Hard Maple (Sugar Maple) vs Soft Maple
Hard Maple (Sugar Maple) (Acer saccharum) and Soft Maple (Acer rubrum (and others)) are two woods people often weigh against each other. Hard Maple (Sugar Maple) is the harder of the two at 1450 lbf on the Janka scale, versus 950 lbf for Soft Maple, which affects how each handles wear, tools, and denting.
| Property | Hard Maple (Sugar Maple) Acer saccharum | Soft Maple Acer rubrum (and others) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Hardwood | Hardwood |
| Cost | $$$ · Premium | $$ · Moderate |
| Hardness | 1450 lbf | 950 lbf |
| Workability | Fair | Good |
| Seasonal movement | Medium | Medium |
| Outdoor-friendly | No | No |
| Origin | Domestic (North America) | Domestic (North America) |
| Commonly built | Butcher-block countertops, Cutting boards, Workbench tops, Bowling alley lanes, Drum shells | Painted cabinets, Kitchen tables, Picture frames, Turned bowls, Children's furniture |
| Overview | Dense, pale, and extremely tough. The standard for butcher blocks, workbenches, and anything that takes a beating. | Hard maple's more affordable, easier-working relative. Still plenty strong for most furniture, at a friendlier price. |
Finishing
Hard Maple (Sugar Maple)
The classic blotch-prone wood: its dense, closed, sometimes-figured grain absorbs stain unevenly, so always use a pre-stain conditioner or wash coat of dewaxed shellac before staining, or better, use dye rather than pigment stain for even color. Takes clear film finishes (lacquer, water-based poly) beautifully and stays pale under them. Curly and birdseye figure pops dramatically under dye and oil.
Soft Maple
Blotches like hard maple, condition before staining or use dye for even color. A bit easier to work and finish than hard maple. Often stained to imitate cherry or other woods because it takes dye so willingly once conditioned.
Want to weigh these against a third wood, or compare different species? Use the interactive comparison tool.