Are Maples Hardwood

Also note that black maple not pictured isn t quite as hard as its close relative hard maple and ranks in the mid range with a hardness of 1 180 lb f.

Are maples hardwood.

That would depend on the type of hardwood but generally the name comes from the tree type. Hard hardwoods have strong and sturdy wood while the wood of soft hardwoods is more pliable. Harder woods can be susceptible to decay while softer wood resists it. Unlike most other hardwoods the sapwood of hard maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood sapwood color ranges from nearly white to an off white cream color sometimes with a reddish or golden hue.

Hard and soft hardwood maples are used to produce everything from the syrup on a stack of pancakes to the table the plate is sitting on. The specific gravities of sugar maple and black maple are 0 63 and 0 57 respectively. Janka ratings for maple range from 700 for silver maple to 1 180 for black maple. Prefinished maple hardwood comes in a wide range of hues.

Hardwood maples are categorized as hard or soft hardwood trees. Maple is harder than oak but hardness doesn t always translate into durability. The wood of soft maple is not as heavy or as strong as that of hard maple. Most hardwood trees are deciduous trees which lose their leaves annually like elm or maple.

Maples are distinguished by opposite leaf arrangement. If you are looking for affordable pricing and durability maple hardwood flooring is a strong option. Homeowners attempting to match new portions of maple hardwood with older sections often find the task challenging. Bigleaf maple is moderately hard.

The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown. Several species including acer griseum paperbark maple acer mandshuricum. Prefinished maple hardwood has the longevity to withstand high traffic. Maple timber is less porous than oak making it more resistant to dents and scratching.

Taking the hardness data within context of other hardwoods soft maple may be used as a valid substitute for hard maple in most situations where a hardwood of moderate density is called for. The leaves in most species are palmate veined and lobed with 3 to 9 rarely to 13 veins each leading to a lobe one of which is central or apical. Silver maple red maple and boxelder are soft maples. A small number of species differ in having palmate compound pinnate compound pinnate veined or unlobed leaves.

Where you use the hardwood is more important than its density and hardness. Softwood comes from a conifer cone bearing or evergreen trees such as pine or spruce. Maple cannot absorb stain as well as oak mainly due to its consistency.