MAPLE
THE TREE
MAPLE IS A NORTHERN TEMPERATE TIMBER IMPORTANT IN NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE AND JAPAN. TWO MAIN TYPES ARE RECOGNIZED IN AMERICA, ROCK OR HARD MAPLE AND SOFT MAPLE. IN EUROPE, THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES IS KNOWN AS SYCAMORE.
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THE WOOD
MAPLE IS A PALE WOOD, NORMALLY STRAIGHT-GRAINED, BUT THE EUROPEAN SYCAMORE OCCASIONALLY HAS A WAVY GRAIN, GIVING A FIDDLE-BACK FIGURE WHICH IS MUCH SOUGHT AFTER. ROCK MAPLE, WHICH SOMETIMES PRODUCES A BIRD’S-EYE FIGURE, IS SOMEWHAT HEAVIER THAN BEECH, WHILE THE SOFT MAPLES ARE ABOUT 25 PER CENT LIGHTER. JAPANESE MAPLE APPROACHES ROCK MAPLE IN WEIGHT.
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TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
MAPLES DRY WELL, IF SLOWLY, AND ARE MODERATELY SABLE IN USE. THOUGH MORE EASILY WORKED THAN ROCK MAPLE, SOFT MAPLE LACKS THE STRENGTH AND THE OUTSTANDING RESISTANCE TO ABRASION OF THE HEAVIER WOOD. MAPLE SHOULD NOT BE USED OUT OF DOORS UNLESS IT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVELY TREATED.
USES
A HIGH DENSITY AND FINE, EVEN TEXTURE GIVES THE HEAVIER MAPLES AN EXCEPTIONAL RESISTANCE TO ABRASION. ROCK MAPLE IS AN OUTSTANDING FLOORING WOOD, USED IN INDUSTRY AND DANCE HALLS, BOWLING ALLEYS AND GYMNASIA, AND FOR ESCALATOR TREADS. IT IS ALSO PREFERRED FOR SHOE LASTS AND FOR PARTS OF PIANO ACTIONS. SYCAMORE AND SOFT MAPLES ARE USED FOR KITCHEN UTENSILS AND FOR ROLLERS, WHILE WAVY-GRAINED SYCAMORE IS THE TRADITIONAL WOOD FOR VIOLINS.
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SOFT WOODS:
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