It is used in panels, drawer fronts, turned objects, decorative boxes or any project where its sublime beauty will enhance the visual appeal of the piece. Spalted Maple excels as a visual design element in woodworking projects. All finishes should definitely be tested on some scrap material to expose any potential finishing problems in this unpredictable wood. Oil based finishes tend to be absorbed unevenly creating a blotchy finish that can obscure the wood. Blond shellac is also a good choice for a sanding sealer or a final finish. They are available in matte or gloss finishes and dry clear allowing the beauty of the wood to show. Water-based acrylics are a good choice for a finish product.
Turners must also keep their tools sharp and be aware of tools catching on the softer material as it is turned. Larger areas of punky wood can be consolidated with commercially available hardening agents. Soft areas can be hardened with crazy glue or epoxy. If you have to sand, the paper must be backed by a rigid backing surface or the soft areas will be scooped out. The best surface is produced with a sharp hand plane. Working with Spalted Maple can be a challenge. If an interesting spalted piece of lumber is found, it must be dried quickly to stop the fungi from further growth.
Too much time and the wood will deteriorate and be unsuitable for use. Too little time will not allow the fungi to work their magic. It can take several years for the process to produce visually interesting pieces. The time to produce spalted material is variable since each fungi has its own timetable for growth. The decay process starts quickly as the fungal spores are always present in the environment. Fallen logs, stumps and neglected air-dried lumber are common sources. The black lines are produced when adjacent areas of fungal growth create barriers between each other they are protecting their own turf, so to speak. All of these fungi will interact with each other, with some species providing the environment and conditions for other fungi to grow. These colours are produced by pigments metabolized by the fungi and deposited in the wood. Other species of fungi are involved in the production of the other remarkable colours present in Spalted Maple. White rot fungi are responsible for areas that are coloured white and the production of soft, punky wood as they consume the lignin and cellulose present in the wood. Various species of fungi are responsible for the spalting process. Warm temperatures are also preferred by the fungi for optional growth and the process will slow when temperatures fall below 50 degrees F. Kiln drying will essentially kill off the fungi and stop the decay process. Once the moisture content drops below 20% the fungi stop growing. Green wood with a moisture content above 40% is perfect for fungal growth. Spalting is a natural process that requires wet wood.
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