In line with cherry, walnut, and oak, maple is considered the best hardwoods that are being used in crafting furnitureGenerally, woodworking with maple turns out to be amazing if you are in search of something that is both stunning and durable.
Do not get over excited yet as maple has certain demerits tooMaple is also known to have some issues in regards to finishing as it is quite vulnerable to shrinkingTo avoid encountering this problem, be certain that the wood you are using is well-seasoned and properly acclimated to the environment as it is going to make a big difference on how well your maple interior doors project looks and lasts.
Different Varieties Available
If you are getting the lumber for a supplier, you will get to know several different makes for it like red maple, bird’s eye maple, soft maple, and hard maple, etc.
To sort out the confusion here, the red and soft maple options are exactly the same thingsSurprisingly, soft maple is the harder one compared to some other types of hardwoodIt has another name as tiger maple, or even curly maple because they have tiger-like and curly stripes respectively.
Hard maple, however, has smaller knots which you get to see along the wood’s grainBecause of the ‘outlook’ it has, the wood is also called as the bird’s eye mapleIf you have also heard the name of ‘fiddleback maple’, it is mainly because the wood has been mainly considered in making musical instruments such as guitars and fiddles too.
Crafting With Maple
Something you need to know here is that the elegance of nicely designed maple furniture comes from choosing perfectly matched boardsThere’s a lot more care involved to ensure that the maple’s colors, grains, and patterns rightly match along with other boardIf you are considering buying thicker maple stock to match well with the boards, it can be gradually cut with a band sawIn doing this, carefully align the cut sides against one another to get accurately matched panelsThis approach works well when tiger-striped maple stock is being used and when it is being used on the cabinets or drawer frontsWalbert Windows is the best choice to consider for maple interior doors!
If you are crafting with maple, one approach you must consider here is to apply linseed oil after the final sanding and then adding 1 or 2 coats of shellac after you have applied the oilTo get a more elegant and durable outlook, place the top-coat above the shellac using polyurethane or clear lacquer.