Couple questions about maple

[Chris Oakley]

First, what is the difference between hard and soft maple (other than weight). I thought that when people referred to "maple" they meant hard maple. However, when I went to the lumber yard the other day, I asked for maple and got soft maple. Can you tell the difference visually? I am building cabinets and think I may order the doors. If I order "maple" will I get soft or hard? Does it matter?

The second of my dumb maple questions is this, after I planed a board that I purchased I noticed it had great figure, it was curly maple, I believe. Will it look bad to use it for the rails and stiles for one of the cabinets or should I save it for another project.

Thanks for your help.

[Bobby Hatfield]

First, what is the difference between hard and soft maple (other than weight).

Thanks for your help.

Chris, hard maple is hard, well harder than soft, you can see the difference if it is planed, the hard maple has a closer, tight knit grain look and if you can touch it the soft (southern) will dent with a fingernail, where the hard maple resists denting and scratching much more. If you have never seen either it might be harder to tell.
You may even find more great figure in your soft maple and will look great as a set of cabinets. Sharp tools are needed for either, hard maple will burn like cherry with dull tools and soft maple will fuzz up on corners like poplar.
If you order doors, specify hard or southern maple.

[Todd Burch]

When it comes to using a figured piece of wood, I don't use it indiscreminately. If I can make things symmetrical, I will, otherwise I won't use it. For instance, on these doors I had a couple pieces of slightly curly walnut. I laid them out as stiles on each door so that they would meet in the middle. (The light is kinda dark on the left door, but just imagine a mirror image of the right stile).