Maple plywood is defined by its face veneer, which typically uses hard maple (Acer saccharum) or soft maple (Acer rubrum). Prized for its exceptional hardness, light color, and smooth finish, it is a staple material for premium cabinetry, furniture, and architectural woodwork in the Pacific Northwest. The properties below generally refer to hard maple (sugar maple), which is the most common and durable face veneer used in quality plywood:
- Janka Rating: Hard maple averages 1,450 lbf. Soft maple averages 950 lbf. This high rating makes hard maple one of the hardest domestic hardwoods, offering superior resistance to dents and wear.
- Color/Appearance: The sapwood, which is most commonly used for plywood veneers, is a beautiful creamy white to off-white with a subtle reddish or golden hue. The color is highly consistent, making it ideal for large matching projects.
- Grain/Texture: The grain is generally straight, with a fine and exceptionally even texture. It often features a natural luster and can occasionally display attractive figured patterns like bird's-eye or curly maple.
- Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable to perishable and susceptible to insect attack. Maple plywood is primarily intended for interior applications where durability and appearance are paramount.
- Workability: Generally good, but its density requires sharp tools to prevent burning when routing or sawing. It takes glue, finishes, and polish exceptionally well, providing a perfectly smooth, clean surface.
- Odor: No characteristic odor when dry.
- Sustainability: Maple species are abundant and sustainably harvested in North America. They are not listed on the CITES Appendices or the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
- Common Uses: High-end cabinetry, butcher blocks, interior furniture, commercial and residential hardwood flooring, veneer, sports equipment (like baseball bats), and musical instruments.
To help you decide on the perfect material for your next build, here are answers to common questions about maple plywood:
What is maple plywood good for? Maple plywood is an excellent choice for any project that demands high surface hardness, a clean, light color, and a smooth finish. It's the industry standard for kitchen and bathroom cabinets (especially cabinet doors and face frames), high-wear furniture (like desktops and work surfaces), drawer boxes, and architectural paneling where a flawless, paint-grade, or clear-coated finish is required. Its dimensional stability makes it ideal for precision-driven applications.
Is maple plywood better than birch? In terms of hardness and appearance, hard maple is generally considered superior to birch.
- Hardness: Hard maple plywood (Janka 1,450 lbf) is significantly harder and stronger than birch plywood (which typically uses a softer, more utility-grade face veneer). This translates to better resistance against dents and scratches.
- Color/Finishing: Maple offers a whiter, cleaner, and more consistent face veneer than birch, which often has a pinkish or reddish tint and more color variation. If you require a true white or a light, uniform color for a clear finish, maple is the better choice. Birch is often more economical and widely used for utility or shop-grade projects, while maple is chosen for premium, visible components.
How strong is maple plywood? Maple plywood is regarded as one of the strongest plywood options in the hardwood category, specifically due to the hardness of the face veneer and the quality of the core construction (typically medium-density fiberboard or veneer core).
- Surface Strength: The hard maple face provides a highly durable and impact-resistant surface (1,450 lbf).
- Structural Strength: When properly fabricated with a high-quality core, the plywood offers excellent structural rigidity and superior screw holding compared to particleboard or MDF-only panels, making it exceptionally strong for structural cabinet boxes and load-bearing shelves.
As the leading local domestic and exotic lumber supplier and marine and cabinet grade plywood supplier in the Seattle-Port Townsend-Tacoma area, Edensaw Woods (
Edensaw.com) ensures premium materials for your project. Specializing in rough sawn and surfaced lumber, marine grade plywood, and hardwood flooring, we proudly serve the entire nearby Pacific Northwest region from our Port Townsend-Tacoma, Washington location. We stock a wide selection of top-quality
wood panels and plywood, featuring species essential for fine cabinetry and marine applications. Our extensive inventory boasts:
Alder,
Ash,
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Birch,
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Cherry,
Cherry (Prefin),
Fir,
Hickory,
Khaya,
Maple,
Poplar,
Red Oak,
Sapele,
Shop,
Tennessee Cedar,
Walnut, and
White Oak plywood, along with various
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