Different Types of Maple Wood

There are several different types of maple wood. Learn how to identify the Hard Rock, Silver, and Ambrosia varieties. These different types of maple are all great for a variety of projects. Here are some tips to make your maple collection as diverse as possible. Also, find out how to care for your pieces so they will last for years. If you are planning to use maple for furniture, consider storing your pieces in a dry, climate-controlled environment.

Hard Rock Maple

The sweet sap that is produced by the tree is also known as Hard Rock Maple. This domestic hardwood is often referred to as the Sugar or White Maple. The grain of Hard Rock Maple wood is usually straight, but it can also be curly. The wood is also relatively smooth, which makes it an excellent choice for flooring and joinery. It is used to create hardwood furniture, piano actions, and paneling. The tree grows in North America and is the state tree of four states.

Ambrosia maple

Ambrosia maple wood is a soft variety of maple with a cream background and grayish-blue or brown streaks throughout. It is caused by a small beetle, known as the ambrosia beetle, which burrows into maple trees and leaves behind a fungus. The fungus causes the discoloration and leaves tiny holes in the wood. However, these holes do not destroy the integrity of the wood.

Silver maple

When buying silver maple wood, you should consider the following characteristics. The wood is hollow and contains many cracks. Bugs will often use these cracks to nest, so be sure to store your slabs away from the house. This type of wood is not easy to clean, so you should make sure to use a microfiber cloth to dust it. It is also not dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, or refrigerator-safe. Listed below are some of the best places to purchase silver maple wood:

Soft maple

The distinctive features of soft maple wood make it an excellent choice for furniture, kitchen cabinets, and interior cladding. Because sap flows through the tree more quickly than heartwood, soft maple tends to be stiffer and less flexible than hard maple. But soft maple is a beautiful choice for fine furniture because of its beautiful color variation. Read on to learn more about this wood and its uses. You can also learn about the characteristics of soft maple furniture and why this wood is gaining popularity.

Ambrosia beetle

Ambrosia beetles are opportunistic in nature, attacking only weakened and living trees. The presence of ethanol, a metabolite of the stress-induced ethanol produced by the tree, makes the trees wildly attractive to the beetles. In fact, ethanol is a standard attractant in traps used for monitoring ambrosia beetle populations. Hence, best control methods focus on the health of the tree. If the trees are already stressed, insecticides may be used to prevent attacks.

Carbon sequestration potential

Researchers are researching the potential of maple wood to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. The concept of carbon sequestration is complex. The rate at which trees can store carbon varies depending on their age, composition, and the type of soil in which they grow. The rise in global temperatures is linked to human activities and emissions of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, a key component of global warming, is one of the main culprits. Sequestration can help mitigate global warming and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.