Hard or Soft Maple?

[Doug Whitson]

Hi all, My long awaited chance at making the coffe table and endtables for the house is finally at hand. SWMBO has some very specific demands. Light wood, hard finish, cabriole legs, classic design etc... So I goes to Woodcraft today to check out some prices, finally got down to soft or hard maple. Naturally my wallet pointed me toward the soft maple, it was $2.00 a bf cheaper. Usually that would have sold me but something kept nagging at the back of brain that made me want to ask what the real difference is. IIRC it has to do with finishing and goes something like, the softer maple will take a finish better, but hard maple will not discolor over time. Am I all wet here?
What is your take on the difference?
Thanks for your time and trouble.
Doug in AZ.

[Ron Brese]

Doug,

Soft maple is a relative term. Soft compared to hard maple but probably about the same density as cherry. You will need to take the same precautions when finishing as it has a tendancy to blotch as do a lot of woods with the same grain structure type.

Ron Brese

[Howard Acheson]

>> the softer maple will take a finish better, but hard maple will not discolor over time.

Both types will a clear finish equally and both will naturally yellow as they age. I'm assuming from your posting that you will not be staining your project items as you say you specs are for a "light wood". Therefore you should not have to deal with maple's well known propensity for uneven coloring when stained.

As to the appearence of the two maples, in most cases the grain stucture of the hard maple is usually more pronounced and more pleasing to many folks.

Finally, if you want the wood to remain light and white, you will have to use a waterborne acrylic finish. Oil based finishes will impart an immediate amber or yellow cast to the wood which will become more amber over time.

As always, test your complete finishing schedule on scrap from your project. That's the only way to see how it will look before you commit to finishing your project. No tears.