HARD MAPLE

Hard Maple hails from Northeastern North America and is available here at Century Mill Lumber. Hard maple is also known as rock maple or sugar maple, and is the same tree which is tapped to get maple syrup. The sapwood of hard maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood and its grain is straight and sometimes wavy with a fine, even texture. The Hard Maples colour ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream color and sometimes has a reddish or golden hue. It is rated as non-durable to perishable, and is susceptible to insect attack. Although Hard Maple is higher in density compared to soft maple, it is still fairly easy to work with both hand and machine tools. Be careful when machining with high-speed cutters such as in a router as Hard Maple has a tendency to burn. Blotching can occur when staining, so make sure to use a pre-conditioner, gel stain, or toner to get an even color. It is most commonly used in flooring such as basketball courts and dance-floors to bowling alleys and residential areas.