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American Ash | Fraxinus spp.

American Ash is a light-coloured hardwood with good strength properties that is used in flooring, furniture and architectural interiors.

Similar in appearance to European Ash, American Ash is a light-coloured hardwood with good strength properties that is used in flooring, furniture and architectural interiors.

American Ash is the trade name for a number of sub species of Ash that grow throughout the eastern USA. It is a versatile and attractive hardwood with good strength properties.

Other Names: Northern Ash, Southern Ash, White Ash, American White Ash, Brown Ash

Overview
Properties
Description
Applications
Suppliers

Overview

American Ash is the trade name for a variety of sub species of Ash that are grown in the eastern parts of the USA. It is similar in appearance to European Ash, with very pale sapwood and heartwood that varies from a greyish brown to light brown, or a pale yellow with brown streaks. The timber or veneer from the American Ash is sometimes sold based on colour, with White Ash referring to the sapwood and Brown Ash referring to the heartwood. It is available in a wide range of grades and specifications.

American Ash has good strength properties and is usually straight-grained with a uniform texture. The timber has good hardness and steam bends well; it also machines well and is an excellent timber for woodturning. Overall, American Ash is easily worked, responding well to nailing, screwing and gluing. It can also be polished to a very high finish. The heartwood is not resistant to decay and is moderately resistant to preservative treatment, limiting the timber to interior applications. The sapwood, however, is permeable.

Common applications for American Ash include furniture, flooring, doors, architectural interiors, high-end joinery and mouldings, cabinetry, paneling in the form of veneers, tool handles, sports goods and turnings. It is also becoming popular in the construction of electric guitars. It is an attractive and versatile timber for a vast range of interior applications.

American Ash is readily available in the Eastern USA, where the various sub species grow. It is available in Australia from specialist timber suppliers as both sawn timber and veneer.

Properties

Shrinkage

	Very Low	Low	Medium	High	Very High
Tangential:
Tangential:				7.8
Radial:				4 - 5
Unit Movement:				6.2 %

Strength Group

	Very High	High	Reasonably High	Medium High	Medium	Reasonably Low	Low	Very Low
Unseasoned:	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S7
Unseasoned:
Seasoned:	SD1	SD2	SD3	SD4	SD5	SD6	SD7	SD8
Seasoned:

Stress Grade

Unseasoned:
	Structural No. 1	Structural No. 2	Structural No. 3	Structural No. 4	Structural No. 5
Seasoned:

Density per Standard

Unseasoned:	0 kg/m³
Seasoned:	673 kg/m³

Joint Group

	Very High	High	Reasonably High	Medium	Low	Very Low
Unseasoned:	J1	J2	J3	J4	J5	J6
Unseasoned:
Seasoned:	JD1	JD2	JD3	JD4	JD5	JD6
Seasoned:

Colour

White, yellow, pale straw to light brown	Pink to pink brown	Light to dark red	Brown, chocolate, mottled or streaky

Mechanical Properties

Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned:	103.425
Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned:	11.977
Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned:	51.092
Hardness - Seasoned:	5.871

Durability

	Low	Moderate	Reasonably High	High
	(0 - 5 yrs)	(5 - 15 yrs)	(15 - 25 yrs)	(more than 25 yrs)
In-Ground:
	(0 - 7 yrs)	(7 - 15 yrs)	(15 - 40 yrs)	(More than 40 yrs)
Above ground:
	(0 - 20 yrs, usually < 5)	(21 - 40 yrs)	(41 - 64 yrs)	(More than 60 yrs)
Marine Borer Resistance:

Lyctid Borer Susceptibility:	Susceptible
Termite Resistance:	Not Resistant

Fire Properties

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
EFH Ignitibility:

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
EFH Spread-of-Flame Index:
EFH Smoke-Developed Index:

	1 - non-combustible	2 - reasonably non-combustible	3 - slightly combustible	4 - combustible
Fire Properties Group Number:

Description

Botanical Name:	Fraxinus spp.
Preferred Common Name:	American Ash
Other Names:	Northern Ash, Southern Ash, White Ash, American White Ash, Brown Ash
Photographer Name:	Copyright AHEC
Species Type:	Hardwood

Appearance

American Ash varies in appearance according to the sub species from which the timber or veneer is sourced. Sapwood is generally pale to almost white; heartwood ranges from greyish brown to light brown, to pale yellow with brown streaks. It is sometimes sold separately according to sapwood colour as White Ash, or heartwood colour as Brown Ash. It is a straight-grained wood with a coarse but uniform texture. Common to the species are light brown flecks or mineral streaks but these are not considered to be defects and are treated as a natural characteristic of the timber.

Common Applications

American Ash is a popular and versatile timber used in a vast range of interior applications, such as flooring, furniture, joinery and cabinetry, mouldings, panelling, sports equipment and turning. Available as a proprietary thermally modified timber, suitable for external cladding and decking. It is also becoming popular in the construction of solid-bodied electric guitars.

Common Form

Sawn, Veneer

Workability

American Ash is highly workable, responding well to steam bending, nailing, gluing, sawing, carving, moulding, etc. It is an excellent woodturning timber and polishes to a high finish.

Origin of Timber

North America

Readily Available

NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, QLD, WA, NT

Availability - Further Information

American Ash is readily available in Australia from specialist timber suppliers.

Source of Timber

Native Forest

Applications

Decking

Timber decking creates spaces that are functional, practical and aesthetically pleasing. With the right design and care a timber deck will make a valuable addition to any home or business, creating an outdoor living space that will be enjoyed for years to come.
External Cladding

The natural appeal, versatility and strength of timber makes it the superior choice for external cladding. Through specification, planning, design and finishing processes, timber cladding not only creates a building of superior strength, acoustic and thermal performance but also creates a place of beauty, style and natural appeal.
Flooring

Whether for structural or finished flooring applications, timber offers durability, versatility and adaptability. The warmth, strength and natural beauty of timber flooring has proved enduringly popular in a wide variety of interior settings.
Interior Rails and Balustrades

With its natural beauty and inherent strength, timber is a popular material choice in internal balustrade construction. Commonly built from treated softwoods and durable hardwoods, interior balustrades and handrails are typically finished with a clear lacquer to generate the most natural result.
Interior Stairs

Timber should be the material of choice for designers seeking internal staircases of strength, beauty and durability. The construction procedure described here applies to most general type stairs of either conventional or contemporary construction.
Internal Paneling

Timber paneling creates interiors as warm as they are stylish. Commonly utilising an MDF or plywood substrate, internal timber paneling is natural and versatile and comes as either solid natural timber panels or as sheets of engineered wood products
Timber Joinery Products

Timber joinery products offer a classic, unique and stylish touch to any interior design.
Timber Mouldings

Mouldings are extremely versatile and durable, enhancing the aesthetics of any interior and functioning as the icing on the cake for designs with a focus on beauty and splendour.