Soft Maple
Also known as Red Maple, Silver Maple, Acer rubrum.
Acer rubrum / Acer saccharinum (Sapindaceae) · Eastern North America
Soft maple is the practical maple — it looks nearly identical to hard maple but is lighter, kinder to your tooling, and easier on the budget. For furniture, cabinet parts, and millwork that don't need the extreme wear resistance of a gym floor, it is often the smarter choice.
It machines and finishes cleanly, and its pale color takes paint, dye, or clear finish well (a conditioner helps stain go on evenly). We stock kiln-dried soft maple for shops that want the maple look without the maple fight — ask us about grades and how it compares to hard maple for your application.
Appearance
Color. White to light reddish-brown, often with gray-green mineral streaks.
Grain. Straight.
Texture. Fine, even texture.
Working & finishing
Noticeably easier to machine than hard maple while looking much the same — it cuts and sands cleanly and finishes well. Use a conditioner to keep stain from blotching.
Drying. Dries with moderate movement; stable once dry.
Durability
Non-durable; an interior wood.
Common uses
Looking for Soft Maple?
We stock and mill a wide range of species and grades. Tell us your sizes and we'll confirm availability and pricing — usually within one business day.
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