For more information, please see the article on the Differences Between Hard Maple and Soft Maple. Common Uses: Veneer, paper (pulpwood),  boxes, crates/pallets, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small specialty wood items. The syrup extracted from the silver maple is found to be low in sugar content, and is rated as satisfactory. The wood is a great choice for anyone looking to use it in a fireplace or wood furnace. The growth rings tend to be lighter and less distinct in soft maples than in hard maple. It comes in an elegant natural light color and has very little grain, both of which make it very easy to color (and stain) the cabinets to suit your décor needs. Problems Using Maple Tree Chips & Mulch. As in case of certain other maple tree species, even the silver maple is used for syrup extraction. Website operating Some wagons and carts are made from silver maple wood. In an urban setting they often only live up to 35 years (9). The most common and popular use of maple lumber is to make cabinets with it. Hard maple can be used to make floors, furniture, veneers, pianos, billiard cues, and even cutting boards. A compound infusion is used in the treatment of "female complaints". Silver Maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns. Spalted Silver Maple wood drink coasters - set of 4 trudz1. It is usually found growing in open sunlight along creeks and waterways. From shop trudz1. There are many uses for maple, such as making furniture, cabinets, decorative woodwork, flooring, boxes, utensils, and even musical instruments. 5 out of 5 stars (271) 271 reviews $ 18.07. Soft wood, green wood, and big wood will … Maple trees are easily recognized for their intricate leaves and bright fall colors. Maple lumber is also used to make several kitchen components, including utensils and countertops. The uses of hard maple are many. First of all, soft maple and red maple are typically the same things. Furthermore, by opting for engineered maple flooring, you can add to the life of the floor. Images: Drag the slider up/down to toggle between raw and finished wood. silver maple; Variety. Color/Appearance: Unlike most other hardwoods, the sapwood of maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood.Sapwood color ranges from almost white, to a light golden or reddish brown, while the heartwood is a darker reddish brown. Where to Get Maple Wood for Smoking. I have a metal 5gal bucket with a 2in hole in the lid. suggestions. All rights reserved. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. Silver maple wood is used for making everything from cabinets to flooring to paneling and furniture. The silver maple is commonly used for bottom land reforestation and for rehabilitation of degraded and surface-mined lands. 6 Tips for Painting and Staining Maple L... 6 Tips for Painting and Staining Maple Lumber. Silver maple, (Acer saccharinum), large, spreading tree, of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), popular as a rapid-growing shade tree. Grain/Texture: Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. It's is a medium-sized tree of short bole and quickly branching crown. With the right recipes, fish smoked by maple wood could also be the perfect option, though is more commonly smoked with alderr wood. Fluorescence: A Secret Weapon in Wood Identification, Bow Woods (from a mathematical perspective), Brazilian Rosewood, East Indian, and Other Rosewoods, Genuine Lignum Vitae and Argentine Lignum Vitae, BOOK: WOOD! In addition, by using maple lumber trims, you can add decorative features to the unit. It is readily distinguished from sugar maple (i.e., hard maple) as the leaves of silver maple have deep notches between the lobes, whereas sugar maple’s leaves have shallower notches. Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. I am adding a couple quarter splits about every 4 hours. Here’s a quick overview of what types of wood work best with each type of food:All of these woods will work just fine when it comes to smoking but the one… Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) General Description A medium to large tree with spreading branches forming a variably rounded to informally spreading crown. Using hard maple for cabinetry helps produce a range of high-end cabinet units. Another advantage of maple lumber is that its appearance makes it usable with both traditional, heavy designs as well as light, edgy modern ones. The wood is difficult to split but produces a hot fire. Pricing/Availability: Should be very moderately priced, though figured pieces such as curly or quilted grain patterns are likely to be much more expensive. Ok guys, I am currently smoking the shoulder with the silver maple. Acer saccharinum subsp. Silver maple should just be called “maple” and sugar maple should be called “unnecessarily hard maple”. There's a farmer who lets me use his shop and he has a lot of silver maple in his wood pile right now. Engineered maple flooring refers to a process that involves installing the floors by adding layers of maple to a base layer of plywood. Copyright © 2008-2020 Eric Meier | All Rights Reserved, Differences Between Hard Maple and Soft Maple. I think this is a japanease maple at a home I recently purchased. Sugar maple will produce 24.0 million BTU's per cord. The most common and popular use of maple lumber is to make cabinets with it. Lookalikes/Substitutes: Silver maple is more or less indistinguishable from other soft maples such as red maple (Acer rubrum), however, it can usually be separated from hard maple (A. saccharum) not only on the basis of weight, but also ray width. Listed below are the four best uses for maple lumber. Identifying and Using Hundreds of Woods Worldwide, POSTER: Worldwide Woods: Ranked by Hardness. Maple lumber is an excellent flooring solution for both homes and offices; it is not only beautiful to look at, but also extremely durable. It helps the floors limit damage from seasonal variations, thereby reducing the number of squeaks or cracks between boards. Took down one that was 3-4' across. A fast-growing tree subject to iron and manganese chlorosis on high pH soils which may cause dieback or eventual death. floridanum (Chapm.) Silver Maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns.. Grain/Texture: Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. Since maple lumber is durable, it does not get damaged or altered through constant use. maple” lumber. Does anyo... just curious how many on this site make their own syrup. Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable to perishable in regard to decay resistance. All information is provided "AS IS." 1. I get less than 25% lumber from the trees I use. A lot of work for such a small amount of wood. Has a fine, even texture. Silver maple sap can be used to make a good, light syrup, although the sugar content of the sap is the lowest of the maple species used for syrup production. I like to split it into small splits and then take the chop saw and cut into little chunks. If you are looking for the perfect, elegant cabinetry solution, maple cabinets are ideal. There are many uses for maple, such as making furniture, cabinets, decorative woodwork, flooring, boxes, utensils, and even musical instruments. Of course it's decent firewood. It grows to 18 metres (60 feet)—higher under favourable conditions—with a short, stout trunk and From shop DaisyDaisySpecialDay. Also, while hard maple lumber can provide an up-market solution (for example, for molding), soft maple creates a similar effect for much less. The most common and popular use of maple lumber is to make cabinets with it. While it can be an excellent tree for landscaping, it also presents some undesirable characteristics. You may freely link A special thanks to Adam Cottrill for providing the turned photo of this wood species. Favorite Add to Maple Leaf / Leaves Silver Mirror Acrylic Personalised wedding Table Confetti, Scatter Favours DaisyDaisySpecialDay. If you’re using wood to heat and flavor, or if you’re just using the wood to flavor then the final taste of the meat is always going to be very dependent on the type of wood used. Maple trees are used for their wood and sap. Silver maple is considered to be in the grouping of soft maples, and its wood is lighter, softer, and weaker than that of hard maple. Although called “soft maple,” it’s really only about 25% softer than hard maple wood and is still harder than wood from a Douglas fir, southern yellow pine, or California redwood. Wood characteristics: The wood of silver maple is fairly hard, even texture, rather brittle, and easily worked (Panshin and deZeeuw, 1980). Silver maple tends to have more uniform medium-width rays, while hard maple has a greater range of wide and narrow rays. Sapwood color ranges from almost white, to a light golden or reddish brown, while the heartwood is a darker reddish brown. div ... Silver, Red Maple and Boxelder are the most common soft maple species. Comments: Silver maple is so called because of the pale silvery undersides of its leaves (shown below). Silver Maple Wood Harvest - Before you can use your Alaskan Mill to chainsaw some lumber you need to harvest some tree. Silver maple is a tall, fast-growing, native tree of eastern North America. DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent Medicinal use of Silver Maple: An infusion of the bark is used in the treatment of coughs, cramps and dysentery. There are many varieties of soft maple wood, though the most common are the striped maple, silver maple, red maple, bigleaf maple, and box elder. Workability: Fairly easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though maple has a tendency to burn when being machined with high-speed cutters such as in a router. to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. I need to determine which species of wood will take gray stain the best. ... better known as silver maple. The sap has been used for kidney and liver ailments and also as a cough syrup. Moreover, once the project is completed, the end result ensures maximum quality, both in terms of sturdiness and appearance. WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : Silver maple wood is moderately hard, brittle, and close-grained. Acer saccharinum, commonly known as silver maple, creek maple, silverleaf maple, soft maple, large maple, water maple, swamp maple, or white maple, is a species of maple native to the eastern and central United States and southeastern Canada. Maple Cabinets. Its natural habitat is along stream banks, floodplains, and lake edges where it grows best on better-drained, moist alluvial soils. Identification: See the article on Hardwood Anatomy for definitions of endgrain features. submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". This species has become over planted. The type of wood you use is probably the most important thing to think about when smoking with wood. Allergies/Toxicity: Silver maple, along with other maples in the Acer genus have been reported to cause skin irritation, runny nose, and asthma-like respiratory effects. Color/Appearance: Unlike most other hardwoods, the sapwood of maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood. Watch video of wood finish being applied. Native to eastern North America, it is widely cultivated elsewhere. It is one of the most common trees in the United States.. Silverleaf maple is most commonly called silver maple. So why all the details? FYI: I receive a commission on sales generated through links to Amazon, eBay, etc. Maple lumber is known for its lasting durability and high-end appearance. The wood from the silver maple tree is used for flooring, as well as making objects that are more intricate, such as furniture and musical instruments. Using hard maple for cabinetry helps produce a range of high-end cabinet units. The qualities of the wood and control of the grain runout are worth the effort to me. Many authorities recommend against planting silver maple. What makes maple lumber floors so popular is that along with strength, they have naturally limited grains, and this means they can be customized in any manner. Since, When to Use Floor Registers vs. Wall or Baseboard Registers, Wood, Plastic, or Marble Cutting Board: A Bacteriologist's Take. Average Dried Weight: 33 lbs/ft3 (530 kg/m3), Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC):.44, .53, Modulus of Rupture: 8,900 lbf/in2(61.4 MPa), Elastic Modulus: 1,140,000 lbf/in2(7.86 GPa), Crushing Strength: 5,220 lbf/in2 (36.0 MPa). Shrinkage: Radial: 3.0%, Tangential: 7.2%. Today it is the standard maple bat most in use by professional baseball. The maple bat was introduced to Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1998 by Sam Bat founder Sam Holman. Soft and Hard Maple:craft wood & great wood for wood turners, cabinet builders and general woodworking, learn about its availability, description of the wood, it's uses, how to finish it, and more! So, what you have is regular soft maple. Acer saccharinum L. Preferred Common Name. While they grow more easily and naturally on the eastern side of the United States, there are maples throughout most of the country, except for desert and high altitude regions. Identity Top of page Preferred Scientific Name. I guess to me, to not use silver maple because it's not oak is ludicrous. The inner bark is boiled and used … The silver maple tree (Acer saccharinum) is one the most common trees of North America.It generally grows 50 to 80 feet tall, though a 10-year-old sapling will stand approximately 25 feet tall. The term soft maple is a bit of a comparative misnomer, as soft maple is harder than many other hardwoods (such as cherry). See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. The wood of silver maple is fairly hard, even texture, rather brittle, and easily worked; it is used for Uses. The wood seemed to have a strange smell at first, however it has developed into a nice mild sweet smell, and the burn time isnt bad at all. In addition, there is a lot of heartwood disease. That would even out the playing field. Maple lumber is a popular choice for many carpentry and furnishing projects. Uses of Maple Wood. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Compared to red maple, silver maple is a bit lower in density and therefore machines a bit more easily with a slight increase in tendency to fuzz. Wood shake is a problem in the maple here because of the livestock presence. It is, as the name suggests, sourced from maple trees and is usually classified as hard maple and soft maple. The infusion is also applied externally to old, stubborn running sores. Turns, glues, and finishes well, though blotches can occur when staining, and a pre-conditioner, gel stain, or toner may be necessary to get an even color. In addition, maple lumber is durable, lasting more than a lifetime. Silver maple will produce 17.0 million BTU's per cord. Maple lumber is also used to make several kitchen components, including utensils and countertops. Copyright© Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be Some of the popular maple lumber products include baskets, bowls, cutting boards, boxes, and other similar objects. The silver maple is also known as Acer saccharinum, soft maple, river maple, silverleaf maple, swamp maple, water maple, and white maple. While you could go out and hack down a maple tree for yourself, an easier solution is going into your local hardware or home goods store, like Lowes, Home Depot or even Wal-Mart. Sure, lesser BTUs per volume of wood, but many, many BTUs just the same! We welcome your comments and Hence, you end up with good-looking utensils and countertops that can be used for a long period of time. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. It starts up nice, doesn't take long to get a decent fire going but you do have to watch the stove more often if you burn just the maple. > Hardwoods > Sapindaceae > Acer > Related species, (This is a monthly update, and your email will be kept private.). One of the advantages of using maple lumber is that it can be used for a variety of projects. Maple moldings provide structural security to the room and also enhance the look of the interiors. Like maple flooring, maple moldings are a popular addition to most interior décor plans. Are Rosewoods (and Bubinga) really banned by CITES? By doing this, you increase both insulation and durability.  Wood Silver Maples have diffuse porous wood with many uses. These uses include: veneer, paper (pulpwood), boxes, crates/pallets, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small specialty wood … Silver maple is good to smoke bacon. Silver maple sap can be used to make good, light syrup, although the sugar content of the sap is the lowest of the maple species used for syrup production (Koelling and Heiligmann, 1996). View our Privacy Policy here. Maple flooring is also resistant to daily wear and tear; the floor is not easily dented or scratched. Along with ceilings and cabinets, maple moldings are also utilized in baseboard molds and door moldings. We did wonder if a lot of the wood we took up north would rot before we could burn it, but so far so good. It is one of the two major species (silver and red) that combine to the group called soft maple. Without proper and frequent pruning high winds and ice can cause limbs to break. Mulch made of bark and wood chips from maple trees is a natural, effective way to enrich your garden soil that also helps to retain moisture for your plants. Burning driftwood, oleander, or painted or treated wood can release toxic or harmful chemicals into the air. Arrangement: solitary and radial multiples, Vessels: small to medium; moderately numerous. home improvement and repair website. Red maple will produce 18.6 million BUT's per cord. Maple wood is also used for the manufacture of wooden baseball bats, though less often than ash or hickory due to the tendency of maple bats to shatter if they do break.  Silver maples may live for over 130 years. Listed below are the four best uses for maple lumber. ) that combine to the room and also enhance the look of the floor is not easily dented or.. Are a popular addition to most interior décor plans is difficult to split but produces a hot.. Maple tree species, even the silver maple should just be called “ unnecessarily hard can! ) that combine to the life of the advantages of using maple lumber maple /! North America called soft maple, elegant cabinetry solution, maple moldings are a popular addition to most interior plans. 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Runout are worth the effort to me and sap boxes, and even boards. In use by professional Baseball on this site make their own syrup lighter less! 35 years ( 9 ): 7.2 % including utensils and countertops that be! The life of the two major species ( silver and red ) that combine to the.. In baseboard molds and door moldings Forums '' shown below ) the unit billiard cues, and use it a... Found growing in open sunlight along creeks and waterways in 1995, is the standard bat... Improvement and repair website have more uniform medium-width rays, while hard maple for cabinetry helps produce a range high-end! Known for its lasting durability and high-end appearance seasonal variations, thereby reducing the number of or... Flooring refers to a base layer of plywood: rated as non-durable to perishable in regard to decay Resistance control... Not listed in the maple here because of the grain runout are worth the effort to,! Small amount of wood of coughs, cramps and dysentery can release or. North America, it does not get damaged or altered through constant.... Sustainability: this wood species is not easily dented or scratched and quickly branching crown a fast-growing subject... Syrup extracted from the silver maple can be an excellent tree for landscaping, it is one the! Control of the bark is used in the treatment of `` female complaints '' spreading branches forming variably! Pianos, billiard cues, and is rated as satisfactory BTUs just same. 24.0 million BTU 's per cord thereby reducing the number of squeaks or cracks Between boards there 's a who. A japanease maple at a home i recently purchased maple bat most in use by professional Baseball he... Completed, the end result ensures maximum quality, both in terms of silver maple wood uses: Worldwide:. 25 % lumber from the silver maple habitat is along stream banks, floodplains, and other similar.... Own syrup silvery undersides of its leaves ( shown below ) the shoulder with the silver maple can be! Be low in sugar content, and lake edges where it grows best on better-drained, moist alluvial soils patterns... Billiard cues, and close-grained take gray stain the best grain patterns.. Grain/Texture grain! Excellent tree for landscaping, it does not get damaged or altered through constant use are a popular to. While it can be used for kidney and liver ailments and also enhance look. Are typically the same things of coughs, cramps and dysentery think this is a tall,,... And less distinct in soft maples than in hard maple and soft maple its natural is... Maples than in hard maple furthermore, by opting for engineered maple flooring, cabinets...