Red Oak scores 1290 and White Oak scores 1360 on the Janka hardness scale. In terms of hardness, Hard Maple hardwood has a Janka hardness score of 1450, while Soft Maple has a hardness score of 950. Oak wood has a distinct grain pattern and colors that range from a yellow-white to reddish brown, depending on the species. Maple wood appears less "grainy", has smaller pores compared to Oak wood, and is a white or cream colored hardwood. Soft Maple wood comes in many varieties and is 25% softer than Hard Maple wood.Īppearance and hardness are the biggest differences between Oak and Maple wood. Both Soft Maple and Hard Maple are harvested from dicot trees, making them both hardwoods. The term “soft maple” is used to reference several different types of maple trees, including Red Maple, while “Hard Maple” specifically references the lumber that comes from the Sugar Maple tree and, on occasion, the Black Maple tree. That said, “Hard Maple” and “Soft Maple” do hold distinct meanings when referencing the tree species. Examples of softwood tree seeds are needles and cones that are dubbed g ymnosperm, meaning “naked seed.” Except for the Larch tree species, all softwood trees retain their needles year-round, making them evergreen trees. They differ from softwood trees, as trees classified as softwoods seeds do not have any coating and are instead, dropped to the ground to deal with the elements. These flowering seeds are known as angiosperm, which translates in Greek to “vessel seed.” Additionally, hardwood trees lose and regrow their leaves annually, making them deciduous. Each hardwood tree species has a coating that takes the shape of a fruit or a shell that becomes a flowering plant. Hardwood species are classified by the seeds the tree produces. Difference between Hard Maple and Red Maple grainĭifferences between Hard Maple and Soft Maple The areas in which they reside, where they are hard freezes in the winter for proper dormancy, encourage this slow and long life. Sugar Maples are a long-living tree, typically reaching 200-years to 300pyears in age. The minimum seed-bearing age for Sugar Maples is roughly 30-years. It does not grow well on dry, shallow soil and is very rarely found it swampland.Įarly growth of Sugar Maple trees is slow as they often are regenerating under heavy canopies and shade, though of deciduous trees, they are among the most shade tolerant. That said, it can grow on sand, loamy sand, loams and silt but it does best on well-drained loams. Its ideal growing climate is cool and moist which is why it is restricted to these regions. There are a few outliers of Sugar Maple hardwood growth in Kansas, Georgia and the Carolinas. The western limit for Hard Maple lumber growth extends through Missouri and into small areas of Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota. The Sugar Maple ( Acer Saccharum) tree grows throughout the Eastern Unites States, Canada and the Great Lake states, specifically: through central Ontario, the southern third of Quebec, throughout all of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, throughout New England, New York, Pennsylvania, the mid Atlantic states, extending southwest to New Jersey and to the Appalachian Mountains, downward to the western edge of North Carolina and the Southern border of Tennessee. Hailing from the Sugar Maple tree, this incredible wood is a staple species that Forest 2 Home provides. Sugar Maple trees grow abundantly and are popular for what is on the inside- Maple Syrup and Hard Maple lumber! Hard Maple lumber has common uses in furniture, hardwood flooring, cabinets, sports equipment, kitchen accessories and more, allowing for this light-colored lumber to be featured in each aspect of your home.