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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Trade Name Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Fraxinus americana Trade Name White ash Family Name Oleaceae Common Names American ash, Ash, Biltmore ash, Biltmore white ash, Black ash, Canadian ash, Cane ash, Fresno, Green ash, Mountain ash, Quebec ash, Red ash, White ash, White river ash Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Agricultural implements, Baseball bats, Baskets, Bedroom suites, Beehives, Bent Parts, Billiard-cue butts, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Food containers, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles, Handles: general, Hatracks, Hockey sticks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Oars, Office furniture, Paddles, Paneling, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad cars, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Shafts/Handles, Skis, Sporting Goods, Stools, Tables , Tables, Tool handles, Toys, Utility furniture, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Generally secure within its natural habitat Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant Distribution Overview White ash inhabits eastern North America. It occurs from Nova Scotia west to eastern Minnesota and south to Texas and northern Florida Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Greenish to greyish Pale brown Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White to yellow Paler than heartwood Clearly differentiated from the heartwood White in color Grain Straight Figure Growth rings (figure) Even Closed Stripe (figure) Generally straight, but not always Clear growth rings (figure) Striped figure Burrs Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Coarse Fine The material is normally coarse-textured. Luster Medium Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Moderately durable Non durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Very little natural resistance Susceptible to attack by fungi Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Moderately durable Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast T8-B4 (4/4) T5-B3 (8/4)US Drying Defects Discoloration Slight end splitting Ease of Drying Slowly Fairly Easy Reconditioning Treatement Little degrade Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Variable results. Dries faster than average. Kiln-drying yields satisfactory results, low temperatures required Product Sources Supplies of Ash are plentiful on the US market. The cost of Ash, which was once moderate, is steadily rising. Substitutes African celtis (Celtis mildbraedii), Axlewood (Anogeissus latifolia), White tabebuia (Tabebuia insignis) and Santa maria (Calophyllum brasiliense) Strength properties of the following species are similar to White ash: Silver birch (Betula pendula) for toughness, Brown sterculia (Sterculia rhinopetala) for toughnesss and Australian blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) for impact strength. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on machining is moderate There is moderate blunting effect on cutting tools. Boring Fair to good results He wood is characteristically very easy to bore. Carving Fair to Good Results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Very little cutting resistance Gluing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Moderate gluing properties Satisfactory gluing properties Easy to glue Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor mortising properties Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Stable Superior to Red oak Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Holds nails well Pre-boring recommended Good resistance to splitting while nailing Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Resistant Heartwood is permeable He wood responds well to preservative treatment. Resistance to Splitting Poor Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Reponds well Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing yields good results Fairly good screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Properties are rather poor Veneering Qualities There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Moderately easy to veneer Sliced into decorative veneers for paneling and furniture uses. Used to manufacture plywood Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Very good Good Fair/moderate (,50% of pieces are unbroken during steam bending) Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Staining Finish is generally good Often finished in black Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Hardness (side grain) = soft Bending strength (MOR) = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Work to Maximum Load = very low Max. crushing strength = low Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Hardness (side grain) = medium Density (dry weight) = 53-60 Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8928 14533 psi Crushing Strength 750 1313 psi Density 42 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1264 lbs Impact Strength 46 46 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3799 6763 psi Shearing Strength 2079 psi Static Bending 4572 7501 psi Stiffness 1462 1720 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 10 16 inch-lbs/in3 Specific Gravity 0.52 0.62 Weight 42 40 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Volumetric Shrinkage 13 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 627 1021 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 52 92 kg/cm2 Density 673 kg/m3 Hardness 573 kg Impact Strength 116 116 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 267 475 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 146 kg/cm2 Static Bending 321 527 kg/cm2 Stiffness 102 120 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.70 1.12 cm-kg/cm3 Specific Gravity 0.52 0.62 Weight 673 641 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % References Betts, H.S.,1945,American Woods - Ash,USDA, Forest Service American Woods Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Brown, H.P. and Panshin, A.J.,1940,Commercial Timbers of the United States Their structure, identification,,properties and uses,McGraw-Hill, London Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World: - No.7 North America,TRADA Canadian Forestry Service. 1981. Canadian Woods - Their Properties and Uses. Third Edition. E.J. Mullins and T.S. McKnight, Editors. Published by University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO Harrar, E.S.,1942,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 3. Directional and Volume,Shrinkage,Tropical Woods,9(71, pp26-32 HMSO, 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R.H. Farmer. Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kaiser, J. Wood of the Month: Ash - A Big Leaguer's Choice. Wood and Wood Products, September, 1987. Page 40. Kline, M. 1983. Fraxinus americana - White ash. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World, Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. Page 162. Kloot, N.H., Bolza, E.,1961,Properties of Timbers Imported into Australia,C.S.I.R.O. Forest Products Division Technological Paper,No.12 Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Markwardt, L.J., Wilson, T.R.C.,1935,Strength and related properties of woods grown in the United States,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin,No.479 Mullins, E.J. and McKnight, T.S.,1981,Canadian Woods Their Properties and Uses,University of Toronto Press 3rd Edition NWFA. 1994. Wood Species Used in Wood Flooring. Technical Publication No. A200, National Wood Flooring Association, Manchester, MO. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Rendle, B.J.,1969,World Timbers (3 Vols.,Ernest Benn Ltd. London Stone, H.,1924,The Timbers of Commerce and their Identification,William Rider & Sons Ltd. London Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition U.S.D.A. Forest Service,1974,Wood Handbook,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Handbook,72 USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook:Wood as an Engineering Material. Agriculture Handbook No. 72. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.