While Red Oak has a tight but fairly prominent grain pattern, the grain in a Maple floorboard will be more subtle and consistent with the occasional swirl. It is possible to request White Maple which virtually eliminates the brown heartwood often seen in older Maple trees, or you can request Brown Maple which will contain a darker brown heartwood, in contrast to the light white sapwood along the edge. Its hues range from creamy blonde to amber and brown in the heartwood. Maple floorboards offer a cleaner and lighter complexion. With deep salmon-toned hues in the heartwood that darken with age, unfinished Red Oak flooring offers a rich color palette that brings warmth to any room.

Maple floors, it’s best to compare these two species side-by-side. From coloration to grain personality to the way they accept stain, these hardwoods are a picture of contrasts. Not only is its yearly growth rate superior, but oak can regenerate through sprouting at its stump and roots, meaning that its stump and roots send up new shoots that will form new oak trees! The can be incredibly advantageous for any landowner looking to grow and regenerate oak ad infinitum.When it comes to hardwood floors, Red Oak and Maple will produce stunningly beautiful surfaces – but with significantly different personalities. When it comes to growth, oak has the clear advantage. Firewood that grows faster has the obvious benefit of creating a more sustainable fuel supply. Which Grows Faster?įor those growing their own firewood, growth rates can be an important factor as well. This is by far the biggest drawback to burning oak. Given that oak is already tougher to split, that’s not a fun combination. This problem can be overcome by splitting oak into smaller pieces, which will be able to dry substantially faster, but then of course you add a lot of work for yourself. Oak requires more time–up to two years! Especially with longer drying times, the exact amount of time needed will depend largely on climate, but no matter where you live, maple is going to dry much faster than oak. Maple, like most species, can be seasoned to a desirable moisture content in the span of about 6 months. When it comes to whether oak or maple firewood dries faster, maple has the clear and substantial advantage. When oak dries out, its fibers seemingly bind together more, making splitting a difficult task. Oak, on the other hand, is best split when it is still green. Maple is easier to split after is has dried or “seasoned” for around 6 months. Interestingly, oak and maple firewood is best split at different times. Oak, especially if it is open-grown, will have more knots, which can be incredibly difficult to split.

This is due both to maples lower density and its ability to self prune. Which Is Easier to Split?īoth Oak and Maple split fairly easily, however, maple splits easier than oak, so the advantage here is given to maple. Likewise, they both burn well with a low smoke content. Luckily, both oak and maple are slow-burning species, so they are about equal on the pace of the burn. In general, however, oak species are going to contain more heat than maple. Red oak, for example, contains only 24.6 million BTUs per cord, which loses to maple, albeit barely. That said, there are slight differences in the specific species. A cord of oak contains 29.1 million BTUs per cord, whereas maple only contains 25.5. Does Oak or Maple Burn Hotter?īoth oak and maple firewood provide astounding heat outputs, but oak has a slight edge on maple. Let’s look into the qualities of each type of wood so you can make the best decision on what species of wood you would like to burn. oak: Which is the best firewood? Oak burns hotter than maple, but oak’s longer drying time probably makes maple more desirable.

Oak vs maple wood