Hard Maple Prime White Lumber

Hard Maple Prime White means a large portion of the board consists of its stunningly light sapwood and little heartwood. Climate, soil, seasons and growth region all play an important role in the color and texture of the wood. As a result, to determine the appropriate color for your application, it is important to consider region, mill, sort and specifications. Our prime white boards ensure the best board is 100% white 2 face, while the worst board may have up to 50% heartwood on the back face. More information about Maple grading can be found in the Specifications tab.

Lumber is a living product, responding to its environment as a tree does to its forest. Humidity, age, area and cut will slightly alter the appearance of the lumber product. The product images on this page are a sample of this species, not an exact depiction of the product you will receive.

Why Prime White Plain Sawn Hard Maple?

• Highly durable and strong lumber
• Minimum grain variation
• Machines well, finishes and glues easily
• Abundant and readily available
• Ideal applications include flooring, cabinetry, millwork or furniture
• Accepts stain and paints well
• Great sound quality effectively used in musical instruments and as acoustic paneling

Benefits of Plain Sawn Lumber:

The plain sawn cutting pattern optimizes the clear sapwood in Hard Maple, while also minimizing waste and increasing yield. The clear wood on the outer most faces of the log is what yields the prime grade. This cut generates the traditional cathedral grain pattern.

Contact your Sales or Specifications Representative for more information on how to configure Hard Maple for your project.

Prime Grade:

Using the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) Grading standard, Prime Lumber is a premium grade. Developed for the European export market, Prime captures grades within the Select and Better and FAS 1Face and better grades that have been prepared to the highest standard to meet the demands of that market.

Prime grade includes a range of boards with minimum yield from 831/3% (10/12ths) clear-wood cuttings on the best face. It allows boards 4” and wider before kiln drying and 6’ and longer in length. 6” before kiln drying by 7’ option available.

White Color Grade:

When assessing the color grade in a bundle of lumber, White refers to a combination of #1 and #2 Color Grades.

• #1 White Grade: All boards are sapwood or “white” two face within that grade’s clear-cutting units.
• #2 White Grade: All boards that have a minimum of 100% white within the cuttings on the better face and up to 50% heartwood on the poorer face.

The percentage of each color grade in a bundle is dependent on region, mills and thicknesses, veneer logs and kiln schedule.

• Region: Climate, soil, seasons and humidity effect Hard Maple color quality. The best growing regions are recognized around the Great Lakes region. Lumber originating from this area will generally have smaller heartwood and a higher yield of white sapwood boards.
• Mills and Thicknesses: When a sawmill processes multiple thicknesses, 4/4 is considered a secondary product to a higher value thick cut. When available, a sawyer will select to take a thicker cut of clear white material from a log, producing high quality 8/4 or 6/4 thicknesses and lesser quality 4/4.
• Veneer Logs: Premium logs are generally sold to the veneer industry. Sawmills which incorporate veneer logs into their lumber production have a higher percentage of #1 White in their mix.
• Kiln Technology: Modern kilns with higher airflow and tightly controlled temperature schedules produce brighter white tones.

When specifying for White Maple, consult your Sales or Specifications Representative to ensure your product meets the color and character requirements for your project.

Workability:

Hard Maple produces good results with hand and machine tools. It glues well and is often accompanied by a stain or paint finish. Woodworkers report mixed results when staining Hard Maple. As a result, some may prefer to use Soft Maple. Because the wood is considerably dense and hard, pre-drilling screws may be necessary.

Sustainability:

Hard Maple is primarily harvested in the Northeastern regions of North America. In the United States, Hard Maple is the fifth most abundant hardwood species, representing 7% of standing hardwood timber. Harvest rates versus growth rates based on data from the US Forest Service census show that 46% more Hard Maple is growing annually than is being harvested. Hard Maple is a sustainably harvested domestic lumber.

We recognize the importance of ethically harvested lumber. As our most valuable resource, sustainably harvested forests increase the rate of carbon sequestration and significantly cut carbon emissions. Wood is a renewable and sustainable material for the built environment, requiring less energy than alternatives like concrete or steel. From harvesting to recycling, lumber is the most carbon-efficient choice for building materials. Wood is of the few elements that can increase sustainability in a building’s life cycle, reduce waste, and create positive biophilic health benefits. Increasingly, architects and designers are calling for a return to wood as the prominent basic building material.

As an early adopter of FSC®, we recognize the importance of sustainably harvested lumber. FSC® Certified lumber is available upon request. Contact your Sales or Specifications Representative for more information.

• Kitchen Cabinets
• Kitchen Cabinet Doors
• Railings
• Vanity Cabinets
• Vanity Cabinet Doors
• Wall Paneling
• Acoustic Paneling
• Passage Doors
• Interior Millwork
• Treads
• Risers
• Residential Indoor Furniture
• Commercial Indoor Furniture
• Floors