Red Soft Maple

General Description
In most respects soft maple is very similar to hard maple. Generally the sapwood is greyish white, sometimes with darker colored pith flecks. The heartwood varies from light to dark reddish brown. The wood is usually straight-grained. When selected for color, this lumber is used as an alternate to Hard Maple.

Working Properties
Soft maple machines well and can be stained to an excellent finish. It glues, screws, and nails satisfactorily. Polishes well and is suitable for enamel finishes and brown tones. It dries slowly with minimal degrade and there is little movement in performance.

Physical Properties
Soft maple is about 25 percent less hard than hard maple, has medium bending and crushing strength, and is low in stiffness and shock resistance. It has good steam-bending properties.

For more information, visit the Hardwood Manufacturers Association.

Wood Species copy courtesy of www.hardwoodinfo.com.
(c) 2001, Hardwood Manufacturers Association