Common Types Of Maple Hardwood Flooring And Their Characteristics
Maple hardwood flooring is one of the most popular types of hardwood flooring available as like bamboo flooring. While it is more expensive than some options, it offers a beautiful look, durable finish and long-lasting results. It is available in a variety of flooring designs composed of both solid and engineered maple for plenty of options in choosing the perfect look for your room, home or office. Whether you are installing it yourself or having it placed professionally, maple hardwood flooring is a great investment that is simple to maintain and easy to enjoy.
Common Traits Of Maple Hardwood Flooring
- Light Coloring: The natural coloring of maple is a light, golden color. This helps to create richness while adding a bright feeling any room.
- Dense, Tight Grain: Natural maple hardwood flooring features a grain that is less pronounced than other types of wood. This can help to create a modern, elegant feel. It also helps the flooring to resist stains and dust accumulation.
- Scratch And Dent Resistance: Maple is one of the hardest natural woods available. This makes it exceptionally resistant to scuffs, scratches and dents. This also makes maple hardwood flooring easy to maintain and ensures a long lasting appearance as like linoleum flooring.
- Easy Cleaning: In most cases, keeping maple hardwood flooring looking great is a matter of regular sweeping and the occasional mop with warm water and mild detergent. Sealing and buffing every two to three years can increase the results as well.
Numerous types of maple hardwood flooring are available. Whether you are using maple engineered hardwood flooring or a natural variety, understanding the characteristics of common maple types can help you know what to expect over the life of your maple hardwood flooring.
Common Maple Types
- Fiddleback Maple
This maple type features a distinct grain that is uncommon amongst other types of maple. The smooth, flowing grain often gains contrast as the wood flooring ages to produce a rich, luxurious appearance. Also known as flame maple, curly maple or tiger maple, this is one of the most sought out and expensive types of solid maple wood flooring available.
- Birdseye Maple
With its complex pattern of light grain and swirling eyes, this maple creates a rustic yet rich appearance. The grain features dark eyes with a light grain for a stunning contrast and visual characteristics. Depending on the lot of wood used, grains can differ dramatically. This makes it important to purchase enough Birdseye maple to complete a project to ensure a cohesive look.
- Quilted Maple
This is the most common variety of maple wood flooring produced. It features an enhanced, complex grain and even coloring. It is slightly lighter than many of the other types of maple hardwood as well.
Things To Consider
While there are plenty of advantages in choosing maple hardwood flooring, there are some things to keep in mind before purchasing:
- Solid maple hardwood flooring is hard to stain or tint. In most cases, any attempted tinting will result in uneven adherence and a blotchy finish.
- Maple hardwood flooring is susceptible to temperature changes. This can cause expansion and shrinking and lead to cracks in the flooring.
- Natural maple hardwood flooring is prone to warping or swelling in humid environments. Dehumidifiers are essential for a long lasting result in humid environments.
Weigh the pros and cons before deciding if you’ll be using maple hardwood flooring since this is an investment on its own.



