Home / Wood Compare / Hard Maple vs Rubber Wood
Professional Comparison · Verified Engineering Data · Updated 19 July 2026
Hard Maple VS Rubber Wood
Which wood is better for your project? Scores are computed from the verified figures on each species page — how we score.
🥇
Hard Maple
12/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood
- Harder wear surface (Janka 1450 vs 960 lbf)
- Stronger in bending (MOR 109.0 vs 71.9 MPa)
- Better flame-spread class (Class B vs Class C)
🥈
Rubber Wood
1/100 Library Score
🪵Hardwood🌿Sustainable
- Easier to machine and fasten
- Lighter (0.55 vs 0.63 g/cm³)
- Solid choice where its profile fits the project
Visual comparison
Hard MapleRubber Wood
Winner by category
There isn't one universally best wood — there's a best wood for each purpose.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Durability | Tie |
| Stability | Tie |
| Hardness | Hard Maple |
| Strength (MOR) | Hard Maple |
| Stiffness (MOE) | Hard Maple |
| Flame spread | Hard Maple |
| Machining ease | Rubber Wood |
| Lightness | Rubber Wood |
Engineering data
| Property | Hard Maple | Rubber Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 1450WD lbf | 960WD lbf |
| Density | 0.63FPL g/cm³ | 0.55WD g/cm³ |
| MOE | 12.6FPL GPa | 9.1WD GPa |
| MOR | 109.0FPL MPa | 71.9WD MPa |
| Durability | Class 5 Not Durable | Class 5 Not Durable |
| Stability | Moderate | Moderate |
| Fire (E84) | Class B indicative | Class C indicative |
| Radial Shrink | 4.8WD % | 2.3WD % |
| Tangential Shrink | 9.9WD % | 5.1WD % |
| T/R Ratio | 2.06 | 2.22 |
Figures carry the same source status as the species pages they come from — verified where cited, indicative where marked.
Best for
| Application | Recommended | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring / wear surfaces | 🥇 Hard Maple | ★★★☆☆ |
| Furniture / interior joinery | 🥇 Rubber Wood | ★★★☆☆ |
| Structural / load-bearing | 🥇 Hard Maple | ★★★☆☆ |
Advantages & limitations
Hard Maple
Advantages
Limitations
- Not durable outdoors untreated (Class 5)
- Noticeable seasonal movement — allow for it in design
Rubber Wood
Advantages
Limitations
- Not durable outdoors untreated (Class 5)
- Noticeable seasonal movement — allow for it in design
Recommendation
Choose Hard Maple if…
- The surface takes traffic or impact
Choose Rubber Wood if…
- Ease of working and fastening matters
- Weight matters — ceilings, wall panels, transport
- Its profile matches the application better than a single overall score
Frequently asked questions
Which is more durable, Hard Maple or Rubber Wood?
Neither — both carry the same EN 350 rating (Class 5, Not Durable). For outdoor decisions between them, weigh dimensional stability and hardness instead.
Which wood is better for outdoor use?
They are closely matched outdoors — durability and stability come out almost level. Let the application decide: harder surface for decking traffic, lighter weight for cladding.
Is Hard Maple harder than Rubber Wood?
Yes — Janka 1450 lbf vs 960 lbf.
How we score. Each wood gets a weighted composite of the verified figures shown above: durability 22%, stability 18%, hardness 12%, bending strength 12%, machining ease 12%, stiffness 8%, flame spread 8%, lightness 8%. The Library Score is that composite's percentile rank within our 60-species library — 50 means the library median, 90 means it outperforms nine of every ten species we cover. No price data is scored — cost guidance is qualitative. The score summarises the data; it does not replace judgement about your specific application.