Maple flooring will turn a deeper shade over time, and if it is finished with oil-based polyurethane then it can react badly to direct sunlight and yellow.
If you want to avoid the yellow, use a water borne polyurethane (e.g. Bona Traffic HD). They are much lighter and more clear. Oil based polyurethanes will give you a yellowish coat, so your floors will have a yellow tint. They will continue to get darker and more yellow over time.
The cons of maple flooring
Discolours over time – As with any solid wood, with constant exposure to light it will yellow over time.
Yes, Maple wood will darken over time. The very bright and light color of maple wood will slowly turn into dark color over the years. It turns into a deep golden honey color tone above its original bright white with reddish-brown hues with exposure to sunlight and oxygen.
Maple is a fantastic choice for wood flooring. It is durable, blends in with existing woodwork, and its beautiful lighter tones help to make smaller rooms and spaces seem more significant.
American maple hardwood flooring is a classic, and is a solid investment as it has great longevity – not just in actual terms because of its durability – but because it is a popular choice that is unlikely to go out of fashion.
Maple Hardwood Flooring Details
The clear maple is light, almost white in colour. The natural colours have colour variations from white sapwood to dark brown heartwood, to some dark mineral streaks. The Gaylord brushing process brings out the natural characteristics in the wood such as “tiger tail” and “birds eye”.
Maple surfaces owe their light natural color to their clear oil finish, which breaks down over time to regain its original oily yellow color. When this chemical process occurs in a dry climate, the finish becomes brittle.
The light color of maple surfaces comes from a clear oil finish, but this oil finish breaks down and regains its original oily orange color in a gradual and inevitable chemical process.
Maple is a creamy white hardwood that sometimes has a reddish tinge. One of the hardest wood species, maple is often chosen for heavy-use items, like dressers and kitchen cabinets.
The answer is usually YES!
Many homeowners don't realize that you can change the color of hardwood flooring when you refinish your floors. Yes, it's true…you can go light or dark or red tones or anywhere in between. Most are pleasantly surprised it doesn't matter if you are going light to dark or vice versa.
White oak floors have been used in homes for many years, proving they won't be going anywhere any time soon. This white oak engineered hardwood floor is a timeless option that showcases the raw beauty and graining of white oak with its light color.
As background, it's easy to get the gray color in pre-finished maple or birch floors. Because these woods are closed pored, they absorb the stains differently and some of the darker brown stains turn gray on maple and birch (see picture to the right).
To tone down the warmth of wood flooring, choose a blue wall color that acts as a neutral and won't overwhelm the space. Ashley Banbury, senior color designer for Dutch Boy Paint, suggests Mapped Blue, a sophisticated shade that offers muted color in an otherwise neutral scheme.
The Best Non-Yellowing Water-Based Polyurethane
The best non-yellowing clear coat is Minwax's Polycrylic. It's easy to use, dries within a few hours, can be applied multiple times within 24 hours, dries completely clear, and doesn't yellow over time.
Maple starts off very light and bright, with a few pink and grey tones. Over time, it will age to a warm golden honey color. Other light brown woods, like ash and white oak will slightly darken to a beige or amber color.
What Color is Maple Wood? Whereas many trees are prized by woodworkers for their heartwood, it's usually the sapwood of maple that's used in fine wood furniture. It tends to be a white hue with pitch fleck and mineral streaks adding some reddish-brown tints to it, though the color will deepen some with age.
Maple trees are one of the most common species of hardwoods in North American forests. There are an abundance of variations of the Maple but they are commonly placed into two categories – Hard Maple and Soft Maple.
Chlorosis is a term for leaves turning yellow due to a lack of chlorophyll. There are a number of reasons tree leaves will yellow, including poor drainage, damaged or compacted roots, high alkalinity, and nutrient deficiencies.
Hard Maple usually has a lighter, more uniformed color. While Soft Maple is typically darker, sometimes carrying hues of brown, red, or even grey. Look at the leaves. If the tree is still standing and yet to be harvested, take a look at its leaves.
Maple wood is not the cheapest wood on the market, but it is much less expensive than cherry.
Maple hardwood flooring has a distinctive look because its color tends to be creamy white, though sometimes it can darken to a light brown. Maple's clear grain is very subtle, almost unnoticeable, without the sharp contrasts found in other woods, such as oak.
The natural color of maple is some version of reddish-brown, and because the complement of red is green, it is a particularly successful partner for maple cabinets. A medium, slightly grayed tone of green such as sage is a fresh look with a light or medium-toned maple finish.
Maple is among the harder wood species, with a 1450 rating on the Janka wood hardness chart. As one of the densest wood species, Maple is ideal for high-traffic areas. Oak is slightly less hard – White Oak has a 1360 rating and Red Oak a 1290 rating.