties.
Description:
The two hard maples are sugar maple and black maple. Black maple grows in the upper Mississippi Valley while sugar maple grows in the Eastern U.S. excluding the southeastern coastal plains.
Range:
Five of the 13 species of maple native to the United States are important timber trees. Two are in the hard maple category, three are in the soft maple category.
Physical Properties:
The wood of all maples is similar. It has a cream to light reddish-brown colored heartwood, with a thin white sapwood tinged slightly reddish-brown. The wood is heavy (44lbs./cu.ft.), strong, stiff, and has high shock resistance. Shrinkage during seasoning is large. It takes stain satisfactorily and polishes well. Although usually straight grained, maple occasionally has a curly, wavy or birdseye grain.
