# Soft maple usage



## Fil-Dill (Aug 2, 2009)

Has anyone had any experience using soft maple lumber for 2X framing material? Not much pine in Missouri.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

It will work for framing, just about anything will. And to answer your question with a question, are you thinking about having soft maple milled for framing ? I would probably mill it furniture grade and trade/sell for softwood framing and have wood/money left over for something else.


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## Fil-Dill (Aug 2, 2009)

I had no idea that the maple I was building furniture with, could be soft maple. I always thought it came from hard maple trees. If soft maple will make furniture, I would rather mill and dry it for that and go buy 2X framing material from the lumber yard. Looks like I have alot to learn. I do have alot of white oak that I am going to use for some post.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Fil-Dill said:


> I had no idea that the maple I was building furniture with, could be soft maple. I always thought it came from hard maple trees. . . .


Soft Maple comes in many beautiful varieties & flavors. For example . . . 


























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## Fil-Dill (Aug 2, 2009)

Is it harder after it is dried and does it machine very nice? I know sycamore gets pretty hard to take a nail after it has dried.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Yes it gets harder (some) after drying. About 700 on the Janka scale compared to 770 for sycamore and a wimpy 380 for the white pine in our area.

It machines very well.









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