Red maple — Identification, Uses and Properties
Acer rubrum Sapindaceae
Commonly grouped with silver maple and sold as 'soft maple'.
Commonly used as a more affordable alternative to hard maple for interior applications.
HARDWOOD NORTH AMERICA VENEER
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Botanical Name(s)
Acer rubrum
Family
Sapindaceae
Wood type
Hardwood
Local Names
Red maple (USA), Soft maple (USA), Swamp maple (USA), Scarlet maple (USA), Water maple (USA), Plaine rouge (Canada)
Origin Region
North America
Main End Uses
Veneer · Paper (pulpwood) · Boxes · Crates/pallets · Musical instruments · Turned objects · Furniture · Cabinetry · Small specialty wood items
Wood Identification Guide
Reference Colour
Sapwood is creamy white to light reddish brown; heartwood is deeper reddish brown.
Texture
Fine and uniform.
Grain
Straight, but may exhibit waviness (curly or quilted grain patterns).
Sapwood
Sapwood is commonly used; ranges from almost white to light golden or reddish brown.
Interlocked Grain
No
Notes
Diffuse-porous with very small, evenly distributed pores; narrow rays with normal spacing. Quartersawn pieces may show subtle ray fleck. Lighter and softer than hard maple.
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Log Description
Tree height
65 – 100 ft
Tree height
20 – 30 m
Diameter
60-100 cm
Buoyancy
floats
Log Conservation
Low resistance to decay and insects; logs should be processed quickly or protected.
Diameter
23.6-39.4 in
Physical & Mechanical Properties
Density
610 g/cm³ @ 12% MC
Density
38.1 lb/ft³
Monnin Hardness
3
Janka Hardness
900 lbf
Janka Hardness
4,003 N
Volumetric Shrinkage Coefficient
0.47 % / %
Tangential Shrinkage
8.2 %
Radial Shrinkage
4 %
T/R Anisotropy Ratio
2.1
Fibre Saturation Point
27 %
Thermal Conductivity
0.15 W/m·K
Thermal Conductivity
0.087 BTU/(h·ft·°F)
Lower Heating Value
18.7 MJ/kg
Lower Heating Value
8,045 BTU/lb
Crushing Strength
45.1 MPa
Crushing Strength
6,541 psi
Bending Strength (MOR)
92.4 MPa
Bending Strength (MOR)
13,401 psi
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
11,310 MPa
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
1,640,377 psi
Durability & Treatment
Resistance to Decay
non-durable to perishableDry Wood Borers
susceptibleTermites
susceptibleTreatability
sapwood is permeable; heartwood is moderately resistantUse Class
5Preservation Requirements
Against Dry Wood Borers
requires treatmentNotes
Considered non-durable to perishable regarding decay resistance; very susceptible to insect attack.Drying Schedule & Risks
Drying Rate
fast to moderate
Risk Distortion
moderate
Risk Case Hardening
low
Risk Checking
low to moderate
Risk Collapse
no
Suggested Schedule
T8-B3
Sawing & Machining
Blunting Effect
low
Tooth For Sawing
standard
Machining Tools
standard; can burn with high-speed cutters
Suitability Peeling
good
Suitability Slicing
good
Notes
Relatively easy to work; turns, glues, and finishes well; staining may lead to blotches.Assembling & Finishing
Nailing Screwing
good holding; pre-boring recommended near ends
Fire Safety & Ratings
French Grading Thick Gt14mm
M3
French Grading Thick Lt14mm
M4
Euroclass
D-s2, d0
Commercial Grading
NHLA Grades
FAS Selects No. 1 Common No. 2 Common
CITES & Trade Restrictions
CITES Status
Unlisted
Trade Notes
This species is not included in the CITES Appendices or the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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Completeness: 9.6 / 10