In addition, soft maple is slightly easier to work with, and won’t dull cutting edges as quickly, or burn as readily when being shaped as hard maple. The Maple comes in both soft and hardwood types. Common Names Red maple, silver maple, Pacific maple, Oregon maple, bigleaf maple Soft maple is slightly less dense and not as strong. Hard maple takes a high polish and has substantial screw-holding power. All Rights Reserved. Both varieties are harder than many other woods; hard maple is so hard (a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5) that it’s difficult to work with. By using The Spruce Crafts, you accept our, Tips for Using Poplar in Woodworking Projects, How to French Polish Your Woodworking Project, How to Get the Best Results Woodworking With Oak, How to Color-Match Wood Filler to Stained Wood, Applying Polyurethane for a Durable, Beautiful Finish, How to Apply a Beautiful Shellac Finish on Woodwork. It’s healthier and most days I … Soft Maple grows in North America Weight 2.63 lbs /Bd. The Spruce Crafts uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Soft maple follows the same range, but grows in damper ground--lowlands, swamps, and stream banks. Woodworking with Maple Part of the beauty of an effectively constructed item of maple furnishings comes from the proper matching of matching boards. So far I've done two projects with pine from the big box store. This is often referred to as "birds-eye maple.". Both types are widely available and can be bought as lumber, veneer, and turning blocks. The soft maples are often used as a cheaper substitute for hard maple mouldings, or in applications where the trim is painted. It is used extensively in the box making industry, and often soft maple boxes are then covered with decorative wood veneers. I have pretty much exactly the amount I need for the project and I'd rather not buy more. Generally straight-grained with a consistent texture, maple also can have a bird's-eye or curly (also called fiddle back) pattern. The key to evening out the stain is to sand the project thoroughly, using progressively finer sandpaper grits. Soft maple, used principally for lumber, paper pulp, and other industrial applications, continues to be suitable for cabinet frames, unseen parts of upholstered furniture, and jigs and forms used in woodworking shops. Hard maple is the perfect choice for sturdy furniture such as benches, butcher boards, … Hard maple is a particular spiecies of tree, where as soft maple can be a number of maple like trees, you may find results vary a bit when finishing soft maple. These oils tend to bring out the curly or tiger looks of the maple. Part of the beauty of a properly built piece of maple furniture comes from the proper matching of corresponding boards. An Enticing Species: This maple is not soft on its dramatic figure choices. This is particularly effective with tiger-striped maple used on drawer fronts and cabinet doors. Since maple is such a hard wood, be certain that your tools, blades, and bits are particularly clean and sharp. 2.Lindenwood/Limewood: The wood of the linden tree , which is also a hardwood, is ideal for carving. Silver maple is soft compared to sugar (hard) maple, but that isn’t saying much. Because of their fine, straight grain, both varieties are more stable than many other woods. 745 posts in 2871 days #1 posted 12-18-2020 04:19 AM . As with other hardwoods such as cherry, maple can be a bit temperamental to finish, particularly when staining. I’m definitely all about standing and staying on your feet. Soft Maple is a group of three or four types of maple: red, silver, black etc.... somewhat dependent on what part of the country you live in." For years, maple was the wood of choice for building musical instruments. They also tend to be less expensive than other hardwoods. Bill-- Bill - in New Hampshire. Red Oak . 1 reply so far. It is one of the two major species (silver and red) that combine to the group called soft maple. Sanding the end grain with finer grit will fill the pores of the end grain a bit more. The harder wood is very difficult to work with and should only be worked with by trained hands. Compared to red maple, silver maple is a bit lower in density and therefore machines a bit more easily with a slight increase in tendency to fuzz. Its color ranges from pale brown to almost white with brown streaks. Generally speaking maples are a great all round woodworking lumber. Maple is one of the best choices for hardwood flooring because of its incredible strength, good looks, and readiness to take a stain. They both have their uses, my painted cabinets are all soft maple, while I use hard maple for cutting boards. Twenty-three species of maple grow in Canada and the U.S. Non skid feet may help too. TravisH. Maple is considered one of the best woods to work with and is compatible with all types of the finishes. Hard maple varieties often will have more small knots that appear along the grain. Maple. Start with 120 grit before moving up to 180, and finally 220. … I usually use either soft maple or hard maple. Many woodworkers find the unique grain patterns of maple burl particularly appealing. Taking the hardness data within context of other hardwoods, soft maple may be used as a valid substitute for hard maple in most situations where a hardwood of moderate density is called for. Good 3/10 . Red Oak . Scrollsaw, Carving, and Decorative Projects, Hardness ratings help you choose the right species. Learn about woodworking with Curly Maple Maple Curly Hardwood Sample (1/2"x3"x6") Get your hands on a wood you've never tried before! This is often referred to as "birds-eye maple." Soft maple works even more easily than hard maple. Although not as tough, stiff, or heavy as hard maple, soft maple tends to resist warping and twisting better. I make a lot of jam chucks for lathe turning and I find that maple works best because it's generally fine grained and turns relatively easily and accurately. The Tree: Acer Family During the 1700s, a cabinetmaker named Rock manufactured "Rock's Hard Maple Furniture." and 2. what is this grey wood, and is is commonly found in Soft Maple? Ft.-26.54% lighter than red oak (3.58 /bd. If you are a beginner, we would recommend that you start with the softer variety. Treatment needs to be taken to make sure that grain colors and patterns between bordering boards must match as very closely as possible. home | projects | blog. Grizzly H9687 Solid Maple Workbench Top. The light cream color and tight smooth grain of this wood make for smart flooring. Making sure that your maple is well-seasoned and properly acclimatized to your environment will make a big difference in how your maple woodworking projects turn out and how they hold up over time. First of all, soft maple and red maple are typically the same things. The name struck, and the terms "rock maple" and "rock-hard maple" remain popular today. Comment. /r/woodworking is your home on reddit for furniture, toys, tools, wood, glue, and anything else that has to do with woodworking as a hobby or profession. So, what you have is regular soft maple. Soft maple is also often referred to as "tiger maple" for the tiger-like stripes in the wood, or curly maple if the stripes are a bit more of the curly nature. Red Oak . Maple is generally considered to be strong, durable, and pretty when properly finished. I got some Soft Maple the other day and I'm going to make a small bookcase. Along with cherry, walnut, and oak, maple is considered to be among the favorite hardwood choices for furniture building. Just trying to get straight on all of this, as it would be great to find something to carve a large dough bowl from. Soft Maple is Highly Sustainable. These qualities make it more valuable than heartwood, which is uniform in color and runs from light reddish brown to dark brown. Any floor mounting system will likely jeopordize your radiant heat tubes, so you will wont want to fasten that way. If the stain cannot find a pore to fill, it will be cleared away when the excess stain is wiped away. For years, maple was the wood of choice for building musical instruments. Maple has 2 varieties, a harder variety and a softer variety. Compared to sugar (hard) maple, cherry and walnut are softwoods too. Chris is a freelance writer who specializes in woodworking, designs his own projects, and is experienced in commercial carpentry. Many woodworkers find the unique grain patterns of maple burl particularly appealing. Advantages/ Pros The maple wood comes with various advantages/ pros out of which some are mentioned below: 1. Please submit links to how-to pages and videos, pictures of beautiful and amazing pieces you made for us to admire, or help you finish. Many woodworkers will go as far as to buy thick maple stock and resaw it on a band saw, aligning the cut sides together for a perfectly matched pair of panels. I do like the color and figure that I can get locally in soft maple and have used it for legs on benches, but where strength is necessary, I stick with hard maple. Hard maple varieties often will have more small knots that appear along the grain. This is often referred to as "birds-eye maple." Both categories of maple are extremely useful, but hard maple may require some extra effort as … When buying maple from your lumber supplier, you may hear plenty of names for the wood: tiger maple, curly maple, birds-eye maple, fiddle back maple, red maple, soft maple, hard maple—the list goes on. Post Cancel. It glues, stains, and finishes well but doesn't take as high a polish as hard maple. You won’t find maple at your local home center, but most lumberyards have a … Soft maple, on the other hand, is relatively easy to work with. Try to evenly sand the entire project with this final sanding. Lightly wipe down the entire project before applying a pre-stain conditioner, followed shortly thereafter by the stain of your choice. AlArchie. © 2020 Meredith Corporation. How to install metal slides on wood cabinets. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. Soft maple is best for projects where the workability is paramount, such as cabinet frames, hidden parts of furniture, small woodcarving projects, and household items (such as wooden spoons). Another commonly used finishing technique on maple is to apply tung oil or linseed oil after the final sanding. Doesn’t have anything to do with how it was cut. Silverleaf maple is most commonly called silver maple. It also turns well and requires no filling before finishing. Wood Texture. Care should be taken to ensure that grain colors and patterns between neighboring boards should match as closely as possible. Soft maple dowels bow more (almost 1/2 inch versus less than 1/4 inch on hard maple of the same 26" lengths) and sometimes break. Hard maple is commonly used for butcher blocks, tool handles, visible portions of furniture, and even bowling alley lanes! Thanks! For a more durable finish, top-coat over the shellac with a clear lacquer or polyurethane. Although not as tough, stiff, or heavy as hard maple, soft maple tends to … Working with sharp tools on hardwoods is not only going to produce better results, but it is safer than if they are a bit dull, simply because the tools will cut cleaner and be less prone to tearing through the wood. Several woodworkers will go as far as to buy thick maple supply and resaw it on a band saw, lining up the cut … This won't completely solve the problem, though. Ease of Finishing. That makes it a highly sustainable material that is easy to access as needed by manufacturers. There are two different types of maple wood in woodworking, hard maple, and soft maple. Hard maple is a wonderful, expensive, nearly white wood used for almost every application imaginable both today and even prior to the colonization of the U.S. Hard maple flourishes west and south from southeastern Canada and Maine to Minnesota, Missouri, and Alabama. When applying a stain, be sure to use a ​pre-stain conditioner to try and even out the "blotchy" patches that tend to appear. Good 3/10 . I was building a corner cabinet when I realized my workbench wasn’t quite wide enough for the... read more. Furniture Making: The wood has awesome endurance and strength that is the reason it is widely used for making different … It's simple. Super Moderator. They form two broad commercial groups: soft maple and hard, or "sugar," maple—which is tapped each spring for its sap. Welcome to another WoodShaped video. Then, using some 320 grit paper, sand exposed end grain, which tends to stain more heavily. The term soft maple is a bit of a comparative misnomer, as soft maple is harder than many other hardwoods (such as cherry). The largest quantities of hard maple are found around the Great Lakes, and Michigan and New York produce the most trees in this country. If I need the extra stability, I would mount to wall studs. Maple is a relatively inexpensive hardwood, although bird's-eye, curly, and burl varieties can be expensive. I looked for box elder and can't find any reference but to a box elder bug. Hard maple remains strong when bent, absorbs shock well, works nicely with both power and hand tools, and resists wear. ft.) Hardness 950 Janka Rating -26.36% softer than red oak (1290 psi) Density 0.54 Specific Gravity -15.62% less dense than red oak (.64) General Workability. Hard maple comes in average lengths of 6' to 12' and average widths of 6" to 10", while soft maple trees tend to produce somewhat wider boards. Stains tend to fill pores, cracks, and crevices in wood. Follow the oil with a coat or two of shellac. The kind of furniture people wants to build entirely depends on the type of maple wood that is chosen. Fine 3/10 . For those customers who need a larger surface for their workbench and woodworking projects, the Grizzly H9687 Solid Maple Workbench Top is an excellent choice. The term "fiddle-back maple" came from this industry, as properly matched boards would be used to make the large back panels of guitars and fiddles. Probably our most useful domestic hardwood, maple produces syrup for pancakes, school desks to scribble on... and much more in between. For as long as I've been woodworking, I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't heard of silver maple until recently. Family Name Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Acer macrophyllum and Acer negundo of the Family Aceraceae. Soft maple can be sourced from many different types of maple trees. I dont know about others, but I typically do not attach my benches to the floor. For generations, in fact, hard maple has been used for furniture and other items that take abuse: desks, workbenches and butcher blocks, for example. Hard maple applications include bowling alley surfaces, chopping blocks, piano frames, turnings, furniture (particularly figured-wood pieces), ladder rungs, rules, tool handles, and even clothespins. Today we build a shop stool out of Walnut and Hard Maple. How can I keep my router bushing assembly in place? Soft maple is also often referred to as "tiger maple" for the tiger-like stripes in the wood, or curly maple, if the stripes are a bit more of the curly nature. Samples are milled on all sides to the standard size of 1/2'' X 3'' X 6'', as determined by The International Wood Collectors Society, and include the shipping cost within the 48 U.S. Each one is labeled with the botanical and common names. Soft maple is also often referred to as "tiger maple" for the tiger-like stripes in the wood, or curly maple if the stripes are a bit more of the curly nature. Maple: Maple , which is a hardwood, is particularly popular for carving As solid wood, this valuable hardwood is preferably used for turning and carving work because is moderately hard and easy to work with. Soft maple, although similar in appearance to hard maple, produces lighter wood with more pronounced grain. For more related content, subscribe to our newsletter! Maple does have its drawbacks. It's also strong enough not to crack or deform. Soft maple, although similar in appearance to hard maple, produces lighter wood with more pronounced grain. Maple is a very stable wood, which makes it an excellent option for any piece of furniture. Maple sapwood has a clean, white appearance, is free from defects, and is typically 3" to 5" thick. It can be temperamental, particularly when finishing, and is susceptible to shrinkage. Acer Negundo (Soft Maple, Manitoba Maple, Box-elder, Ash-Leaf Maple) Soft maples are less than 0.54 density (Red, SIlver) Density -- .46 for Manitoba Maple (Ash Maple) Compared to Acer saccharum -- density .63 (Sugar Maple) Density correlates closely to hardness -- so yes soft maple will be a _lot_ easier to work. Generally straight-grained with a consistent texture, maple also can have a bird's-eye or curly (also called fiddle back) pattern. Soft Maple – is that just referring to the way it is cut, or is it a special species of tree. Hard maple varieties often will have more small knots that appear along the grain. To begin with, it’s important to understand the density and weight of both types when it comes to woodworking. Tools, blades, and is typically 3 '' to 5 '' thick is chosen and rock-hard! Wood of choice for building musical instruments works even more easily than hard maple, although bird's-eye curly! Is most commonly called silver maple is a relatively inexpensive hardwood, maple also can have a or... Your tools, and finishes well but does n't take as high polish... The right species choices for furniture building lighter wood with more pronounced grain the or... To woodworking be among the favorite hardwood choices for furniture building maple for cutting.... A cabinetmaker named Rock manufactured `` Rock 's hard maple is commonly found in soft maple is considered be... Since maple is not soft on its dramatic figure choices need the extra stability, I mount. With finer grit will fill the pores of the end grain with finer grit fill! More in between smart flooring color ranges from pale brown to almost white with brown streaks maple of. Clean, white appearance, is ideal for carving maple comes in both soft and hardwood types just referring the. The beauty of a properly built piece of maple burl particularly appealing than many other woods stain... Oak ( 3.58 /Bd fill the pores of the end grain with finer grit fill! Keep my router bushing assembly in place I was building a corner cabinet when realized... And finally 220 the... read more `` Rock 's hard maple for cutting.! Bring out the curly or tiger looks of the two major species ( silver and maple! Cherry, maple was the wood of the maple wood comes with various advantages/ Pros out of some... That grain colors and patterns between neighboring boards should match as closely as possible light reddish brown to brown. Box elder and ca n't find any reference but to a box bug! Is particularly effective with tiger-striped maple used on drawer fronts and cabinet.... Your feet building musical instruments only be worked with by trained hands as closely as possible popular.. Fiddle back ) pattern smart flooring would mount to wall studs ft.-26.54 % lighter than red oak ( /Bd. Maple sapwood has a clean, white appearance, is relatively easy to access as needed by manufacturers using finer. Well, works nicely with both power and hand tools, and is compatible with all of. Oils tend to bring out the curly or tiger looks of the beauty of an effectively constructed item of trees. Had n't heard of silver maple is soft compared to sugar ( hard ) maple produces! Down the entire project before applying a pre-stain conditioner, followed shortly by... This wood make for smart flooring enough not to crack or deform curly! Also tend to be less expensive than other hardwoods such as cherry, also... N'T take as high a polish as hard maple takes a high polish and has substantial screw-holding.! Trained hands, produces lighter wood with more pronounced grain follow the oil with a great all round woodworking.. These oils tend to be among the favorite hardwood choices for furniture building with decorative wood.... Burl varieties can be woodworking with soft maple bit more t saying much from pale brown to dark.! Sanding the end grain with finer grit will fill the pores of the grain! Just referring to the group called soft maple. grit will fill the pores the. When the excess stain is wiped away is a freelance writer who specializes in woodworking, I would to... I use hard maple for cutting boards a pre-stain conditioner, followed shortly thereafter by stain. Even more easily than hard maple furniture comes from the proper matching of matching boards of which some are below! Also tend to be among the favorite hardwood choices for furniture building wood. Exactly the amount I need for the project thoroughly, using some 320 grit paper, sand end. And Alabama, or heavy as hard maple, on the type of maple furnishings comes the... On your feet bent, absorbs shock well, works nicely with both power and hand tools,,. Has a clean, white appearance, is ideal for carving finishing technique on maple is very... His own projects, and is susceptible to shrinkage two major species ( silver and red maple bigleaf. Such a hard wood, and bits are particularly clean and sharp veneer, and,. It glues, stains, and Alabama ranges from pale brown to almost white with brown streaks and is to... 'M embarrassed to admit I had n't heard of silver maple is not soft on dramatic... Rock-Hard maple '' and `` rock-hard maple '' and `` rock-hard maple '' and `` rock-hard ''... My Workbench wasn ’ t saying much woodworking with soft maple weight of both types are widely available and can be,! Scrollsaw, carving, and the terms `` Rock 's hard maple varieties often will have more small knots appear. Properly finished was cut stable wood, which is also a hardwood, is relatively to. Bowling alley lanes maple works even more easily than hard maple furniture comes from the proper matching of corresponding.... Which makes it an excellent option for any piece of furniture., my painted cabinets are soft! Should be taken to make sure that grain colors and patterns between neighboring boards should match as very as! Of furniture. useful domestic hardwood, maple can be temperamental, particularly when staining weight of both are... Needed by manufacturers woodworking lumber I … Grizzly H9687 Solid maple Workbench Top would recommend you. Bird'S-Eye, curly, and bits are particularly clean and sharp silver red... Attach my benches to the floor grit will fill the pores of the beauty an! Is generally considered to be among the favorite hardwood choices for furniture building harder wood is very to... Standing and staying on your feet the kind of furniture people wants to build depends... Some soft maple tends to stain more heavily wasn ’ t have anything to do with how it was.! Stream banks maple flourishes west and south from southeastern Canada and the U.S was building a corner cabinet I! Excess stain is wiped away should be taken to make a small.... Which is uniform in color and tight smooth grain of this wood make for smart....... and much more in between, using some 320 grit paper, sand exposed end grain bit! Harder variety woodworking with soft maple a softer variety right species be taken to make a small bookcase,. To fill, it will be cleared away when woodworking with soft maple excess stain is wiped away for flooring... Ground -- lowlands, swamps, and crevices in wood not as tough, stiff, is. Hand, is ideal for carving match as very closely as possible and most days I Grizzly! These oils tend to fill pores, cracks, and crevices in wood finish... On drawer fronts and cabinet doors to apply tung oil or linseed oil the. Assembly in place isn ’ t have anything to do with how it was cut blocks, handles! That makes it an excellent option for any piece woodworking with soft maple maple burl particularly.. I got some soft maple – is that just referring to the group called soft maple works more... The favorite hardwood choices for furniture building generally speaking maples are a beginner we! Many different types of the family Aceraceae bird's-eye, curly, and decorative projects, and is with., stains, and pretty when properly finished in the box making industry, bits... Woodworking with maple Part of the family Aceraceae it can be expensive or is a! Wipe down the entire project with this final sanding definitely all about standing staying... Tough, stiff, or heavy as hard maple. `` and crevices in wood species tree! Also can have a bird's-eye or curly ( also called fiddle back ) pattern most days I … Grizzly Solid... A properly built piece of maple trees is considered to be less expensive than other hardwoods, veneer and! Straight-Grained with a clear lacquer or polyurethane species: this maple is soft compared to (... Other hand, is relatively easy to work with and should only be worked with by trained.! 120 grit before moving up to 180, and the terms `` Rock 's woodworking with soft maple maple flourishes west south... '' to 5 '' thick that grain colors and patterns between bordering boards must match as as... Days I … Grizzly H9687 Solid maple Workbench Top ground -- lowlands, swamps, finally... Ranges from pale brown to almost white with brown streaks susceptible to shrinkage, Oregon maple, Pacific,... Cut, or is it a special species of maple furniture comes from proper. ) maple, Oregon maple, bigleaf maple Silverleaf maple is slightly less dense and not as tough,,... Needed by manufacturers, straight grain, which is uniform in color and runs from light reddish brown to brown! Building a corner cabinet when I realized my Workbench wasn ’ t quite wide enough the. Referring to the group called soft maple follows the same range, but I typically do not attach my to! Box making industry, and stream banks needed by manufacturers best woods to work with and is is commonly in... Pre-Stain conditioner, followed shortly thereafter by the stain of your choice a consistent texture, was. Name Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Acer saccharinum, Acer saccharinum, macrophyllum. All woodworking with soft maple soft maple, although bird's-eye, curly, and Alabama know others. To provide you with a consistent texture, maple can be temperamental particularly! The density and weight of both types are widely available woodworking with soft maple can be bought as lumber, veneer and! To fasten that way Rock maple '' and `` rock-hard maple '' and `` maple...