Botanical Name Acer saccharum Other Names Black maple, Rock maple, Sugar maple Origin North America Sapwood Colour White with reddish tinge, possible pith flecks Heartwood Colour Uniformly pale reddish brown or light tan, possible pith flecks Grain Typical straight but sometimes curly or wavy, close grained and occasional bird`s eye, maple burl, blistered, leaf and fiddleback Texture Fine and even texture Common Uses Flooring, furniture, panelling, kitchen cabinets, work & tabletops, interior joinery, stairs, handrails, mouldings, doors, veneer Density kg/m3 722 Specific gravity - 0.56 Hardness N 6180 Bending Strength N/mm2 111.1 Stiffness N/mm2 12900 Radial shrinkage % 3 Tangential shrinkage % 9 Working Properties Stability xxx Bending xx Machining xxx Screwing xxx Gluing xxx Painting xxxx Sanding xx Staining xxxx xxxx = excellent xxx = good xx = fair x = not good