---
title: "Hard maple — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Hard maple has a density of 705 kg/m³ (630–750). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/maple/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Hard maple

**Density of hard maple: 705 kg/m³ (630–750)**

0.70 g/cm³ · 44.0 lb/ft³

Very hard and very fine-pored, which is why it is the standard food-preparation surface: there is nowhere for bacteria or juices to sit, and it can be planed flat repeatedly. The same tight grain makes it dull edges quickly and burn easily if a router or saw dwells. Soft maple, from different species, is around 550 kg/m³ and is a genuinely different working material despite the shared name.

## Properties

- **Density:** 705 kg/m³ (630–750) — 0.70 g/cm³
- **Young's modulus:** 12.6 GPa
- **Floats in water:** Yes
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Butcher blocks and worktops
- Basketball courts and bowling lanes
- Guitar necks and drum shells
- Workbench tops

## How it compares

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.*

- air: 1.2 kg/m³
- expanded polystyrene foam: 20 kg/m³
- rigid polyurethane foam: 40 kg/m³
- hard maple: 705 kg/m³
- Water — the float line: 1,000 kg/m³
- tungsten: 19,250 kg/m³
- gold: 19,300 kg/m³
- platinum: 21,450 kg/m³

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| Material | Density | Relative to water |
| --- | --- | --- |
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| hard maple ← | 705 kg/m³ | 0.70× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

Hard maple contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

## Is it magnetic?

Hard maple is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Common questions

### What is the density of hard maple?

705 kg/m³ (630–750), or 0.70 g/cm³.

### Does hard maple float?

Yes. At 705 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.

### Is hard maple magnetic?

Hard maple is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Related pages

- [Does hard maple float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/maple/)
- [Pine](https://atoneplace.net/material/pine/)
- [Plywood](https://atoneplace.net/material/plywood/)
- [MDF](https://atoneplace.net/material/mdf/)
- [White oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/white-oak/)
- [Red oak](https://atoneplace.net/material/red-oak/)
- [Balsa](https://atoneplace.net/material/balsa/)
- [Spruce](https://atoneplace.net/material/spruce/)
- [Western red cedar](https://atoneplace.net/material/cedar/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)