One of the most common questions asked of us when customers visit our showroom is what is wormy maple? When it comes to solid wood furniture, our customers have their choice of woods and wormy maple has been the most popular choice among our customers for the past 5-10 years. In this blog post we'll explain what wormy maple is, why it's so popular and help you decide if it is the right option for your home.
Characteristics of Wormy Maple
There is no such thing as a wormy maple tree. Wormy maple, also known as ambrosia maple is a variation of maple characterized by distinctive streaks and holes. These holes are typically caused by ambrosia beetles that bore into the wood and leave behind tunnels and discoloration. Ambrosia beetles also introduce a fungus that stains the wood resulting in streaks of grey, brown or black, creating a visually striking effect.
The resulting wood displays a combination of clean, pale maple surfaces, interspersed with darker irregular streaks and holes. The holes resemble worm holes, hence the name wormy maple. As each piece is natural, we cannot guarantee how many or how few streaks and holes are in the wood, nor can we guarantee where the holes end up on a piece. We can only let you know that they will be in the wood and have multiple examples in our showroom to give an idea of what to expect. Each piece will be unique making it an ideal choice for those who like the natural character and organic look that it brings to furniture.
Why Choose Wormy Maple?
There are several factors that make wormy maple our best selling wood:
Natural Character: The streaks and holes in the wood bring lots of character to your home. No two pieces will be alike, making this a great choice for those that appreciate the beauty of imperfection and variation in their furniture.
Rustic Furniture: wormy maple is perfect for rustic furniture because of the natural imperfections. It also is available from most of our builders in a millsawn texture, which preserves the natural sawmarks from the lumber mill with limited sanding and planing.
Cost: Currently wormy maple is about 15-20% less than the cost of maple or oak. This price difference could vary over time, but wormy maple is the least expensive hardwood option from our builders.
Durability: Since the wood comes from the maple tree, wormy maple is every bit as hard and durable as maple furniture. Pine would come at a similar price point, but is a softwood so pine will scratch and dent much easier than wormy maple.
The primary reason that one of our customers should not choose wormy maple is that they don't like the naturally occurring streaks and holes. In dealing with this natural product, there is no way to ensure that the number of holes and/or streaks are limited, that there will not be a cluster of holes or the positioning of holes on the piece. When customers are in the showroom, we show this bookcase as an example of what the variability, as the left side has lots of streaks and holes while the right side doesn't have many of either. This level of variability is on one piece, so you can imagine that there is no way for us to guarantee anything from one piece to the next.
In conclusion, wormy maple is wood from a maple tree that has naturally occurring streaks and holes from the ambrosia beetle. It will have the same durability as maple furniture, while providing more character. Wormy maple is ideal for rustic furniture because of the natural imperfections and is a great choice for anyone looking for a truly one-of-a-kind piece.