silver leaf maple

[HaroldSiefke]

I found a yard full of silver leave maple that is all dead but still standing. Has any one sawed any of this wood and what is it good for? I have never cut any and was wondering if it would be worth my time to contact this land owner to saw this wood?

[pineywoods]

What silver maple grows here is worthless. Stress, warps, splits, and rots quickly. Don't even make decent firewood..

[SwampDonkey]

Our silver maple grows mostly in river swamps or back yards. I've not seen any sold locally because it's mostly to the south of here. I do know that the lumber is like red maple as others on here have sawed it and both are just grouped into soft maple as far as lumber. If it's dead standing, it may be full of rot and stain and bug holes. It would deteriorate pretty fast in the elements.

[Ron Wenrich]

Its a soft maple, but everytime I've sawn for a soft maple market, they stress no silver maple.  I'm not sure if its a matching problem, or a lumber problem like pineywoods says. 

[bandmiller2]

Is silver leaf maple the same as norway maple.?Do believe its only use is for shade. Frank C.

[SwampDonkey]

No, Norway is an exotic. I think the biggest trouble with silver maple is it grows multi-stemmed most times and those stems are leaning away from one another. Lots of stress. Like I said about multi stemmed hardwood on another thread, I look at them as firewood or pulp, even when the stump is thinned. Unless the buyer tested the genetics I'd doubt they could separate red from silver in lumber form.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Guitar makers value it highly.

[francismilker]

There are a lot of silver leaf maples in my area and I have sawed several of them.  The ones that happened to grow as a single stem seem to saw up just fine as long as the boards are cut into 4" wide or less.  Otherwise, they are the splittinest, crackenest, warpenest boards around! 

As swampdonkey said, if they are multistemmed tree, there is so much stress in them they just don't saw well.

[Ron Wenrich]

The Norway maple doesn't quite look like red maple, but it's thrown into that class.  I like sawing Norway and I like the way it looks.  Its starting to get established as a forest tree in some areas. 

[HaroldSiefke]

These trees are mostly single trees that grew very straight. They look like they would make nice logs but if they stress as pinney said it would not be worth my time.

[mikeb1079]

swampdonkey and francismilker had good posts. 

the single stemmed ones i have sawn have milled well and are very pretty.  some have a pinkish hue and i've seen some figure as well.  i'll try to take a pic of a slab downstairs in a minute.....

[VictorH]

I've had good luck with the silver/soft maple that I have cut.  Most of it cut for construction lumber.  Assuming they are sound I would cut them.

[hamish]

Mill it decide for yourself!

In these parts people think I am crazy for milling poplar and basswood.

[HaroldSiefke]

Thanks guys I'll give them a try. I only get to mill on weekends now since I've been called back to work :(

[mesquite buckeye]

I have used old silver maple yard trees for roof sheathing. It was fine.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

One reason why some people or industries do not like silver, compared to red, soft maple (both soft maples are found east of the Rockies) is that dry red is about 50% stronger and stiffer Than silver.  This is because red is about 20% more dense.  The density suggests silver logs weigh less and saw more easily.

[bandmiller2]

Almost any tree can be cut and the lumber used.The problem is selling it,if I cut anything besides white pine,  white or red oak it rots in the pile. Frank C.

[Kcwoodbutcher]

I ignored it for years, told the tree service guys not to bring me any. Finally I cut one of those stressed trees. The thing was full of beautiful curl. The boards dried decent. I get good money for curly maple and the customers don't care if it's hard or soft, they just want the figure. I've cut many more since then and most have some curly figure.

[5quarter]

Good logs make good lumber. unfortunately, it's hard to find a good silver Maple log.  if the stem is straight and not twisted, you may be fine. I haven't had too much trouble drying it. A handsome wood with plenty of color, if that's what you like. If the logs are good, I'd saw them.

[woodworker9]

Here, they are plentiful, and I had a large quantity sawn for various uses in my woodworking business.  It makes a excellent secondary wood for items like drawers and hidden parts of cabinetry and furniture.  Used as drawer sides and runners, it wears much better than poplar.  I also have found a lot of beautiful curly grain that I have turned into tabletops, etc......

I wouldn't look past them if the quality of the logs are decent.  There's good, usable lumber in there for woodworking.

Jeff

[SwampDonkey]

Other than rail road ties, how much maple of any ilk is being used in framing and other structures that bending strength matters. I wouldn't think much would even be on trailer decks, it doesn't take the outdoor elements all that well. Up here in maple country we don't build houses out of maple and never did. Flooring trim and furniture. Unless your going to get up on top of the table and do the Poka, how strong does it need be? I doubt it will collapse under it's own weight or the weight of Thanksgiving dinner.

You take softwood lumber, it's SPF, but here back east they will drop the price on a load of logs if their is fir in with spruce. Anyone knows fir is weaker than spruce. But if it's SPF it could be all three species in the same stack of lumber and the lumber price probably isn't dropped because of 5 fir boards among 300 spruce ones.  What about the grade if fir is in the stack? If it's that big of a deal, why not a balsam fir stamp?