Common Names:   Hard maple Rock maple Sugar maple Purchase Maple Spalted

Mechanical Values

Environmental Profile
The conservation status of this species within its natural growth range has not been officially assessed. 

Distribution
The most commercially important maple, Sugar maple is also the most abundant type found in the United States. It is reported to most prevalent in New England, but its growth range extends from the extreme southeastern region of Manitoba east to Nova Scotia, southward to North Canada, and west to eastern Kansas. It is found locally in northwest South Carolina and north Georgia. The tree prefers moist soils of uplands and valleys, and is sometimes found in pure stands. It may also be found at elevations of up to 2500 feet (762 m) in the north, and at 3000 to 5500 feet (914-1676 m) in the southern Appalachians.

Product Sources
Some material from this species is reported to be available from environmentally responsible sources. 

Plain maple is reported to be readily available in both lumber and veneer forms, but figured maple veneers are limited in availability and are considerably more expensive.

Sugar maple is reported to derive its name from one of its by-products, maple sugar. A single Sugar maple tree is reported to be capable of producing twelve gallons of maple sap a year. About forty gallons of maple sap is required to produce one gallon of pure maple syrup. 

The following species in the database is reported to have similar strength properties to Sugar maple:
Cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendron )

The following species in the database has been suggested as a potential substitute for Hard maple:
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum )

The following species in the database have been suggested as substitutes for Hard maple for the following specific applications:
- dance floors
African celtis (Celtis mildbraedii ) 

- light industrial flooring
European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus )

- flooring
Pau marfim (Balfourodendron riedelianum ) 

Tree Data
The official tree of several states including Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and New York, Sugar maple grows to a height of 70 to 120 feet (21 to 37 m), with a diameter of about 24 to 36 inches (60 to 9o cm). 

Sapwood Color
The sapwood is white in color, with a reddish tinge.

Heartwood Color
The heartwood is uniformly pale reddish brown or light tan. Bird's-eye maple, a form of white or sugar maple, usually exhibits two colors, a whitish background with brownish dots at irregular intervals. The dots, which are rarely solid, usually have a circular rim that is of a different color than the center, rather like an eye. The dots are believed to be the starting-points of new side branches that may or may not have actually grown out from the trunk of the tree.

Grain
Sugar maple grain is typically straight, but it can also be curly or wavy. The wood is described as close-grained and subdued, sometimes with decorative figuring including, bird's eye, maple burl, blistered, leaf, and fiddleback.

Texture
The wood has a very fine and even texture.

Odor
There is no distinct odor or taste.

Natural Growth Features
A characteristic feature in the hard maples is bird's-eye figure which usually appears as attractive patterns on veneer manufactured from the species. Flecks caused by insects may also be present in the wood. Figured boards are reported to be often culled during grading and sold at a premium.

Ease of Drying
The wood dries slowly, but is reported to be fairly easy to season. Some level of care is needed during drying in order to minimize defects. Shrinkage is reported to be high.

Drying Defects
Sapwood discoloration may develop because of extractives, and collapse and honeycombing may also occur due to mineral streaks and wetwood. There is moderate tendency for the timber to warp.

Kiln Schedules
T8 - C3 (4/4); T5 - C2 (8/4) US

T/R Ratio
2.06
This ratio is more meaningful if it is used together with actual shrinkage data in the tangential and radial directions. (Refer to the Numerical Values window).

Natural Durability
The wood is reported to have very little natural resistance to attack by decay causing fungi and insects, but hard maple is rated as more durable than some of the other maples. Its fire resistant properties are reported to be higher than the average timber.

Resistance to Impregnation
The heartwood is reported to be fairly difficult to treat with chemical preservatives.

Veneering Qualities
Figured Sugar maple is used for decorative veneers, one of the most exotic of which is maple burl veneers, which display colors that have been compared to fall leaves. Bird's-eye is veneers are also common in sugar maple, but they are also found in other species such as, soft maples, yellow birch, and white ash.

Cutting Resistance
The wood is reported to be fairly difficult to saw.

Blunting Effect
Wood with irregular grain tends to exert fairly high blunting effect on cutting tools.

Planing
The wood is reported to be fairly difficult to plane. (Expected number of planed pieces out of one hundred without any machining defects = 54).

Turning
Turning properties are reported to be good. (Expected number out of one hundred with fair to excellent results in turning = 82).

Boring
Boring characteristics are reported to be exceptionally good. (Percent of bored species that can be expected to yield good to excellent results = 99). 

Moulding
The timber is reported to be relatively easy to shape without chipping and splintering. (Number of shaped pieces out of one hundred producing good to excellent results = 72).

Mortising
The material is reported to have very good mortising properties. (Expected number of pieces out of one hundred producing fair to excellent mortising results = 95).

Carving
Hard maple is reported to respond well to carving, and works without tear-outs or chipping.

Gluing
The wood has satisfactory gluing properties.

Nailing
The wood is reported to have good nail-holding characteristics, but very poor nailing properties since it is apt to split. Pre-boring is recommended, especially in thin stock. (Percent of nailed pieces expected to be free from complete splits = 27).

Screwing
Pre-boring is recommended in screwing operations. (Expected number out of one hundred of screwed pieces free from complete splits = 52).

Sanding
The wood is fairly difficult to sand. Extra care is recommended since sanding marks are reported to be rather difficult to cover because of the wood's density and light color. (Expected number of sanded pieces out of one hundred producing good to excellent surfaces = 38).

Polishing
The material is reported to polish satisfactorily.

Staining
The timber is reported to stain satisfactorily but unevenly. 

Painting
The wood is reported to take paint or enamel very well.

Steam Bending
The wood is reported to have fair steam bending characteristics. (Percent of unbroken pieces during steam bending = 57).

Strength Properties
The species has very high bending strength, and is much stronger than Teak in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content). Strength in compression parallel to grain is in the high range. Hardness is rated as medium. It resists denting and marring, and is heavy. Sugar maple is a member of the hard maple group, which also includes Black maple (A. nigrum ). Hard maples are reported to be up to 25 percent harder than the Soft maples.