Maple has long been a standard wood species used in the furniture industry, although not as popular as Oak or Cherry many homes and offices use it for their kitchen cabinets and trim work. There are two basic classifications for Maple soft and hard. The soft variety is still a hardwood, the only thing soft about it is that the hard variety is extremely hard.

Hard Maple is well-suited for counter tops, butcher blocks and cutting boards while soft version is used more in the furniture industry. It has a remarkably light color almost white, and the grain texture is extremely minimal. In its natural color, it can run from Brown to almost white, and in some cases it will have some red in giving it a pinkish hue.

It grows throughout the United States, Europe and in Asia. It also makes excellent syrup, and the trees are highly sought after for providing shade. There are literally dozens of different varieties.