Species Guide
Soft Maple
The Basics
Species Overview
Soft maple is one of the most prolific and sustainable species, similar to hard maple but slightly softer in impact hardness.
Soft maple color varies from one region to another. The sapwood of soft maple is normally grayish white but can be darker, with pith flecks as a natural characteristic. The heartwood of soft maple varies in color from light to dark reddish brown. The difference between sap and heartwood is greater than in hard maple.
Scientific Name
Acer rubrum
Avg. Board Length
6’ - 16’
Common Thicknesses
4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4, 10/4
Also Known As
Soft Maple, Red Maple
Avg. Board Width
5” – 8”
Avg. Dried Weight
3.2 lbs/bdft
Where It Comes From
Growth Distribution
Soft maples grow widely across the eastern United States in mixed hardwood forests with more red maple in the northeast and silver maple concentrated in the mid and southern states. The name can be misleading as soft maple is not technically very soft. There are a significant number of sub-species – all sold as soft maple. Several, including Pacific coast/big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), grow in the northwest USA, for which there are specific grading rules that apply.
FIA data shows U.S. soft maple growing stock is 1.62 billion m3, 11.1% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock. American soft maple is growing 36.4 million m3 per year while the harvest is 16.0 million m3 per year. The net volume (after harvest) is increasing 20.4 million m3 each year. U.S. soft maple growth exceeds harvest in all the main producing states.
Soft maple is widely available as sawn lumber in a range of sizes and grades, but rarely as veneer. The lumber is normally sold unselected for color. West coast production is usually sold surfaced and graded from the better side, in a departure from standard NHLA Grading Rules.
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0-4K
4-8K
8-12K
12-16K
16-20K
20-24K
Volume of live trees on forest land, 1000 m³
Uses
Common Applications
This highly sustainable, managed hardwood from natural forests of North America, with excellent environmental credentials, is considered where hardness and hardwearing properties may not be essential. It is used in furniture, cabinet making and joinery as well as doors, kitchen cabinets and for turning and mouldings.
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Turning
