Lumber prices / Hard Maple
Hard Maple Price per Board Foot
Hard (sugar) maple is a pale, tight-grained hardwood prized for its hardness and smooth surface. It is the standard for bowling alleys, gym floors, and butcher blocks; figured grades like curly and bird's-eye cost much more.
What common boards cost
Board feet times the price per board foot. These use the $5 to $9 range above.
| Board | Board feet | Est. cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 x 6 x 8 ft | 4.00 | $20 – $36 |
| 1 x 8 x 8 ft | 5.33 | $27 – $48 |
| 2 x 4 x 8 ft | 5.33 | $27 – $48 |
To price a full order, put $7 (or your dealer's number) into the board foot calculator and add every board to the tally.
What hard maple costs, and why
Hard maple usually runs about $5 to $9 per board foot at retail for plain, straight-grained boards. It sits in the mid range for a domestic hardwood: more than poplar or soft maple, less than walnut or wide cherry. A few things move a board within that range and past it:
- Width and thickness. Wide boards and thick stock (8/4 and up) come from bigger, scarcer logs, so they cost more per board foot than narrow 4/4 pieces.
- Grade. Clear, defect-free FAS boards sit at the top of the range. Boards with more character or shorter clear cuttings sell for less.
- Figure. Figured grades like curly (tiger) maple and bird's-eye maple are a different market. They can cost several times the plain-grain price, which is why the number on a specialty board looks nothing like the shelf price at a big-box store.
The dealer's price is per board foot, so the size of your order matters as much as the rate. Work out the board feet first with the board foot calculator or the worked examples in the how to calculate board feet guide, then multiply by the price above.
Hard maple vs soft maple
The "hard" in hard maple is doing real work. Hard maple (sugar maple) has a Janka hardness around 1,450 lbf, while soft maples like red and silver maple land closer to 700 to 950. Soft maple looks similar and costs less, so it is a common substitute where the surface will not take heavy wear. For butcher blocks, gym floors, and cutting boards, the extra hardness is the whole point, and it is why hard maple holds its price.
Weight and workability
At about 44 lb/ft³ dry, hard maple is on the heavy side, roughly 3.7 pounds per board foot. That weight is worth planning for on a big order; the lumber weight calculator will total it for you. It is dense enough to dull blades faster than a softwood, but it machines cleanly and finishes to a smooth, pale surface that takes stain evenly when sealed first.
Hardwoods with similar hardness
Hard Maple rates 1,450 lbf on the Janka scale. These sit closest to it, so they take similar wear and usually swap in without changing how the piece holds up. Price is often the deciding factor.
| Species | Janka | Per board foot |
|---|---|---|
| Sapele | 1,410 lbf | $7 – $12 |
| White Oak | 1,360 lbf | $6 – $10 |
| White Ash | 1,320 lbf | $4 – $7 |
| American Beech | 1,300 lbf | $4 – $7 |
| Hickory | 1,820 lbf | $5 – $8 |
| Zebrawood | 1,830 lbf | $14 – $25 |
| Wenge | 1,930 lbf | $14 – $25 |
Full range on the lumber prices page, and weight per board foot if shipping or floor load matters.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does hard maple cost per board foot?
- Hard Maple commonly runs about $5 to $9 per board foot at retail, with wide, thick, or figured boards costing more. This is a planning range, not a quote, so confirm with your dealer.
- How much does hard maple weigh?
- About 3.7 pounds per board foot kiln-dried, based on an average density of 44 lb/ft³ at 12% moisture content. Green stock weighs more.
- Is hard maple a hardwood or a softwood?
- Hard Maple is a hardwood (domestic), with a Janka hardness of 1,450 lbf.
- Is hard maple expensive?
- Plain hard maple is moderately priced for a domestic hardwood, about $5 to $9 per board foot, cheaper than walnut and comparable to white oak. Figured grades like curly and bird's-eye maple are far more expensive and trade in their own market.
- What is the difference between hard maple and soft maple in price?
- Soft maple (red or silver maple) is usually a few dollars per board foot cheaper than hard maple because it is less dense and less wear-resistant. Hard maple's higher Janka hardness is what keeps it in demand for floors, butcher blocks, and cutting boards.