Name |
Red Maple (Acer rubrum) |
Type |
Hardwood. |
Other Names |
Also known as soft maple, scarlet maple, swamp maple, and water maple. |
Sources |
Grows throughout eastern North America. |
Appearance |
Straight, close grain with a fine, even texture. Wide, creamy white sapwood and beige or tan-colored heartwood. |
Physical Props |
Moderately heavy, hard, strong, and stiff with low shock resistance and decay resistance, and medium movement in use. |
Working Props |
Softer and weaker than hard maple but easier to work. Steam-bends satisfactorily. Turns, planes, cuts, and otherwise machines well. Gluing is variable. Finishes easily without the need for filling. Not suitable for exterior projects due to low decay resistance. |
Uses |
Used for furniture, interior joinery, kitchen utensils, toys, novelties, turnery, musical instruments, sports goods, crates, pallets, flooring, furniture framing, and core stock. Commonly marketed as soft maple. |