(Acer saccharum)
Appearance
Color: Heartwood is creamy white to light reddish brown; sapwood is pale to creamy white.
Grain: Closed, subdued grain, with medium figuring and uniform texture. Occasionally shows quilted, fiddleback, curly or bird’s eye figuring. Figured boards often culled at grading and sold at a premium.
Variations Within Species and Grades: Black maple is also hard; other species are classified as soft.
Properties
Hardness/Janka: 1450; 12% harder than Northern red oak.
Dimensional Stability: Average (change coefficient .00353; 4% more stable than red oak).
Durability: Dense, strong, tough and stiff; excellent shock resistance - often used in bowling alleys and athletic facilities. Markedly resistant to abrasive wear.
