Glacial Species & Grades

Hard Maple

Other Common Names: Sugar Maple or Rock Maple Hard Maple is grown in both the Glacial and Appalachian regions. Unlike other hardwoods, the sapwood of Hard Maple is used rather than the heartwood. Admired for its beautiful cream color and fine texture, the grain is generally straight but also occurs as “birds-eye,” “curly,” and “fiddleback” grain. Hard Maple turns well on a lathe and is resistant to abrasion. Hard Maple’s beauty and strength make it a favorite for flooring, cabinetry, furniture, paneling and veneer. Hard Maple is also used for gunstocks, tool handles, plywood dies, cutting blocks, woodenware, novelty products, sporting goods, bowling pins, and musical instruments.

Properties

  • Machining9
  • Nailing4
  • Screwing4
  • Gluing9
  • Finishing10

Properties of Hard Maple

Hard Maple is relatively easy to work with both hand and machine tools. It turns, glues and finishes well.

How does it compare

Lumber
(12 % moisture content)
MachiningSandingFinishingGluingFastening/
Nailing/
Screwing
Weight
per bdft
Specific
Gravity
(Density)
Hardness
(Janka)
Bending
Strength
(MOR)
Bending
Stiffness
(MOE)
Dimensional
Movement
(Shrinkage)
R (%)
Dimensional
Movement
(Shrinkage)
T (%)
Alder101010972.45.415909,8001,3804.47.3
Ash9109863.56.611,32015,0001,7404.97.8
Basswood10109882.50.374108,7001,4606.69.3
Beech8810883.69.641,26014,9001,7205.511.9
Birch10810823.53.621,26016,6002,0107.39.5
Cherry10910973.07.5295012,3001,4903.77.1
Hickory377334.14.671,82013,7001,7304.98.9
Hard Maple9810943.73.641,45015,8001,8304.89.9
PC Maple9910952.74.5085010,7001,4503.77.1
Soft Maple8910953.19.5595013,4001,6404.08.2
Red Oak (Northern)10109973.64.631,22014,3801,7614.08.6
White Oak9109773.94.681,35014,3801,7624.48.8
Poplar9810962.81.4354010,1001,5804.68.2
Walnut989773.36.561,01014,6001,6805.57.8