- Species
- Fraxinus americana (white ash), Fraxinus excelsior (European ash)
- Janka
- About 1,320 lbf
- Density
- About 675 kg/m³
- Stability
- Medium
- Relative cost
- Medium
- Target moisture
- 6 to 9 percent for heated interiors
Materials / Temperate hardwood
Ash: Properties, Grades, Supply and How to Specify It
Strong, springy and pale with a bold open grain. Bends well and stains like oak, at a lower price where supply is steady.
Ash is a pale, open grained hardwood with a high strength to weight ratio and a lot of spring. Those traits made it the classic wood for tool handles, sports equipment and bent chair parts, and its oak like grain makes it a common, lower cost alternative to oak in furniture.
Two main sources reach the furniture trade. White ash and related species come from eastern North America and are graded under NHLA rules. European ash comes from France, Central Europe and the Baltic region under mill trade grades. Both are light in color, and European ash can carry a dark brown heartwood sold as olive ash.
Ash supply is affected by tree pests. The emerald ash borer, an insect first found in North America in 2002, has killed large numbers of ash trees in the United States and Canada, and ash dieback, a fungal disease, has hit European ash. Salvage cutting has kept lumber on the market in some regions, but long term supply of large, high grade logs is less certain than for oak or maple. Confirm availability and price for repeat orders, not only the first one.
Properties
| Janka hardness | About 1,320 lbf (5,870 N) for white ash, about 1,480 lbf (6,580 N) for European ash |
| Density at 12 percent moisture | About 675 kg/m³ for white ash, about 680 kg/m³ for European ash |
| Shrinkage, green to oven dry | About 4.9 percent radial, 7.8 percent tangential (white ash) |
| Grain and texture | Straight grain, coarse open texture similar to oak, with no large ray fleck |
| Color | Wide cream to light brown sapwood, light brown heartwood. European ash may show dark olive streaks. |
| Heartwood durability | Not durable. Indoor use only unless modified or treated. |
| Steam bending | Very good |
Typical published values for wood at about 12 percent moisture. Individual boards and panels vary.
Grades you will see on a quote
The grade decides how much clear wood you pay for. Name it on the RFQ and ask for photos of what the factory calls that grade.
- FAS and FAS 1 Face (NHLA)Long, wide, mostly clear boards for tops, long bent parts and mouldings. The highest price.
- No. 1 Common (NHLA)Shorter clear cuttings. The usual grade for chair and table components.
- No. 2A Common (NHLA)More knots and color. Used for rustic products and short parts.
- White or sap selected ashSorted for pale sapwood faces. Used for a light Scandinavian look and priced above unselected.
- Olive ash and brown heartEuropean ash with dark heartwood streaks, sold as a figured sort. Some buyers want it, others exclude it.
- European trade gradesOften sold under mill names such as prime, select or rustic. Ask the factory for photos of each grade name.
Where ash works
Products and parts where it earns its price, and where another material is the better buy.
Chair parts
Legs, rails, spindles and backs. Strong at small sections and flexible under load.
Bent parts
Steam bent backs, arms and hoops. One of the best temperate species for bending.
Table tops and frames
Light colored tops and bases with an oak like grain at a lower price.
Tool and implement handles
Hammer, axe, rake and shovel handles that need to absorb shock.
Sports equipment
Bats, hockey sticks and gym equipment, where straight grain and spring matter.
Stained furniture to look like oak
Takes oak tone stains well because of its similar open pores.
Where it is a poor fit
- Outdoor products without modification or treatment. Untreated ash decays quickly in the weather.
- Painted parts with a smooth flat finish. The open pores show through paint unless filled.
- Long running programs that depend on one region of supply without a backup species. Ask the factory how secure its ash source is for the next year.
In the factory
How ash behaves in machining, gluing, finishing and drying. These points explain most price and quality differences between quotes.
- MachiningMachines, turns and shapes well with sharp tools. Medium wear on cutters.
- GluingGlues well with PVAc and polyurethane adhesives.
- FinishingTakes stain evenly, much like oak. Fill the pores for a smooth gloss finish. White sapwood can yellow slightly with age under some clear finishes.
- BendingBends to tight radii when steamed. Use straight grain, defect free stock with low grain runout for bent parts.
At each process step
- 06Wood turningStrong and straight-grained, good for legs and handles. Open grain can tear at coves and needs careful sanding before finish.
- 07Wood bendingBends well and holds its shape. Common for chair backs and bentwood parts. Needs straight grain without run-out.
Hardness compared
Ash against the other solid woods buyers ask about. Hardness matters for tops, floors and parts that take knocks. For legs, frames and hidden parts, stability and price usually matter more.
- Hard maple1,450
- Beech1,450
- White oak1,360
- Ash1,320
- Red oak1,290
- Yellow birch1,260
- Acacia1,100
- Teak1,070
- Black walnut1,010
- Rubberwood980
- Cherry950
- Radiata pine710
- Poplar540
How to specify ash
Example RFQ lines you can adapt.
- White ash, NHLA No. 1 Common or better, sap selected white on show faces, kiln dried to 6 to 9 percent.
- European ash for steam bent chair backs, straight grain, no knots in the bend zone, olive heartwood not allowed.
- Ash for stained table frames, mixed sapwood and heartwood allowed, stain to match approved oak color sample.
What to check on samples
Approve one sample in writing and keep it as the reference for every shipment.
- Color sort on a stack of samples: share of sapwood and heartwood plus any olive streaks
- Grain runout and knots on parts that will be bent
- Insect damage or staining from dead standing trees, if the factory buys salvage logs
- Stain color on the actual batch, approved in writing as the master sample
- Moisture readings on finished parts
Alternatives to ash
When price, supply or the use case points elsewhere.
- White oakSimilar open grain and strength, browner color and more durable, at a higher price.
- Red oakSimilar price and grain, with a pinker tone and steady supply in North America.
- BeechAn even harder European species for bent and turned chair parts, with a closed, smooth grain.
- Hard mapleHarder and closed grained, for handles and parts that need wear resistance more than spring.
Products often made in ash: furniture components, table tops and countertops, turned parts and legs, cabinet doors and fronts, panels and veneer, millwork and mouldings, CNC routed parts.
Product lines in ash: chair parts, sofa frames, desk tops, furniture legs, edge glued panels, wood slat wall panels.
Questions about ash
Related guides:
- White Oak vs Ash: Which Species Suits Your Furniture Components
- Steam Bent Wood or Laminated Bending: Which Method Fits Your Part
- NHLA Hardwood Grades Explained: FAS, Select and Common for Buyers
Reference: Wikipedia, Emerald ash borer
Is ash as strong as oak?
Its bending strength is close to oak at a similar weight, and its shock resistance is a known strength, which is why it is used for handles and bats. Typical published Janka hardness is about 1,320 lbf for white ash and about 1,360 lbf for white oak.
Is ash still available after the emerald ash borer?
Yes, ash lumber is still traded, and salvage cutting of affected trees has kept supply going in some regions. Long term supply of large, high grade logs is less certain. Confirm volume and price for repeat orders with the factory.
What is olive ash?
European ash with dark brown to olive streaks in the heartwood. It is sold as a figured sort for decorative work. If you want an even pale color, exclude it in the RFQ.
Can ash be used outdoors?
Not untreated, because its heartwood has low decay resistance. Thermally modified ash is used for some outdoor products. Ask for test data on the modified material.
Other temperate hardwoods
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