Maple is one of the most versatile domestic hardwoods available to woodworkers. It can be strong and straight-grained enough for workbench parts, flooring, and hard-working furniture, yet beautiful enough to become the focal point of a finely crafted project.
And then there’s figured maple.
Curly, quilted, birdseye, spalted, and ambrosia maple can transform an otherwise simple project into something spectacular. The shifting grain and color can seem almost three-dimensional as the light moves across the surface.
But not all maple is alike. Understanding the differences between hard and soft maple — and knowing how to work with highly figured boards — will help you choose the right lumber and get better results in the shop.
Hard Maple vs. Soft Maple
There are numerous species of maple native to North America, but the lumber you'll encounter is generally divided into two broad groups: hard maple and soft maple.
The names can be a little misleading. Soft maple isn't necessarily a soft wood. It's simply softer than hard maple.
On the Janka hardness scale, soft maple typically falls in the range of about 700 to 950 pounds-force, depending on the species. That's roughly in the same neighborhood as cherry. Hard maple is considerably denser, with a Janka hardness around 1,450 pounds-force.
For comparison, Western white pine is much softer, with a Janka hardness around 380 pounds-force.
That difference affects how the two types of maple machine, where they're commonly used, and which one may be the better choice for a particular project.
What Is Hard Maple?
Hard maple lumber primarily comes from sugar maple, along with closely related black maple.
These slow-growing trees produce dense, durable lumber. The growth rings can be relatively tight — sometimes around 1⁄16" apart — giving the wood its characteristic hardness and strength.
Hard maple is commonly used anywhere durability matters. You'll find it in:
- Flooring
- Cutting boards
- Kitchen cabinets
- Workbenches
- Furniture parts subject to heavy use
Its light color and generally even grain also make hard maple useful when you want a clean, understated appearance.
RELATED PROJECT: Hard Maple Traditional Workbench
Working with Hard Maple
That density comes with a tradeoff. Hard maple can require more effort to machine than softer hardwoods, and sharp cutters are especially important.
Take light cuts when jointing or planing and pay attention to grain direction. Keeping blades and bits sharp will also produce cleaner surfaces and reduce the chance of burning.
What Is Soft Maple?
Several commercially harvested species fall under the soft maple designation, including red maple, silver maple, bigleaf maple, and box elder.
These trees generally grow faster than sugar maple, so their growth rings may be considerably farther apart — sometimes up to about 1⁄4".
Soft maple is a useful furniture wood in its own right. Straight-grained boards work well for drawer parts, interior frames, and other secondary components. Attractive boards can just as easily become visible parts of a project.
And if you're looking for something with more visual impact, soft maple can produce some spectacular figure.
RELATED PROJECT: Scandinavian Kitchen Table
What Is Figured Maple?
"Figured maple" isn't a separate species of tree. Instead, the term describes maple with unusual grain patterns that create distinctive visual effects.
Some of the most familiar names include curly maple, tiger maple, flame maple, and fiddleback maple. These terms describe variations in grain that can create bands or ripples running across the board.
One reason figured maple is so appealing is its ability to reflect light differently across the grain. Turn a finished board in your hands and the pattern can seem to shift from light to dark, creating an almost three-dimensional appearance.
Exactly why some trees develop pronounced figure isn't always easy to pin down, which makes finding an exceptional figured board that much more interesting.
RELATED PROJECT: Craftsman's Tool Chest with Figured Maple
Types of Figured Maple
Several distinctive forms of maple figure are especially prized by woodworkers.
Curly, Tiger, Flame & Fiddleback Maple
These names describe closely related visual effects characterized by bands or waves running across the grain.
Depending on how pronounced the figure is, the surface may appear rippled or almost three-dimensional. This type of maple makes an excellent choice for drawer fronts, doors, box lids, and other highly visible parts where a relatively small amount of special lumber can have a big impact.
RELATED PROJECT: Sectional Keepsake Box
Quilted Maple
Quilted maple has a completely different appearance. Rather than narrow stripes, the figure often resembles rippling water or puffy, overlapping patches.
The effect isn't exclusive to maple, but maple is particularly well known for dramatic examples of quilted figure.
RELATED PROJECT: Melodic Tongue Drum
Birdseye Maple
Birdseye maple is easy to recognize by the numerous small marks scattered across the surface. As the name suggests, many resemble tiny eyes.
Birdseye figure is commonly associated with hard maple and can create an especially striking surface when the wood is carefully smoothed and finished.
Working with Figured Maple
Beautiful grain doesn't always make for easy woodworking.
Highly figured maple can be more prone to tearout and chipout when it's run across a jointer or through a planer. The grain may change direction repeatedly within a short distance, making it difficult for a cutter to consistently work with the grain.
Taking very light passes can help.
When only a small amount of material needs to be removed, scraping or sanding may be a better choice than continuing to send a difficult board through a planer or jointer.
Let Maple Acclimate Before Final Milling
Some soft maple can also move after machining. As with other lumber, it's a good idea to allow maple to acclimate to your shop before bringing it to final dimensions.
For boards that may be less stable, use a two-stage milling process:
- Mill the stock slightly oversize.
- Allow it to rest for a few days.
- Check it again for movement.
- Bring the pieces to final thickness and width.
That extra time gives the wood an opportunity to move before you commit to your final dimensions.
WOODSMITH TIP: Save Figured Boards for High-Impact Parts. You don't need enough figured maple to build an entire project. A particularly striking board can often have more impact when it's reserved for drawer fronts, doors, panels, box lids, or other focal points. Straight-grained maple can handle the structural parts while the figured stock provides the visual punch.
Maple with Character: Spalted & Ambrosia Maple
Not every interesting pattern in maple comes from the natural orientation of the grain. Some of the most dramatic lumber gets its character from biological activity within the tree.
Two familiar examples are spalted maple and ambrosia maple.
What Is Spalted Maple?
Spalting results from fungal activity in wood. It's often associated with dead wood, although fungi can also take hold in damaged or living trees.
Several visual effects associated with spalting are prized by woodworkers.
Pigmentation can create darker areas in the wood. White rot can leave lighter or bleached-looking areas. And perhaps the most recognizable feature is the appearance of zone lines — dark, often nearly black boundaries formed where competing fungi meet.
The same process that creates those beautiful patterns can also weaken the wood. Heavily spalted lumber may contain soft or "punky" areas that require special care.
Fragile areas can sometimes be reinforced with epoxy or CA glue before or during machining.
WOODSMITH TIP: Check Spalted Lumber Before You Build. Color and dramatic zone lines don't necessarily mean the board is too weak to use. Inspect the stock carefully and pay particular attention to areas that feel soft or crumbly. Save solid material for structural parts and treat fragile areas appropriately before incorporating them into a project.
RELATED PROJECT: Spalted Maple Curio Cabinet
What Is Ambrosia Maple?
Ambrosia maple gets its characteristic streaking from the activity of the ambrosia beetle.
The insects bore small tunnels into the tree and introduce fungi that create discoloration around the galleries. When the log is sawn into lumber, the result can be small holes surrounded by elongated streaks and contrasting color.
That distinctive pattern makes ambrosia maple popular when a project calls for a more rustic or highly individual appearance.
Unlike severely spalted wood, ambrosia maple can remain relatively sound, so the unusual coloration doesn't automatically prevent it from being used like ordinary lumber.
RELATED PROJECT: Shaker Tool Cabinet
Choosing Maple for a Woodworking Project
The right maple depends on what you're building.
For parts that need maximum durability, hard maple is an excellent choice. For furniture, drawers, interior components, and many general woodworking applications, soft maple offers good workability along with an attractive appearance.
And when appearance is the priority, figured maple opens up an entirely different set of possibilities.
Curly, quilted, birdseye, spalted, and ambrosia maple can all become focal points in a project. The trick is to let the wood do some of the design work. A carefully chosen drawer front or panel can often say more than complicated joinery or added ornamentation.
That's part of what makes maple such a remarkable woodworking material: the same family of trees can provide everything from straightforward utility lumber to some of the most eye-catching wood you'll find in a lumber rack.
