Black Maple
Acer nigrum · hardwood · Eastern North America · high movement
- Janka hardness 1,180 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 40 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.57 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 9.3%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.8%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.9 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Sold as hard maple alongside sugar maple; marginally softer, same clean white grain and the same appetite for seasonal movement.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for black maple across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 1/8″ (0.120″) | 1/16″ (0.062″) |
| 12″ | 1/4″ (0.239″) | 1/8″ (0.123″) |
| 24″ | 15/32″ (0.478″) | 1/4″ (0.247″) |
| 36″ | 23/32″ (0.717″) | 3/8″ (0.370″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to black maple:
Typical swings:
Black Maple questions
How much does black maple move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn black maple board moves about 1/4″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/8″. Its tangential shrinkage is 9.3% and radial 4.8% (green to ovendry) — a high-movement wood.
How hard is black maple?
Black Maple rates about 1,180 lbf on the Janka scale — in red oak’s hardness neighborhood (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 40 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is black maple good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.9:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is moderate. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Green Ash · Oregon Ash · Black Oak · Chestnut Oak · Yellow Birch · Iroko
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.