Maple: More Than Just Syrup
Maple is one of the most diverse types of trees in the entire world and as such it has a great deal of uses. It excels as maple hardwood floors because of how durable it is. It has a high crushing strength and when combined with its stiff and durable composition it is truly formidable. Shock resistance as well as resistance to scuffs and scrapes makes Maple a popular choice for flooring in high stress areas. And naturally, all of these features make Maple a wood that can be difficult to work with. While the wood does sand well, the machining process can place unsightly scratches and imperfections on the surface of the wood. So extra care must be taken. Maple has a respectable level of hardness with a Janka rating at 1450. Maple’s sapwood produces creamy white flooring that will carry into lighter ranges of the heartwood. Mixing the cream white of the sapwood with the darker reddish brown of the heartwood has an advantageous appearance.
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