Maple (Quilted)
Quilt figure is the most sought-after grain types found in maple and is typically used on high-end projects such as guitars, automotive dashboards, and the finest of fine furniture. Trees containing usable quilted figue are exceedingly rare partly because this is one grain type which can be seen simply by looking at the bark. Undulatng and uninteriupted waves/lumps on the bark typically indicate a quilted tree or log.Common Name: | Maple, Quilted Big Leaf Maple | |
Scientific Name: | Acer macrophyllum | |
Family: | Aceraceae | |
Color: | Creamy white sapwood, light brown heartwood | |
Origin: | US (Oregon, Washington), Canada (British Columbia) | |
Hardness: | Primarily hard, though some softer maples do exist | |
Texture: | Fine, closed pore | |
Finishing: | Readily accepts stains and finishes |
Curly maple is known by many names including "flame", "tiger", and "fiddleback" maple. The figure, which occurs in less than 1 in 25 logs, contains cross-grain shimmering ripples where cell orientation is balanced but uneven. The real beauty of a great curly maple veneer can be seen without any special finish. A penetrating oil finish is usually enough to bring out the chatoyance though some prefer to use a dye stain to further enhance the grain.
Often considered the holy grail of fine woods, maple burls are wart-like growths typically growing on the lower part of the tree. Burls are believed to be caused by disease or damage to the tree during its early years. Every tree contains "dormant buds" which have all of the genetic information that a tree needs to grow a new tree. When the tree is damaged, these dormant buds are called to action and create a chaotic grain pattern that effectively patches the damage. A burl is often just nature's way of making a band-aid.
Often considered the holy grail of fine woods, maple burls are wart-like growths typically growing on the lower part of the tree. Burls are believed to be caused by disease or damage to the tree during its early years. Every tree contains "dormant buds" which have all of the genetic information that a tree needs to grow a new tree. When the tree is damaged, these dormant buds are called to action and create a chaotic grain pattern that effectively patches the damage. A burl is often just nature's way of making a band-aid.
Bird's eye figure occurs most commonly in hard maple. The stunning look of small, repetitive, and undulating "eyes" across the grain make this one of the most consumer-demanded maples. Though many theories exist, science has not yet proven what causes this figure. Unlike other maple grains, bird's eye figure can be very difficult to spot in a log unless the bark and cambium layer are removed.