Soft Maple (or "Red Maple") is not "soft", as its name would imply. On the contrary, Soft Maple is twice as hard as Poplar, putting it at the same hardness level as Cherry. Soft Maple is valued for its bright white sapwood and reddish-brown heartwood, and readily receives stains or clear-coat to enhance its natural beauty.

The term “Soft Maple” does not refer to any specific species of maple, but rather, it’s a broad term which includes several different species of maple. The term “Soft Maple” is merely used to differentiate these species from Hard Maple. Hard Maple, on the other hand, typically refers to one specific type of maple species: Acer saccharum. Hard Maple is also known as Rock Maple or Sugar Maple, (this is the same tree which is tapped to get maple syrup).

Other Common Names: American Soft Maple, Red Maple, Silver Maple, Latin name: Acer rubric

Sourcing Region: United States

Color, Pattern, Texture: Its color ranges from almost white, to a light golden or reddish brown, while the heartwood is a darker reddish brown. Red Maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns. Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. Has a fine, even texture. The growth rings tend to be lighter and less distinct in Soft Maples than in Hard Maple.

Common Uses and Applications: Furniture, panelling, interior joinery, kitchen cabinets, mouldings, doors, musical instruments, and turning.

Working Properties: Soft maple machines well and can be stained and polished to an excellent finish. It glues, screws, and nails satisfactorily. It dries slowly with minimal degrade and has good stability which means there is little movement in performance.