Botanical name : Acer saccharum Hardness (lb) 1450 Grade to offer (10x70) Select: Straight or flat sawn nice grain with few small defects. Standard: Straight or flat sawn grain with some defects and color differences. Grade to offer (10x90) Select: Straight or flat sawn nice grain with few small defects. Standard: Straight or flat sawn grain with some defects and color differences. Strength Medium to hard Color/Description Heartwood is creamy white to light reddish brown; sapwood is pale to creamy white. Grain Closed, subdued grain, with medium figuring and uniform texture. Occasionally shows quilted, fiddleback, curly or bird's-eye figuring. Colour change North American Maple undergoes a medium degree of color change, with slight ambering from a cream/white to a more golden cream color over time.