WORMY SOFT MAPLE also Silver, River, Creek, White, and Water Maple
Distribution
Throughout most of North America, with commercial species in the eastern United States and Canada and the western coast of the United States (bigleaf maple).
The Tree
Maples grow to heights of 120 ft (36 m), with a diameter of 3 ft (1 m). Forest grown trees may have a clear bole of 60 ft (18 m).
The Wood
General: Maple lumber comes principally from the Middle Atlantic and Lake States, which together account for about two-thirds of the production. The wood of sugar maple and black maple is known as hard maple; that of silver maple, red maple, and box elder as soft maple. The sapwood of the maples is commonly white with a slight reddish-brown tinge; the heartwood is light reddish brown, but sometimes is considerably darker. The sapwood is from 3 to 5+ inches (76 to 127+ mm) thick.
The wood of soft maples resembles that of hard maples but is not as heavy, hard and strong; the better grade of soft maple has been substituted for hard maple in furniture. The sapwood in the soft maples is considerably wider than that in the hard maples and has a lighter heartwood color.
Maple lumber sometimes has olive or greenish black discolored areas known as mineral streak or mineral stain, which may be due to injury. Maple wood stains well and takes a high polish. It is intermediate in gluing and has low decay resistance.
Working Properties: The wood turns well, is harder to work than softer woods, and has high nail-holding ability. It stains and polishes well, but is intermediate in gluing.
Durability: Rated as slightly or nonresistant to heartwood decay.
Preservation: Moderately resistant to penetration with preservatives.
Uses: Furniture frames, Flooring, Paneling, Pallets
Throughout most of North America, with commercial species in the eastern United States and Canada and the western coast of the United States (bigleaf maple).
The Tree
Maples grow to heights of 120 ft (36 m), with a diameter of 3 ft (1 m). Forest grown trees may have a clear bole of 60 ft (18 m).
The Wood
General: Maple lumber comes principally from the Middle Atlantic and Lake States, which together account for about two-thirds of the production. The wood of sugar maple and black maple is known as hard maple; that of silver maple, red maple, and box elder as soft maple. The sapwood of the maples is commonly white with a slight reddish-brown tinge; the heartwood is light reddish brown, but sometimes is considerably darker. The sapwood is from 3 to 5+ inches (76 to 127+ mm) thick.
The wood of soft maples resembles that of hard maples but is not as heavy, hard and strong; the better grade of soft maple has been substituted for hard maple in furniture. The sapwood in the soft maples is considerably wider than that in the hard maples and has a lighter heartwood color.
Maple lumber sometimes has olive or greenish black discolored areas known as mineral streak or mineral stain, which may be due to injury. Maple wood stains well and takes a high polish. It is intermediate in gluing and has low decay resistance.
Working Properties: The wood turns well, is harder to work than softer woods, and has high nail-holding ability. It stains and polishes well, but is intermediate in gluing.
Durability: Rated as slightly or nonresistant to heartwood decay.
Preservation: Moderately resistant to penetration with preservatives.
Uses: Furniture frames, Flooring, Paneling, Pallets