GPEMS

American Rock Maple

General Information
A tall to medium sized deciduous hardwood that is found in an area ranging from the Appalachian mountain range of the Northeast United States to Canada.
General Characteristics
Physical: Rock Maple is a tough, close grained timber that is heavy, hard, strong, stiff and characterised by its high resistance to wear and indentation. It is also a remarkably stable timber in most applications, though it lacks durability in exposed situations.
Colour: The heartwood ranges from a cream to a reddish-brown, though the former is the most likely in this country. The thin white sapwood is easily distinguishable.
Pattern: Rock Maple's fine grain is usually straight though occasionally it can be highly figured with curly, birdseye, quilted and fiddleback patterns. The vast majority of the timber in this country is crown cut revealing a cathedral pattern.
Relative Working Properties
Machining: Has excellent all-round machining properties and a density of 750 kg per m3. Weight of 540 kg m3
Fixing: Has a fair to good resistance to splitting though pre-boring is advisable, Rock Maple also has excellent gluing properties.
Finishing: Stains well and takes a high polish that complements its natural lustre.
Uses for
American Rock Maple can be used in a number of applications ranging from high end furniture, chairs and architectural interiors to doors, kitchen utensils, butchers blocks, musical instruments and recreational flooring.