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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 References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Fraxinus excelsior Trade Name European ash Family Name Oleaceae Common Names Ash, Belgian ash, Common ash, English ash, European ash, Europeesche esche, French ash, Fresno, Hungarian ash, Italian olive ash, Olive ash, Polish ash, Slavonian ash, Spanish ash, Swedish ash, Vanlig ash, Vanlig ask Regions of Distribution Africa, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean Sea Region, Oceania and S.E. Asia, Western Europe Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] France, Hungary, Libya, Turkey, United Kingdom Common Uses Agricultural implements, Artificial limbs, Baseball bats, Bent Parts, Billiard-cue butts, Boat building (general), Boat building: framing, Boxes and crates, Broom handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Chairs, Chests, Coffins, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Handles: general, Handles: woodworking tools, Hatracks, Hockey sticks, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Ladders, Living-room suites, Marquetry, Mine timbers, Oars, Office furniture, Paneling , Plywood, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Skis, Sporting Goods, Stools, Tables , Tool handles, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vats, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting, Walking sticks, Wardrobes, Wheel spokes, Wheels Environmental Profile Questionable Extinct Abundant/Secure Vulnerable Endangered Status unknown in many of its growth areas Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Throughout British Isles and Europe into Asia Minor and Caucuses. Rare north of Great Glen in Scotland. Prefers mostly calcerous soils although found on all except poorest and acid soils (above ph 5.5). Prefers moist but well drained fertile soils. Up to 450m in altitude. Grows well in mixed stands provided not shaded. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow White Pink White to cream Pale red to pink Brown Pale brown Whitish Pink when freshly cut Greenish to greyish The heartwood is pink when freshly cut, turning pale brown or white on exposure. Some material may have dark brown to black heartwood, which is strong and sound, and usually sold as olive ash. Sapwood Color White Yellow Same as heartwood White to yellow Well defined Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Figure Growth rings (figure) Distinct (figure) Even Closed Stripe (figure) Mottled (figure) Wavy Variable (figure) Straight Clear growth rings (figure) Striped figure Distinct figure Wavy Variable figure Mottled figure Distinct and very fine figure Texture Medium Fine Coarse Medium coarse to coarse Medium Porous earlywood bands are reported to give the wood a coarse texture. Large open pores, which are very conspicuous in cross-section, appear as clearly visible lines on radial surfaces, and as broad irregular bands on tangential surfaces. Luster Low Dull Natural Durability Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to termites Perishable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Non durable Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Heartwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Very durable Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Sapwood susceptible to attack by common furniture beetles Moderately durable Little natural resistance Durable Despite its strength, ash wood has very little natural resistance to decay and will deteriorate rapidly if exposed to damp outdoor conditions. The sapwood is susceptible to attack by both the powder-post and common furniture beetles and logs and tress are liable to attack by forest longhorn or Buprestid beetles. Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a moderate speed UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5 UK=D US=T3D2/T3C1 Schedule D - United Kingdom Drying Defects Checking Distortion Slight surface checking Severe end splitting Slight end splitting Slight twist/warp Slight checking and cracking Moderate end spitting Splitting and checking are slight but there is a tendency for the material to distort if kiln temperatures are not kept low. End-splitting may be severe. Severely shrunk and distorted material responds well to reconditioning treatment Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Easy Moderate Dries at a fairly rapid rate Difficult Requires care in order to minimize degrade. Some drying degrade can be corrected by reconditioning treatment Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Ash trees are relatively short-lived; a maximum of 200 years Comments European ash is quite variable in quality. It is similar to European beech (Fagus sylvatica ) in most properties, but is considerably higher in toughness. The wood is often cleaved, instead of sawn, to retain the strength of each piece. Selected logs are split into segments, which are then shaped with hand tools or turned on lathes, into its final form. General finishing qualities are rated as good General finishing qualities are rated as satisfactory Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Satisfactory sawing characteristics Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Gluing Easy to glue Moderate gluing properties Satisfactory gluing properties Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Medium The timber is reported to attain moderate dimensional stability after seasoning, and exhibits medium movement in normal use. Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fair to Good Results Possible if prebored Pre-boring recommended Holds nails well Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Specific information not available Responds satisfactorily to all woodworking operations Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Heartwood is moderately resistant Sapwood is permeable Sapwood is moderately resistant Moderately resistant Heartwood is permeable The wood is rated as moderately resistant. Material containing black or dark brown heartwood is resistant to preservative treatment. Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Moderate working qualities Easy to machine Satisfactorily Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory sanding characteristics Screwing Screwing yields good results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Finish is generally satisfactory Turns with moderate ease Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy Veneers easily Easy to cut Drying degrade is often moderate to severe, with collapse, buckles, and splilts Steam Bending Very good Excellent steam bending properties Wood containing knots and irregular grain may pose some problems Painting Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Poor results Staining Finish is generally good Good staining qualities Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Max. crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = large Hardness (side grain) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Hardness (side grain) = soft Bending strength (MOR) = low Toughness (total work) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Modulus of Ela