Facts
about the European ash.
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
France
Hungary
Libya
Turkey
United Kingdom
Germany
Poland
Baltic countries
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
** Even
** Birds-eye (figure)
* Straight
* Interlocked
*********+ 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 Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
* Max. crushing strength = low
* Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft
Numerical Data
Item ----------------------------------------------------------Green
----------Dry Metric
Bending Strength ----------------------------------636 ---------1056
kg/cm2
Density -----------------------------------------------------------689
kg/cm3
Hardness ---------------------------------------------------------670
kg
Impact Strength -----------------------------------114 -----------104
cm
Maximum Crushing Strength -----------------------268 ----------483
kg/cm2
Shearing Strength ------------------------------------------------145
kg/cm2
Stiffness ------------------------------------------104 -----------125
1000 kg/cm2
Toughness --------------------------------------------------------288
cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load ----------------------------1.40 ---------1.47
cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity -----------------------------------0.49 ----------0.64
Weight --------------------------------------------673 ------------641
kg/cm3
Radial Shrinkage -----------------------------------------------------5
%
Tangential Shrinkage -------------------------------------------------8
%
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