SPECIES

Soft Maple

Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum

American Soft Maple, abundant and sustainable, is valued for its versatility and fine finishing qualities. Slightly softer than hard maple, it offers a more varied color range and is often used as a cost-effective alternative for furniture and cabinetry.

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4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The sapwood is usually greyish white but can vary in color. The heartwood ranges from light to dark reddish brown, with noticeable differences between sapwood and heartwood. The wood has a fine texture and is generally straight-grained. It can be stained to resemble cherry or used as a substitute for hard maple & beech.

WORKABILITY

Soft Maple is easy to machine, plane, and finish. It turns, glues, and carves well but has only fair performance with screwing and nailing. It sands and polishes to a smooth finish and has good steam bending properties.

COMMON USES
  • Mouldings
  • Furniture
  • Doors
  • Cabinets
  • Turning
GRADE OPTIONS

Clarity for all applications

Our Soft Maple comes in a variety of different grades. See below for images of our average pack of Soft Maple in the core three NHLA grades we offer. 

Select & Better
SMSB495-01
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 1 Back Face
SMSB495-02
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 1 Top Face
SMSB495-03
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 2 Top Face
SMSB495-04
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 2 Back Face
SMSB495-05
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 3 Top Face
SMSB495-06
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 3 Back Face
SMSB495-07
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 4 Top Face
SMSB495-08
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 4 Back Face
SMSB495-09
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 5 Top Face
SMSB495-10
4/4 S&B Brown Soft Maple
Layer 5 Back Face

Specs

Min. Width: 4 in

Min. Length: 6 ft

Min. Clarity: 83.33% 

1 Common
SM1C413-01
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 1 Top Face
SM1C413-02
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 1 Back Face
SM1C413-03
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 2 Top Face
SM1C413-04
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 2 Back Face
SM1C413-05
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 3 Top Face
SM1C413-06
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 3 Back Face
SM1C413-07
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 4 Top Face
SM1C413-08
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 4 Back Face
SM1C413-09
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 5 Top Face
SM1C413-10
4/4 1C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 5 Back Face

Specs

Min. Width: 3 in

Min. Length: 4 ft

Min. Clarity: 66.66% 

2 Common
SM2C413-01
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 1 Top Face
SM2C413-02
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 1 Back Face
SM2C413-03
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 2 Top Face
SM2C413-04
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 2 Back Face
SM2C413-05
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 3 Top Face
SM2C413-06
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 3 Back Face
SM2C413-07
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 4 Top Face
SM2C413-08
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 4 Back Face
SM2C413-09
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 5 Top Face
SM2C413-10
4/4 2C Sap Soft Maple
Layer 5 Back Face

Specs

Min. Width: 3 in

Min. Length: 4 ft

Min. Clarity: 50% 

All Soft Maple Products We Offer

Grades Lengths (ft) Thicknesses  Color or Characteristic Sorts
Select & Better (S&B) 8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-16*

4/4, 6/4*

 Sap & Better, Brown
1 Common (1C) 4-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-16*

4/4, 6/4*

 Sap & Better, Brown
2 Common (2C) 4-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-16*

4/4, 6/4*

 Sap & Better, Brown

*Available upon request only

regional map - w names

Sourcing Regions

We typically source our Soft Maple from the   Northern and  Northeastern regions of the US which is the primary area that Soft Maple grows.

The American Hardwood Export Council has an excellent interactive map that can show you where different species grow in the US.

Click the link below and select the species "American Soft Maple" to see a map of how much of the US forest volume is Soft Maple. 

CHECK OUT THE MAP

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Additional Resources

EBOOK

Guide to Sustainable American Hardwoods

This publication combines AHEC’s guide to species and the guide to lumber grades in to a single illustrated and comprehensive guide to sustainable American hardwoods. The front half of the publication gives a full break down of the properties, applications, environmental credentials of the commercially available U.S. hardwood species. The back gives a simplified explanation of the NHLA grading system, which is the national standard for the U.S. hardwood lumber industry and forms the basis for export grading.

VIEW EBOOK
Guide to Sustainable American Hardwoods
GUIDE

American Soft Maple - AHEC Species Guide

Discover detailed info on material availability, mechanical properties, and more on the American Hardwood Export Council website. 

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