AKA Soft Maple
Soft Maple is one of my favorite woods to work. It has the white wood look with not the hardness of granite like Hard Maple. In my neck of the woods, I work mostly with Red Maple which is one of several species that rolls up under the soft maple group.
Striped Maple, Silver Maple, Big Leaf Maple, and even Box Elder all get lumped into this trade group known as Soft Maple. These Maple also are prone to figure and much of the curly and highly figured Maples are soft Maples.
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Lumber Industry News
Featured Species: Red Maple
Acer rubrum or Red Maple is a major player in the North American commercial lumber market. Usually sold as "soft Maple", it is one of several species grouped under that trade name. Species like Silver Maple, Striped Maple, Big Leaf Maple, and even Box Elder all get sold under the Soft Maple name. Similar in appearance to Hard Maple but as the name states, Soft Maple is softer. Nearly half as hard (1450 vs 950). Its a great cabinet wood but sold primarly for its sap wood. The heartwood is a soft brown color and can be a cool look in its own right though rarely known as such.
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