Curly Maple gets its name from the ripples in the grain pattern that create a 3-dimensional effect that appears as if the grain has “curled” along the length of the board. It’s also referred to as Fiddleback Maple because it was historically used for the backs and sides of violins.
Curly maple is similar to quilted maple. The difference between them is that Curly Maple primarily has a horizontal pattern that is perpendicular to the wood grain. Curly Maple is most noticeable when the board is quarter sawn and the curls usually become much less distinct or even absent in flat sawn sections. It is not completely clear what environmental conditions cause the curling effect, but there are different grades of curly maple and that can greatly affect its price.
The criteria that generally determine the value of Curly Maple are:
- Color (uniformity and lightness / more white is preferred),
- Frequency of the Curls (tight, closely-spaced curls are preferred)
- Intensity (more depth is preferred)
Priced Per Board Foot
Style Number: 4/4CMHF
