European Ash

Durability:

The timber is non-durable and perishable. It is susceptible to insect attack by both powder post and common furniture beetle. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment but back heartwood is resistant.

Mechanical Properties:

This tough, heavy, dense timber is fairly split resistant and has excellent steam bending properties, and with low stiffness and medium resistance to crushing and shock loads.

Seasoning:

European Ash dries fairly rapidly and needs care to avoid surface checking and splitting, but this responds well to reconditioning kiln treatment; medium movement in service.

Uses:

  • The unique qualities of European Ash timber mean it is regarded as one of the best woods for canoe building, boat building and for various other marine uses
  • In fact, European Ash wood is also used for oars, tillers, deck beams and frames, as well as cabinetmaking and furniture, chair making, agricultural implements, vehicle bodies, wheelwrighting, bentwork, fancy turnery and laminated articles
  • Other uses include corestock and plywood manufacture, and decorative veneers for furniture, paneling and marquetry
  • European ash also takes treatment as hardwood (silver grey) and in veneer form, the olive ash figure is highly decorative, especially in stumpwood and burr form
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Description

The heartwood of European Ash is typically cream to pale tan coloured. In some logs, a dark brown to black heartwood is found which is strong and sound and sold as olive ash timber. The wood is tough, flexible and straight grained. The texture is coarse but even. The weight varies between 510-830 kg/m³ (32-51 lb/ft³), average 710 kg/m³ (44 lb/ft³); specific gravity .71.

We have sawn ash timber to suit all requirements. To enquire or for more information, please call 01455 209121.

Additional information

Latin Name

Fraxinus excelsior

Family Name

Oleaceae

Distribution

Grows throughout Europe, North Africa and Western Asia

Also know as

English, French, Polish, Slavonian, etc according to origin.

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