Common Name(s): Maple, sycamore (United Kingdom)
Distribution: Primarily temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere
Genus Size: Approximately 160 species
Mechanical Characteristics: Generally moderate density and strength characteristics for a temperate hardwood. Hard maple (Acer saccharum) and field maple (A. campestre) are among the hardest and heaviest of the genus.
Visual Characteristics: Maple trees generally have very wide sapwood, meaning most maple lumber is from the light-colored sapwood (as opposed to the heartwood). Many figured grain patterns are also seen in maple, such as curl, quilt, and birdseye.
Identification: Wood is diffuse porous, generally with numerous medium-sized pores (bordering on small)—giving the wood a very uniform texture. Features medium to wide rays which give a unique ray fleck on quartersawn surfaces that is sometimes used on butcher blocks.
Species listing