Northern Hard Maple is a dense, strong, remarkably hard and supremely durable product. Offering a wide range of uses and color possibilities, Northern Hard Maple is close-grained, hard-fibered, free from slivering and splintering, and polishes well under friction. When given a transparent finish its natural beauty stands out. Because wood is a natural product, it is subject to color variations resulting from differing growing conditions. The color of maple heartwood is brownish — the sapwood is much lighter.
Hard maple has an unusual ability to resist pointed pressure without abrasion. It is easily covered with attractive finishes.
Wood flooring is quickly regaining a strong market share in the floor covering industry. More and more homeowners and commercial tenants are turning to the natural beauty of wood for aesthetic and health benefits. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is currently working to regulate indoor air quality. According to their list of poor air quality sources, carpeting, among many other sources inside the home and office, contributes to poor air quality due to its makeup of alcohols, formaldehyde, 4-methylethyl-benzene, 4-phenylcyclohexene, and styrene.
Within the selection of wood floors, consumer preferences are shifting toward lighter colored woods. Northern hard maple is regarded as a premium specie among domestic hardwoods. Northern hard maple is dense, strong, remarkably hard and extremely durable. Its unique character offers a wide range of uses and a natural lighter color that complements all home furnishings from ultra contemporary to country decor. The quality of this premium hardwood begins in the northern forests above the 35th parallel where shorter growing seasons and longer winters produce a densely-grained maple with rich, consistent color and fewer imperfections.
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