{"id":12271,"date":"2019-06-27T10:30:33","date_gmt":"2019-06-27T14:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dutchcrafters.com\/blog\/?p=12271"},"modified":"2025-11-18T08:34:40","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:34:40","slug":"meet-the-maples-facts-about-brown-maple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dutchcrafters.com\/blog\/meet-the-maples-facts-about-brown-maple\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Maples: Facts About Brown Maple"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here at DutchCrafters we deal with a lot of maple, brown maple wood<\/a> in particular. The maple family, while beautiful, is a cast of characters that can cause a bit of confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown Maple Confusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If brown maple is so durable, why is it called soft maple? Is it a good choice for wood furniture or not? Is it harder than cherry<\/a>? And what is soft maple then? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about hard maple<\/a>? Are the maples from different trees?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the cost of brown maple and how does it compare to\nother woods? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the advantages and disadvantages of brown maple?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s time to meet the maples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown Maple and Soft Maple<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brown maple wood is also referred to as soft maple. It\u2019s ok to think of them as one and the same. For purposes of this blog post, when we mention brown maple, we are talking about soft maple wood. Brown maple is not a type of tree; brown maple wood is a part of the maple tree. Since there are many species of maple trees, it is not uncommon to think brown maple is its own species; however, it’s not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Soft is Brown Maple? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Well here\u2019s the thing, brown maple wood is not actually soft. It is only termed \u201csoft\u201d in comparison to the hardness of hard maple wood, a different part of the maple tree. <\/em>Yes, brown maple is a hardwood. It is considered a \u201csofter\u201d hardwood, but the reliable durability and strength are there. Brown maple is no wimp. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Amish<\/a>
Amish Contemporary Writing Desk<\/a> in brown maple with Asbury stain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Brown maple offers hardness that\u2019s similar to the solid\nstrength you can rely on from cherry wood. Brown maple draws in a lot of fans\nsince it\u2019s as attractive and strong as cherry wood, but it doesn\u2019t cost as much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should you be more careful with a softer hardwood?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With solid wood furniture, it is recommended that a degree of care<\/a> be taken with all wood types in any finish. After all, you\u2019ve invested a good deal of money, and this is furniture that is going to be around for decades. It is true that while brown maple is still an undeniable hardwood, you might want to be careful that you\u2019re not selecting it for a piece of furniture that takes a beating daily. Brown maple wood may obtain nicks and dents more easily than oak wood. Hard maple or oak wood might be better candidates for furniture pieces that get heavy use. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Amish<\/a>
Amish Bennett Mission Chair <\/a>in brown maple with nutmeg stain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Hard Maple vs. Brown Maple<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hard maple is strong, ultra strong in fact. It\u2019s found in flooring, butcher blocks, furniture, bowling pins, cabinets, kitchen accessories and was used for baseball bats due to its strength. Hard maple wood is very attractive, and you\u2019ll find it in kitchen cabinets and molding as well as wood furniture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hard maple is denser than soft maple and is 25% harder. It is tough and will absorb shock well, making it a great candidate for flooring. Hard maple is the strongest of the maple woods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hard maple is fine to work with but it is more dense, making brown maple a little easier to work with using machines or hand tools. Since soft maple is not as hard and stiff as hard maple, it resists warping and twisting better. The tight grain of hard maple can make it harder to stain than brown maple wood. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Amish<\/a>
Amish Zurich Coffee Table<\/a> in brown maple wood.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Let\u2019s Discuss the Maple Tree<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are over 100 species of maple trees. The maple woods used for furniture often come from the maple species acer saccharum, <\/em>with saccharum being Latin for sugar. The Great Lakes region produces the most maple wood, with the most trees growing in Michigan and New York. Brown maple wood can be found in different species of maple trees. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Amish<\/a>
Amish Daybreak Ridge Panel Bed<\/a> in brown maple wood with Michael’s stain and toned edges.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Sapwood and Heartwood and the Colors they Offer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sapwood is wood that comes from the outer rings of a tree,\nwhile the heartwood is located closest to the center of the tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hard maple is found in the sapwood. It\u2019s a creamy white\ncolor, sometimes with a bit of a reddish hue. It is more uniform in color than\nbrown maple.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Amish
Amish Trinity Half Moon Console Table with a hard maple top, shelf and drawer, walnut legs and cherry skirt and crossbar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Brown maple wood comes from the heartwood of the maple log. It\u2019s not all brown in color but includes a range of browns and tans with reddish hues. It can also include white or gray creamy streaks. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Amish<\/a>
Amish Trenton Gas Lift Desk Chair<\/a> with brown maple frame and white oak seat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Maple Wood Grain Pattern<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Maple wood has a fine, uniform texture with a generally\nstraight grain which makes it ideal for painting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown maple wood includes some irregularities in the grain pattern that can include some gray-green mineral streaking. It has more variations than wood from the outer rings of the tree, creating a unique look. Due to the streaking, it is recommended to stain or paint brown maple in darker shades. In a natural finish, the mineral streaking would be more noticeable. Because of the irregularities in the grain pattern, brown maple will accept a stain beautifully but unpredictably, resulting in some areas looking considerably darker than others. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Amish<\/a>
Amish Balmora L Desk<\/a> in brown maple that’s showing off a dark stain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A unique and prized variation when it\u2019s found in maple wood is called bird\u2019s eye. Bird\u2019s eye is a distinct pattern that looks like small swirls with eyes. Other unique patterns that might be found in brown maple include flame, curly or wavy. These variations are called figuring or figured wood, and they usually are the result from some trauma the tree has endured. They end up producing a very unique pattern that makes your solid wood furniture even more stunning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown Maple Characteristics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n