Wood Species Guide
Sycamore Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus
Also called: European Sycamore, Sycamore (UK), Great Maple, Plane Tree (Scotland), Harewood (dyed veneer), Fiddleback Sycamore (figure)
About the name “Sycamore Maple”
In Britain and Europe "sycamore" means this maple. In the US, sycamore means Platanus occidentalis, a different tree with its own page in this guide (American Sycamore). Harewood is sycamore veneer dyed silver gray.
What Sycamore Maple looks like
Creamy white to pale yellowish, often whiter than hard maple when dried carefully. It can yellow a little with age and light.
Grain and texture
Fine, even texture with a natural luster. Wavy fiddleback figure is common and highly valued.
Working Sycamore Maple: planing, cutting and gluing
Works easily with hand and machine tools, and turns and glues well. Fiddleback boards can tear out, so use sharp tools and light passes. Logs must be dried quickly and stacked upright or end-reared to keep the wood white.
Finishing Sycamore Maple: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Takes clear finishes very well; water-based finishes keep it whitest. It can blotch with pigment stains, so use dye or a conditioner. Tight pores mean little outgassing under epoxy, and it makes a bright partner for colored river fills.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Not decay resistant and susceptible to insects, so it is an indoor wood. Movement is moderate. In Florida, acclimate it and finish all faces.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Sycamore maple is the traditional European wood for violin backs and for dairy and kitchen ware, because it is pale, fine and has no taste or smell. Figured boards make beautiful drawer fronts and small tables. It is an imported specialty here. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Sycamore Maple
Violin and cello backs and ribs, kitchenware, cutting boards, turned bowls, furniture, flooring and veneer.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Rated Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and very common across Europe.
Safety and toxicity
- Skin irritation
- Respiratory / asthma
Sound maple rarely causes trouble beyond mild skin or airway irritation. Spalted maple can carry mold that causes a serious lung reaction, so use a respirator on spalted pieces.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + mask; respirator for spalted maple
- Food contact
- Good choice for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Like other maples, the dust can cause mild skin irritation and asthma-type symptoms in some people. Use dust collection and a mask, and a respirator for spalted wood.
Sycamore Maple in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Sycamore Maple listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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