Edensaw Woods, based in Washington state, is a
leading domestic woods supplier known for offering a
diverse range of eastern maple domestic woods suitable for remodeling, construction, and woodworking projects. We take great pride in consistently exceeding expectations in order to provide our customers with exceptional products and services.
Eastern maple (Acer saccharum) is a domestic wood native to eastern North America. It is also known as hard maple, rock maple, sugar maple, and white maple. Eastern maple is one of the hardest and strongest domestic hardwoods, and it is also one of the most popular. It is prized for its fine grain and even texture, and is distinguished by its pale cream to light reddish-brown color.
Eastern Maple Technical Specifications
- Janka Hardness: Eastern maple has a Janka hardness rating of approximately 1450 lbf. This exceptional hardness is why it's used for bowling alleys and basketball courts.
- Strength and Durability: It is highly resistant to abrasion, denting, and shock, making it one of the most durable domestic woods available.
- Stability: It is warp and shrink resistant, making it dimensionally stable and ideal for use in high-humidity areas like kitchens and bathrooms when properly finished.
Finishing Challenges and Solutions - Due to its dense, closed-grain structure, Hard Maple requires care when staining:
- Staining Blotching: Maple is known as a blotchy-stain wood because its extreme density prevents uniform penetration of pigment, leading to dark, uneven patches.
- Solution: To achieve a consistent, uniform stain color, it is strongly recommended to use a pre-stain conditioner or a gel stain. Alternatively, embracing its natural pale color with a clear finish is popular, as Maple takes clear topcoats exceptionally well.
- Painting: Maple is an outstanding wood for painting, as its fine grain and density provide a perfectly smooth, durable surface.
Hardwood Grading and Sapwood/Heartwood Appearance - Maple grades often prioritize the clear, pale sapwood over the darker heartwood:
- Color Grade: Unlike Cherry or Walnut, the lighter sapwood (the outer rings of the tree) is generally the preferred color for Eastern Maple, offering the classic "white maple" aesthetic. The inner heartwood is darker, ranging from light brown to reddish-brown.
- Clear Grades: Premium grades often specify a high percentage of clear sapwood for uniform color, which is essential for components like butcher blocks and high-end cabinetry. Utility grades may contain more heartwood, which is still structurally sound but visually darker.
Common Uses for Domestic Eastern Maple Wood - Eastern maple's density and clean aesthetic make it ideal for many high-demand applications:
- Flooring: Eastern maple is a popular flooring material due to its hardness and durability. It is also stain and fade resistant, making it ideal for high-traffic areas, including gymnasium and commercial floors.
- Furniture: Because of its strength, durability, and beautiful grain, eastern maple is a popular choice for furniture. It is frequently used in the production of high-end furniture such as tables, chairs, cabinets, and beds.
- Cabinetry: Because it is strong, durable, and easy to clean, eastern maple is a popular choice for cabinetry.
- Musical instruments: Eastern maple is a popular material for musical instruments like violins, guitars, and drums. It is highly valued for its exceptional acoustic properties.
- Sports equipment: Eastern maple is a popular wood for sporting goods such as baseball bats, hockey sticks, and bowling pins. It is highly valued for its strength and durability.
- Food-grade projects: Eastern maple is a popular wood for food-safe projects like cutting boards and kitchen utensils. It is valued for its non-porous nature, bacterial resistance, and durability.
Do you require domestic wood for your projects? For all your high-demand building needs in the Pacific Northwest, look no further than
Edensaw Woods (
Edensaw.com), your expert local domestic & exotic supplier and local rough sawn & surfaced lumber supplier. From our accessible Port Townsend-Tacoma, Washington, USA, locations, we provide crucial lumber and wood products for cabinetmaking, marine construction, and general building projects to customers in Seattle-Port Townsend-Tacoma and the surrounding area. We specialize in supplying premium local rough sawn and surfaced lumber, alongside wood veneer, hardwood flooring, and specialty decking, ensuring you have the right material for every phase of your project. Our core
domestic wood and lumber selection includes essential varieties like
alder,
ash,
basswood,
beech, and
birch. Our premium stock features fine decorative hardwoods such as
cherry,
hickory, and
walnut, and reliable construction softwoods like
fir and aromatic
tennessee cedar. We offer various maple options, including
maple (eastern) and
maple (western), and a comprehensive selection of oak options:
red oak,
red oak riftsawn-quartersawn, classic
white oak, and premium
white oak riftsawn-quartersawn, among many more. Learn about our wide array of
products and
services by reaching out via
contact us.
