Contractor: No, maple doesn't take stain well. Homeowners are often suspicious when they hear this, since they're offered countless options of stained maple cabinetry and prefinished wood flooring, and they look quite uniform in color.
Maple floors are hardy and beautiful in their natural state. For the sake of beauty and durability, it's best to refrain from staining your new maple floor very dark at all. In fact, we don't recommend any type of color other than natural because that's what people will love looking at when they come over to visit.
Maple does MUCH better with DARKER stains (can't see blotches if the colour is so dark you can't tell what wood is underneath). Lighter stains can work. There are some refinishers who can get maple to work with a MIDTONE stain. A LIGHT GRAY (ie. almost lighter than the wood itself) is going to be tough.
The cons of maple flooring
Discolours over time – As with any solid wood, with constant exposure to light it will yellow over time.
Both Oak and Maple floors are considered among the most durable wood floors and can last for generations. 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.
In fact, with proper care and maintenance, most MFMA maple floors will last for generations.
This yellowing happens naturally, because Maple has the tendency to yellow with age. Fortunately, as soon as you put the sander on it and start sanding this wood flooring, it goes back to a super light color!
On the whole, Maple makes for harder and more durable wood floors than Red Oak.
Unlike porous woods such as oak, maple's surface does not readily absorb stain. The tight grain results in fewer open pores for the stain to penetrate, leading to uneven absorption. This can cause a blotchy appearance, with some areas absorbing more stain than others, creating an inconsistent color.
I recommend an acrylic finish, and you can go two routes: This has both the advantage of being colorless when dry and, due to the coalescing nature of the way it forms a film, of keeping the finish resin on the surface of the wood.
Each species of hardwood possesses unique grain and cell structures, which affect the results of the coloring or staining process. Tight grain wood, such as hard and soft maple, and cherry, will often become blotchy when stain is applied.
We strongly believe that oil-based finishes are the best bang for your buck. It's cheaper than water-based products and will last 10 times longer. Remember, that hardwood floors take a beating over the years in your home.
Use deeper brown- or black-based stains for a maple look that resembles the appearance of natural walnut or ebony. Lighter stains leverage maple's naturally light color to brighten a room.
Light wood flooring is a trend that embodies minimalist elegance, and in 2025, its popularity continues to rise. The subtle, delicate shades of wood, such as oak, maple, or birch, add sophistication to any living space.
Staining maple is not an easy proposition. However, with enough delicate and meticulous care, it can be done and done well. Additionally, it is highly advisable to practice, practice, and practice some more on test panels before beginning work on a client's floor.
Use Dewaxed Shellac for Your Best “Clear” Finish On Curly Maple. Of all the basic clear topcoats you can choose from, dewaxed shellac provides a surprising chatoyance that you just don't get with other finishes.
FAQs about kitchen cabinet and wood floor color combinations
Cool-toned wood with grayish or beige undertones such as maple or ash often look best with similarly cool-toned cabinets in shades of blues, greens, grays, and even black.
But unlike in recent times, when we saw gray-stained hardwood gain momentum, homeowners are increasingly gravitating towards the natural color of hardwood in 2024. Lighter hardwoods, like white oak, maple, and birch, are particularly in demand.
When it comes to hardwood floor colors that never go out of style, honey-colored hardwoods like oak make a strong case for their timeless appeal. This warm, honey-hued wood possesses a classic charm that transcends fleeting design trends.
The most popular wood stain color tends to be Dark Walnut by Minwax. This rich, dark brown shade adds warmth and depth to various types of wood, making it a versatile choice for many projects. However, personal preferences and design styles may influence your choice of stain color.
Sensitive to Humidity and Heat –
Like most hardwood varieties, maple is sensitive to extreme humidity and temperature changes. If summer humidity is an issue in your home, this wood isn't suitable as it can expand and contract, warp and split.
Maple is indeed a very dense, very hard type of hardwood, however, its biggest downside is that it's not very scratch-resistant. Due to its light color, which ranges from creamy white to a light brown, maple does not handle scratches very well.
The Best Time of Year to Buy Flooring
In fact, it's usually right around the New Year. Unlike cars, boats, and appliances that change models every year, flooring prices drop around the New Year because that is when demand is at its lowest and warehouses are willing to make deals to move product.