The Difference in Maple & Oak Lumber
Maple and oak are commonly used woods for furniture, cabinets and flooring. Each has characteristics that separate it from the other and appeal to different tastes in grain, color and finish. Does this Spark an idea?
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Texture
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Maple is a tight-grained wood that machines and sands to a very smooth finish. Its hardness offers a surface that may be rubbed to a high polish. The oak family has much more pronounced grain with very large pores. When oak is sanded, the pores and grain will still be felt in the surface.
Color
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Oak lumber divides into two families: the white and the red oaks. The red oak ranges in color from salmon to tan. White oak lumber trends toward gold and tan. Maple is prized for its creamy white coloring and light tan grain. The heartwood of the maple is a darker brown that is often used as a secondary lumber since it cannot be bleached to match the sapwood.
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Workability
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Maple is very hard, measuring 1450 on the Janka scale. It may be difficult to machine unless the cutting tools are very sharp but it sands and finishes well. White oak is slightly less hard at 1360 on the Janka scale, while its red cousin measures 1290. All oaks machine well but the grain can lead to splintering. It sands and finishes nicely but the grain will not allow as smooth a finish as an equivalent piece of maple.
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