How to Identify Sycamore (American) Wood (Platanus occidentalis)

Sycamore (American), Platanus occidentalis: color, grain, end grain, Janka hardness (770 lbf) and weight, and how to tell it from Hard (Sugar) Maple, quoted from the USDA Wood Handbook and The Wood Database.

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At a glance

Scientific name: Platanus occidentalis
Type: Hardwood
Origin: Eastern United States
Color: Sapwood white to light tan; heartwood a darker reddish brown; distinct ray flecks on quartersawn surfaces give a freckled appearance, sometimes called 'Lacewood.'
Grain and texture: Fine, even texture very similar to maple; grain is interlocked.
End grain: Diffuse porous; small to medium pores, numerous, solitary and in radial multiples/clusters; tyloses occasionally present though not easily seen with a lens; growth rings distinct from lighter latewood color; medium to very wide rays easily visible without a lens, wide spacing; parenchyma rare or absent.
Janka hardness: 770 lbf
Specific gravity (12% MC): 0.49
Other clue: No characteristic odor; very distinct ray flecks on quartersawn surfaces give a freckled 'Lacewood' appearance.

What Sycamore (American) looks like

Sapwood white to light tan; heartwood a darker reddish brown; distinct ray flecks on quartersawn surfaces give a freckled appearance, sometimes called 'Lacewood.' Fine, even texture very similar to maple; grain is interlocked. End grain: Diffuse porous; small to medium pores, numerous, solitary and in radial multiples/clusters; tyloses occasionally present though not easily seen with a lens; growth rings distinct from lighter latewood color; medium to very wide rays easily visible without a lens, wide spacing; parenchyma rare or absent.

Hardness and weight

Janka hardness 770 lbf (side hardness: the force needed to embed a 0.444-inch steel ball to half its diameter). Specific gravity 0.49 at 12% moisture content, so a cubic foot weighs roughly 31 lb. Weight in the hand is one of the quickest checks: compare a piece of known size against a board you already know.

Sycamore (American) vs Hard (Sugar) Maple

Sycamore's fine, even texture resembles maple, but its interlocked grain and wide, easily visible rays with wide spacing on quartersawn faces (the 'lacewood'/fleck look) distinguish it from maple's straighter grain and from beech's narrower, closer-set ray pattern. The Hard (Sugar) Maple page has its own details.

Smell, weight and other clues

No characteristic odor; very distinct ray flecks on quartersawn surfaces give a freckled 'Lacewood' appearance.

Where you will meet it

Veneer, plywood, interior trim, pallets/crates, flooring, furniture, particleboard, paper (pulpwood), tool handles, and turned objects.

Working it

Works easily with hand and machine tools, though interlocked grain can be troublesome in surfacing/machining; turns, glues, and finishes well; responds poorly to steam bending.

How to photograph it for identification

Photograph a freshly cut or sanded face in daylight, not a finished or stained surface, since stain hides color and finish flattens grain. Add a close-up of the end grain: cut a clean end, wet it or sand it to 220, and shoot from straight on; pore pattern and rays are the most reliable marks. Put a ruler in frame. The app suggests the likely species; confirm with the end grain and weight.

FAQ

How hard is Sycamore (American)?

Janka hardness 770 lbf. For comparison, Red Oak is about 1,290 lbf and Eastern White Pine about 380 lbf.

How do I tell Sycamore (American) from Hard (Sugar) Maple?

Is Sycamore (American) a hardwood or a softwood?

Sycamore (American) is a hardwood: it comes from a broadleaf tree. Hardwood and softwood describe the kind of tree, not how hard the wood is; some hardwoods are softer than some softwoods.

What color is Sycamore (American)?

Sapwood white to light tan; heartwood a darker reddish brown; distinct ray flecks on quartersawn surfaces give a freckled appearance, sometimes called 'Lacewood.'

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