Maple, American Soft

American soft maple is about 25% less hard than American hard maple, making it easier to work but not as hard-wearing. It is widespread throughout eastern USA, but the big leaf maple grows only in the Pacific Northwest region.

Other Names

Red Maple, Silver Maple, Bigleaf Maple, Pacific Coast Maple, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharinum, Acer macrophyllum

Botanical Name

Acer spp.

Common Form
Sawn
Species Type
Hardwood
  • Overview

    • American soft maple is the trade name for three trees of the Acer family. They grow widely throughout the eastern USA, although the Pacific Coast/big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) grows only in the Pacific Northwest region*. The eastern soft maple is normally called red maple in the northern states and silver maple throughout the midwest and southern states. Red maple is very similar to hard maple and is generally consistent in colour. Silver maple has a much wider range of colours and tends to have a softer texture.

    American soft maple is very similar in appearance to the American hard maple, with a greyish white sapwood and light to dark reddish brown heartwood. However, due to the widespread growth of American soft maple, colouring can vary between regions. The wood is generally straight-grained although a highly figured wormy variety can occur that is not considered a defect.

    About 25% less hard than hard maple, American soft maple is easier to work. It has moderate bending and crushing strength and low stiffness and shock resistance. American soft maple responds well to steam bending. It is often used as a substitute for hard maple, given the similarity in appearance, or is stained to resemble cherry. Its good working properties also make it a potential substitute for beech. 

    American soft maple is easily worked. It machines well and takes glue, nails and screws satisfactorily. It is considered to be an excellent timber for sawing, planning, drilling and boring. It can be stained and polished to a high finish, making it ideal for decorative purposes. The timber dries slowly and has good stability.

    Soft maple is used in a range of interior applications including furniture, paneling, cabinets, mouldings and doors. It is a good woodturning timber and is also used in the construction of musical instruments.

    It is expected that the availability of soft maple will improve as the demand for the timber increases.

    *The properties listed on WoodSolutions refer to red maple (Acer Rubrum). The properties for Pacific coast/big leaf maple can be found at www.americanhardwood.org.

     

    Shrinkage

    Very Low Low Medium High Very High
    Check mark Check mark Check mark

    Tangential : Provides a simplified rating for tangential shrinkage. This is the measure of the percentage reduction in dimension from the unseasoned to 12% moisture content condition.
    4.90%

    Radial : Radial shrinkage is perpendicular to the growth rings. It is shrinkage in the direction towards the centre of the tree. Measurement is % value
    2.20%

    Unit Movement Tangential: This is the percentage of dimensional change for each 1% moisture content change between about 3% moisture content and the fibre saturation point for the particular species.
    0.27%

    Unit Movement Radial: This is the percentage of dimensional change for each 1% moisture content change between about 3% moisture content and the fibre saturation point for the particular species.
    0.12%

    Strength Group Strength groups are given for unseasoned (S1-S7) and seasoned (SD1-SD8) timber in accordance with AS 2878. S1 and SD1 yield the highest strength and stiffness whereas S7 and SD8 yield the lowest.

    Very High

    High

    Reasonably High

    Medium High

    Medium

    Reasonably Low

    Low

    Very Low

    Unseasoned:

    S1

    S2

    S3

    S4

    S5

    S6

    S7

    S8

    Seasoned:

    SD1

    SD2

    SD3

    SD4

    SD5

    SD6

    SD7

    SD8

    Stress Grade A stress grade is defined in AS 1720 as the classification of timber for structural purposes by means of either visual or machine grading. The stress grade indicates the basic working stresses and stiffnesses to be used for structural design purposes. Measured in MPa.

    Structural
    No. 1    		 Structural
    No. 2    		 Structural
    No. 3    		 Structural
    No. 4    		 Structural
    No. 5

    Unseasoned:

    Seasoned:

    Density per Standard Seasoned density is based on moisture content of 12%. Unseasoned density is an approximation as it depends on the moisture content at the time of measurement. Measured kg/m3.

    Seasoned:

    610kg/m3

    Unseasoned:

    735kg/m3

    Joint Group The joint group is a classification of the strength of a species in joint design. The values are from 1 (very high strength) to 6 (very low strength).

    Very High

    High

    Reasonably High

    Medium

    Low

    Very Low

    Unseasoned:

    J1

    J2

    J3

    J4

    J5

    J6
    Check mark

    Seasoned:

    JD1

    JD2

    JD3

    JD4

    JD5

    JD6
    Check mark

    Colour The colour of seasoned heartwood can vary between species and often within a species. The information provided should be used as a general guide only. In most cases, the colour of sapwood is either a lighter shade of the heartwood or a white/cream colour.

      White, yellow, pale straw to light brown Pink to pink brown Light to dark red Brown, chocolate, mottled or streaky
       
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    Mechanical Properties

    Modulus of Rupture - Unseasoned: This property is a measure of maximum stress which timber can momentarily sustain when loaded slowly and continuously as a beam. Measured in MPa.
    47

    Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned: This property is a measure of maximum stress which timber can momentarily sustain when loaded slowly and continuously as a beam. Measured in MPa.
    77

    Modulus of Elasticity - Unseasoned: This property is of importance in determining the deflection of a beam under load — the greater the stiffness, the less the deflection. Measured in GPa.
    8

    Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned: This property is of importance in determining the deflection of a beam under load — the greater the stiffness, the less the deflection. Measured in GPa.
    10

    Maximum Crushing Strength - Unseasoned:

    Also referred to as compression strength. This property measures the ability of the timber to withstand loads applied on the end grain. Measured in MPa.
    20

    Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned: Also referred to as compression strength. This property measures the ability of the timber to withstand loads applied on the end grain. Measured in MPa.
    41

    Impact - Unseasoned: Provides the Izod value, which is the energy taken in joules (J) to fracture the timber.

    Impact - Seasoned: Provides the Izod value, which is the energy taken in joules (J) to fracture the timber.

    Toughness - Unseasoned: This is a measure of timber’s ability to resist shocks and blows, and is synonymous with impact strength. It is measured in Nm.

    Toughness - Seasoned: This is a measure of timber’s ability to resist shocks and blows, and is synonymous with impact strength. It is measured in Nm.

    Hardness - Unseasoned: Refers to the Janka hardness test and is a measure of timber’s resistance to indentation.
    2.9

    Hardness - Seasoned: Refers to the Janka hardness test and is a measure of timber’s resistance to indentation.
    3.7

    Durability

    Low Moderate Reasonably High High
    (0 - 5 yrs) (5 - 15 yrs) (15 - 25 yrs) (more than 25 yrs)

    In-Ground: Durability is defined as the inherent resistance of a timber species to decay, or to insect or marine borer attack. All references to durability refer to the heartwood only. A scale of low to high (durability class 4 = low; 1 = high) has been adapted for above and in-ground durability.

    		 Check mark
    (0 - 7 yrs) (7 - 15 yrs) (15 - 40 yrs) (More than 40 yrs)

    Above ground: Durability is defined as the inherent resistance of a timber species to decay, or to insect or marine borer attack. All references to durability refer to the heartwood only. A scale of low to high (durability class 4 = low; 1 = high) has been adapted for above and in-ground durability.
    (0 - 20 yrs, usually < 5) (21 - 40 yrs) (41 - 64 yrs) (More than 60 yrs)

    Marine Borer Resistance: Indicates whether a species is resistant (R) or not resistant (NR) to marine borer attack.

    Lyctid Borer Susceptibility: Indicates whether a species is susceptible (S) or not susceptible (NS) to lyctid borer attack.

    Susceptible

    Lyctid Borer Susceptibility - Other:

    Termite Resistance: Indicates whether a species is resistant (R) or not resistant (NR) to termites.

    Fire Properties

    Bushfire Resistance: Naturally bushfire-resisting timbers are those with inherent bushfire-resisting properties. Some species have been tested and a number are in the process of being tested and are measured by Bushfire Attack level (BAL). BAL -12.5: Ember attack, BAL – 19: Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux between 12.5 and 19 kWm3, BAL – 29: Increasing levels of ember attack and burning debris ignited by windborne embers together with increasing heat flux between 19 and 29 kWm3.
    Not tested
    Appearance

    American soft maple is very similar in appearance to American hard maple although it is susceptible to regional colour variations. It has greyish-white sapwood and heartwood that ranges from a light to dark reddish brown. Soft maple is normally straight-grained but a wormy figure can occur. This is not considered to be a defect.

    Common Applications

    American soft maple is used in a range of interior applications, including furniture, veneer panels, doors, joinery, cabinets and mouldings. It is also a good woodturning and carving timber and is used in the construction of musical instruments.

    Workability

    25% softer than hard maple, American soft maple is easily worked. It machines well and nails, screws and glues satisfactorily. It can be stained and polished to produce an excellent finish, which makes it an ideal timber for decorative purposes.

    Origin of timber
    North America
    The availability of American soft maple in Australia is expected to improve as the demand for the timber increases. Consult a specialist timber supplier in your area for more information about the availability of American soft maple.
    Source of timber
    Native Forest

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