Tiny eye-like markings, flowing waves, and patterns that seem softly quilted. Birdseye, curly, and quilted describe figures found in maple, not three separate species. Hard maple can also have birdseye or curly figure. Separating the names of woods from the names of their patterns makes the variety of maple easier to understand. AHEC American Hardwoods Guide 2024: Hard Maple (printed pp. 44–45)
The photographs are examples of the color and grain associated with each wood or figure. Every piece of natural wood is different; the sheet you receive will not have exactly the same color or grain as the photographs.
Names at a glance
- Material names
- Maple refers to timber from trees in the genus Acer. Hard maple is a commercial timber category; birdseye, curly, and quilted are names for figure. AHEC American Hardwoods Guide 2024: Hard Maple (printed pp. 44–45) ／ Oregon State University：Bigleaf Maple
- Figure names
- Birdseye maple / Curly maple / Quilted maple Bal, Schneider & Richter (2020): research on figured maple ／ Oregon State University：Bigleaf Maple ／ Auburn University：Figure in Wood（1977）
- Classification
- Acer, in the family Sapindaceae. Older sources may place maples in Aceraceae. Kew POWO：Acer saccharum ／ Kew POWO：Acer rubrum ／ Kew POWO：Acer macrophyllum
- Examples of maple species
- Acer saccharum Marshall (sugar maple), Acer rubrum L. (red maple), and Acer macrophyllum Pursh (bigleaf maple), among others. Kew POWO：Acer saccharum ／ Kew POWO：Acer rubrum ／ Kew POWO：Acer macrophyllum
- Examples of native ranges
- A. saccharum is native to eastern Canada and the central and eastern United States; A. macrophyllum ranges from southwestern Canada to California. Kew POWO：Acer saccharum ／ Kew POWO：Acer macrophyllum
Hard maple and figured maple: different kinds of names
In the North American timber trade, hard maple chiefly comprises sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and black maple (Acer nigrum). This groups kinds of timber; it does not describe a pattern such as birdseye or curly figure. Both birdseye and curly figure can occur in hard maple. AHEC American Hardwoods Guide 2024: Hard Maple (printed pp. 44–45)
Curly figure also occurs in red maple, while bigleaf maple can show quilted and other figures. Figured wood is not necessarily something other than hard maple, nor must all three figures come from the same species. A figure name alone does not identify the tree. Bal, Schneider & Richter (2020): research on figured maple ／ Oregon State University：Bigleaf Maple
Three distinctive figures
Birdseye figure consists of scattered small swirls resembling birds’ eyes. Their size, spacing, and distribution vary between pieces. The photograph shows just one example. Bal, Schneider & Richter (2020): research on figured maple
Curly figure appears as rippling bands, associated with undulations in the wood fibers. Light and dark areas change with the direction of illumination. The waves may be fine and closely spaced or broader and more open; the photograph is an example, not a promise of a particular spacing or fineness. Bal, Schneider & Richter (2020): research on figured maple ／ Cornell University：Figured maple
Quilted figure has a softly billowing appearance reminiscent of a quilt. This describes an optical impression, not a physically raised surface on the veneer sheet. Auburn University：Figure in Wood（1977）
What university research tells us
A 2020 paper by researchers at Michigan Technological University studied birdseye sugar maple and curly red maple. Even these familiar decorative patterns are subjects of research in which the underlying species is carefully identified. Bal, Schneider & Richter (2020): research on figured maple
How figure develops is still not fully understood. The paper discusses unresolved questions about its causes, overlapping terminology, and regional differences. Maple figure is both a much-admired decorative feature and a subject of wood science. Bal, Schneider & Richter (2020): research on figured maple
Figure, surface, and light
A Cornell University research page uses computer graphics to show how highlights move as fiber direction changes. These are simulations, not product photographs, but they help explain an appearance that a single still image cannot fully capture. Oregon State University also lists thin decorative veneer for furniture and interior paneling among the uses of figured maple. Cornell University：Figured maple ／ Oregon State University：Bigleaf Maple
Choosing maple veneer at MORI KOUGEI
MORI KOUGEI offers A4 birdseye maple and curly maple veneer sheets. Both are surface materials made from natural wood bonded to industrial washi paper, approximately 0.25 mm thick. The species descriptions on our product pages list the origin as America. MORI KOUGEI A4 Birdseye Maple Veneer Sheet ／ MORI KOUGEI A4 Curly Maple Veneer Sheet
The photographs illustrate the character of eye-like and wavy figures; they do not let you select a sheet with that exact color or pattern. Consider the area you want to cover and the intended use, and test a small piece with your substrate and finish before bonding. MORI KOUGEI A4 Birdseye Maple Veneer Sheet ／ MORI KOUGEI A4 Curly Maple Veneer Sheet
Explore the veneer sheets
- View A4 Birdseye Maple Veneer
- View A4 Curly Maple Veneer
- View A4 Hard Maple Veneer
- Ask about your project or required dimensions
This article draws on publicly available sources from Japan and abroad, with AI used to support research and organization.