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Figured maple is plain maple with an extra gift: a rippling three-dimensional glow called chatoyance. Tilt a sheet in the light and the curl seems to move. It is the same creamy maple wood makers already love, but with the volume turned up for guitars, boxes, accents, and small furniture faces.
What is figured maple veneer?
Figured maple veneer is sliced from maple logs that carry curl, flame, fiddleback, or tiger figure in the grain. The base species is still maple, usually hard maple or red maple, but the fibers ripple instead of running flat. That is what creates the shifting striped glow people chase. Veneer makes especially good use of figured stock because one log can cover many more projects as thin sheets than as solid lumber.
Quick facts
Color: Creamy white to pale gold, sometimes with a light reddish cast
Grain: Curl figure, tiger stripe, flame, fiddleback, and sometimes quilt
Janka hardness: About 1,450 lbf for hard maple
Cut: Thin raw veneer, plus backed and PSA options depending on stock
Sold: Small maker-friendly sheets and craft packs
Appearance and figure
The base is bright maple wood, creamy and clean. Over that pale field the figure catches light in bands that seem to move as you change your angle. Tiger maple is simply a bolder, higher-contrast example of the same curl. Flame maple is the same visual lane and shows up constantly in guitar work. Under a clear coat the surface becomes almost holographic. For a calmer sibling, compare it to Maple. For a different kind of figured maple, see Birdseye Maple.
Working and finishing tips
Figured maple cuts and presses much like plain maple. Use a sharp veneer saw or razor knife, take light passes, and avoid forcing the cut across the curl. The figure really comes alive under a clear coat, shellac, or dyed finish. Many makers use water-soluble dye rather than pigment stain because dye pops the chatoyance instead of muddying it.
Best uses
- Guitars and luthier work. Tops, headplates, and accents where the light can show the curl.
- Jewelry boxes and marquetry. Small pieces benefit from the high-visibility figure.
- Statement panels and cabinet details. Bookmatched leaves make mirrored waterfall patterns.
- Dyed figured work. The pale ground accepts color beautifully while keeping the shimmer.
For more application ideas, see veneer for guitars and luthiers or browse the full veneer library.
Sustainability
Figured maple is rare enough that efficient use matters. Veneer turns one figured board into much more usable surface area than solid lumber would, which means less waste and more projects from the same special log. That is exactly the kind of wood use WoodCycle is built around.
Available now on eBay
Every sheet below is a live WoodCycle listing. We are US-based and ship fast, usually within one business day.
Frequently asked
Is tiger maple the same as curly maple?
Yes. Tiger maple is simply a bold, high-contrast example of curly maple figure in the same base species.
Will figured maple blotch if I stain it?
It can with pigment stains. Water-soluble dye or a sealing coat of dewaxed shellac gives cleaner, brighter results.
What makes maple curl in the first place?
Most makers attribute curly maple figure to a mix of genetics and growth stress that bends the fibers into rippling waves.
Can I get figured maple veneer with peel-and-stick backing?
Many figured maple lots are offered in raw, paper-backed, or 3M PSA peel-and-stick versions depending on current stock.
Need another figured species?
Browse the full species library or shop live listings on eBay.