ENGLISH SYCAMORE WOOD
English Sycamore is a member of the maple family and is found throughout Europe. This is the lumber that is used for violins, cellos, basses, and violas. It is often quartered, a requirement for musical instruments. English Sycamore is used extensively for architectural millwork projects calling for a very white colored lumber. It can be highly figured with curl or what the British like to call ripple.
- Often found with curl figure (ripple)
- Larger logs usually quartered
- Highly prized for veneers
- Superior tonewood for classical instruments
- Good substitute where thicker / wide white material is needed
- Logs yield more sap wood
Characteristics of English Sycamore
| Origin of Wood Type | England & Europe |
| Botanical Name | Acer pseudoplatanus |
| Specific Gravity | 0.61 |
| Avg. Weight Per BF | 3.17 lb/ bf |
| Color Range | White – Cream |
| Rarity / Availability | Readily Available |
| Typical Avg. Width | 3″ to 24″ |
| Typical Avg. Length | 6′ to 16′ |
| Avg. Waste Factor | 0.5 |
| Wood Uses | Fine Furniture, Cabinetry, Architectural Millwork, Guitar Building / Instrument Making, Wood Turning, Wood Carving, Veneer, Flooring and many other uses |
| Lumber Grades | Quartersawn, Quartersawn (Figured), Flitch, Veneer |
| Other Trade Names | Sycamore, Great Maple, European Maple |
Sample Pictures of English Sycamore
Please Note: The photos below are examples of the species and may no longer be products available for sale.
All pictures of wood that appear wet, have been sprayed with denatured alcohol to show the natural color. We use denatured alcohol because it evaporates and does not affect the moisture content.
