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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Scientific Name Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Acer platanus Trade Name Norway maple Family Name Aceraceae Common Names Bosnian maple, European maple, Norway maple Regions of Distribution Eastern Europe, Western Europe Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, United Kingdom Common Uses Brush backs & handles, Carvings, Decorative veneer, Furniture , Joinery, Paneling , Turnery, Woodenware Environmental Profile Status unknown in many of its growth areas Distribution Overview Norway maple is found throughout Central Europe, including the foothils of the Alps. It can be found thriving on the chalklands in southeastern Britain, but may also do well on more acid soils throughout Scotland, where it prefers forests receiving high rainfall. Heartwood Color White Tan White to cream Light tan Initially creamy-white, the wood weathers and ages into a light tan color. Sometimes chemically treated to produce Harewood, a silver-gray color with tan streaks Grain Even Closed Straight Wavy May be wavy or curly Generally straight, but not always Texture Fine Even or uniform Smooth Fine Luster High High, especially on quartered surfaces Natural Durability Perishable Sapwood non-resistant to furniture beetles Non-durable Very low natural resistance to attack by decay fungi and wood destroying organisms Sapwood is vulnerable to attack by furniture beetles Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Schedule E (4/4) United Kingdom Drying Defects Discoloration Staining Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Thick Stock Requires Care Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Moderately Difficult to Difficult Moderate Careful kiln-drying at a fairly rapid rate is recommended to preserve the natural whitish color Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Product Sources The tree is harvested extensivly in Europe where it finds uses in the furniture industry. Norway maple is seldom planted for timber production in Britain since its size at maturity is considearbly smaller than some native species used for the same or similar applications. Comments Generally strong, tough, and hard. Blunting Effect Moderate Moderate effect Boring Fair to good results Carving Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very good results Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Very good properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Moulding Fair to Good Results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable Small movement in use Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-boring recommended Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good planing properties Reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended for planing material containing curly and wavy grain Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood responds well to preservative treatment Heartwood is extremely resistant to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Turning Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Excellent Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Can sometimes be sliced into highly decorative veneers for paneling Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Very good Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Excellent results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good staining properties Strength Properties Heavy Density = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 40 lbs/ft3 Specific Gravity 0.54 Weight 39 32. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Density 641 kg/m3 Specific Gravity 0.54 References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI. HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Dept. of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buck. HMSO. 1985. Broadleaves. Forestry Commission Booklet No. 20. Text by H.E. Edlin. Revised by A.F. Mitchell. Forestry Commission, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Laidlaw, W.B.R. 1960. Guide to British Hardwoods. Published by Leonard Hill [Books] Limited, 9 Eden Street, N.W.1, London. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co., Inc., Fresno, California.