Material knowledge
Maple in intarsia and veneer work
Maple is one of the lightest woods available as veneer, and one of the calmest. Its pores are so fine that the surface looks almost smooth. That makes it an ideal ground for fine lines and letters, but it calls for care, because it shows every mark and yellows over time.
What maple is
Several species are sold under the name maple. In Europe it is mainly sycamore maple; from North America comes sugar maple, which is harder and is often sold as hard maple. For intarsia both behave similarly: the wood is very light, dense and fine, with hardly any visible difference between earlywood and latewood.
In the history of marquetry maple was one of the most important woods. Because it is almost white and takes colour evenly, it was often dyed and so supplied colours that no wood has by nature (the history of intarsia).
Colour, pores and surface
Freshly sanded maple is creamy white to slightly ivory, sometimes with a hint of pink. Its pores are diffuse and so fine that they are hard to see with the naked eye. The surface therefore looks calm and closed, quite unlike the open pore bands of ash or oak.
Two properties follow from this that you need to know. Fine pores take up hardly any dark sanding dust, which is an advantage next to wenge or walnut. But the smooth, light surface shows every mark, every glue residue and every fingerprint, and there is no figure for them to disappear into.
Plain, curly and bird's-eye
- Plain maple: a straight, fine fibre and a calm surface. The most reliable choice for fine pieces, lines and letters.
- Curly maple: wavy fibres create bands of light running across that move as you turn the piece. Beautiful for a whole surface, restless in a small-pieced pattern, because every piece shows a different section of the bands.
- Bird's-eye maple: small, eye-like dots in the surface, mainly in sugar maple. Rare and expensive, more a decorative surface than a material for small pieces.
Maple in contrast
Maple is a light ground, not a light accent: it steps back and lets the dark wood speak. Next to wenge it makes a very strong contrast of light and dark, calmer than wenge with ash because the pore bands are missing. Next to walnut or cherry maple looks warm and soft, because both woods carry warm tones.
Against ash, the choice is a matter of style. Ash looks cool and graphic, maple calm and smooth. For fine lettering and small pieces maple is often the better choice, because its edges stay cleaner and no pore interrupts the line (contrast and colour temperature).
Working it
Maple veneer is dense and cuts cleanly; even small pieces and sharp angles hold well. Because the wood is hard, it dulls blades a little faster than softer woods. In sanding, cleanliness matters more than with almost any other wood: dust from dark woods hardly stays in the pores, but any dirt on the surface stays visible (sanding veneer). Glue that comes through a joint is especially noticeable on maple.
Finish and ageing
Maple changes noticeably under a finish and in the light. Oil and hard-wax oil bring out its colour and give it a warm, slightly yellowish tone; over the years it becomes more ivory than white. A water-based lacquer keeps it closer to its raw colour (lacquering). If you plan maple as the light counterpart, judge it on a sample under the final finish and allow for the change in the light (UV light and ageing).
Maple at Reihax
At Reihax maple is used in personal pieces made to order. It does not currently appear in the fixed pen holder variants; only the first pieces of Ich ♥ Bayern still had their light parts in maple, where today it is ash. Its strength lies exactly where personal pieces need it: as a calm, light ground for names and lettering (personalised wooden objects). Like every Reihax piece, it is finished with hard-wax oil in a satin sheen.
Profile: maple
- Species: sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum), sold as maple.
- Colour temperature: neutral to slightly warm, creamy white to ivory.
- Lightness: very light, about as light as ash.
- Pores: diffuse-porous, very fine, hardly visible.
- Movement of the figure: plain maple very calm; curly and bird's-eye maple lively.
- Role in contrast: a calm light ground for fine lines and lettering.
- Behaviour as veneer: dense, cuts cleanly, good for small pieces.
- Response to finish: turns more yellow under oil, stays light under water-based lacquer; yellows in the light.
- Use at Reihax: personal pieces made to order; the light parts of the first Ich ♥ Bayern.
Further reading
Maple in relation to other woods, contrast and finish:
Frequently asked questions
How light is maple compared with ash?
About as light, but different. Maple is creamy white to slightly ivory and almost poreless and smooth; ash is cooler, more white-grey, and shows clearly open pore bands. Next to a dark wood both look very light, maple calmer and ash more graphic.
Does maple yellow?
Yes. Maple turns noticeably more yellow in the light and under oil, and over the years more ivory than white. A water-based lacquer keeps it lighter than an oil or a hard-wax oil. If you need the original white, plan for the yellowing or choose a finish that brings out the colour very little.
What is curly maple?
Maple with a wavy fibre that shows light and dark bands running across it. The bands move when you turn the piece in the light. Curly maple is prized for instruments and decorative surfaces, but in small-pieced patterns it is restless, because every piece shows a different part of the bands.
What is maple good for in intarsia?
For light grounds and for fine lines, letters and small pieces whose edges should stay sharp. Its fine pores take up hardly any dark sanding dust, and the smooth surface lets joints and shapes stand out clearly.