Maple encompasses several species prized in furniture making, but two stand out: hard maple (Acer saccharum), the dense eastern sugar maple; and big leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), the towering western species native to British Columbia's coastal forests.
Big leaf maple is particularly significant for Gerrasimos. It grows abundantly in the Pacific Northwest — from the Fraser Valley through Vancouver Island — and produces some of the most spectacular figured wood found anywhere in the world. Quilted big leaf maple, with its deeply three-dimensional, pillow-like surface pattern, is among the rarest and most coveted figured woods available. Birdseye maple, where tiny circular figures dot the surface like scattered eyes, is another prized variant. Curly (also called tiger or fiddleback) maple displays alternating bands of light and dark across the grain, creating a ribbon-like shimmer.
Hard maple, with a Janka hardness of 1,450 lbf, is one of the hardest domestic species. This makes it ideal for surfaces that see heavy daily use — kitchen islands, cutting boards, and commercial bartops. Big leaf maple is softer at roughly 850 lbf, but its figure more than compensates; it is typically used for statement pieces where visual impact matters most.
In the workshop, maple demands sharp tooling. Dull blades generate heat quickly in the dense wood, causing burn marks that are difficult to sand out. With proper technique, however, maple machines to a silky-smooth surface that takes clear finishes beautifully. The pale, neutral colour makes it an excellent canvas for natural oil finishes that let the figure speak for itself, or for light stains that add warmth without obscuring grain detail.
Maple's light colour palette makes it a natural complement to darker species. Many of our two-tone designs pair walnut and maple for contrast — a walnut tabletop on maple legs, or a maple cutting board with walnut accent stripes.
To maintain maple furniture, keep it away from excess moisture (especially cutting boards, which should be oiled regularly with food-safe mineral oil). Indoor maple furniture requires only occasional dusting and a light application of furniture wax or oil. Over time, maple may yellow slightly with UV exposure, developing a warm amber patina that many owners find appealing.
Gerrasimos uses figured big leaf maple for our most visually dramatic pieces — quilted wall art panels, one-of-a-kind serving boards, and tabletops where the wood itself is the art. When clients want a piece that stops visitors in their tracks, figured maple delivers.