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Curly is a description of figure that is in the grain of a board. The picture above is Curly Hard Maple. The Curly pattern refers to the three dimensional effect that comes from the ripples in the grain. It almost appears as though the grain has "curled" along the length of the board. We see this character in a variety of domestic woods - most commonly in the maples (both hard & soft), but we also find it sometimes in the oaks (both red & white), walnut, cherry, and birch. It also appears sometimes in different imported species, notably bubinga, purpleheart, and mahogany. Other names for this character are - fiddleback, tiger, or flamed
The quality of the curly character can vary quite a bit from one board to another, and the supply of this material can be erratic. The value of this wood depends on the quality of the curly grain, and sometimes the color of the wood. In the maples and birch, white sap wood is higher valued.
Here are some more examples of what curly lumber might look like.
CURLY WHITE OAK
CURLY SOFT MAPLE
CURLY BUBINGA
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