Curly Soft Maple

This curly soft maple is highly figured with tiger-striped rays running perpendicular to the grain pattern. Along with the wood's light color, this striping lends a shimmering quality to the lumber. Even unfinished, the wood has a very pleasing interaction with light. It is no surprise, then, that curly maple has become a woodworker's favorite for accents, specialty furniture, musical instruments, and more.To make the figure in this curly maple really "pop", we recommend using an oil product (tung, linseed, etc.), as opposed to a stain. If a lacquer or urethane finish is necessary, adding a coat or two of clear wax-free shellac before the final finishing will ensure that the figure stands out.