Butternut Compared to Hard Maple

Density

• Hard maple is more dense than butternut, weighing in at 44 lbs. per cubic foot, about 40 percent heavier than butternut. As a result, hard maple's wood is stronger and more resistant to dents or scratches. Hard maple is comparable to oak for its strength, durability and shock resistance. Butternut is more like basswood and cottonwood in strength and shock resistance.

Appearance

• With a very tight grain structure, hard maple's grain sometimes aligns in patterns that resemble birds' eyes or tigers' stripes. Those grain variations are unusual enough to fetch higher lumber prices and the interest of woodworkers. Butternut has straight grain that is more visible than that of hard maple. Butternut has a narrow band of white to cream colored sapwood with light brown to cinnamon heartwood while hard maple is nearly white to light tan in color.

Workability

• As a softer hardwood, butternut machines easily with both hand and power tools. It holds details well, a feature that makes it a favorite for carvings. Hard maple is fairly easy to machine with power tools but is much more difficult to shape with hand tools because it is so hard. Because the wood is so dense, it dulls cutting instruments quickly.

Finishing

• Butternut and maple both take stains and finishes well; however, hard maple tends to burnish if over-sanded, which makes it less accepting of even stains. Butternut has grain similar to that of walnut and takes dark stains well enough to resemble its denser cousin. Hard maple, with reddish stains applied, mimics cherry.

Products

• Both woods are used to make furniture pieces and cabinetry. Butternut is also used for interior mill work, moldings, trim and for interior grade paneling. Hard maple is so durable, it is used for butcher blocks, residential flooring and for gymnasium floors. Its uses also include such diverse products as pianos, billiard cues, axe handles and bowling pins.