WHITE ASH

Color/Appearance: The heartwood is a light brown color, though darker shades can also be seen, which is sometimes sold as Olive Ash.

Grain/Pore: Has a medium to coarse texture similar to oak. The grain is almost always straight and regular, though sometimes curly or figured boards can be found.

Durability: Heartwood is rated as perishable, or only slightly durable in regard to decay. Ash is also not resistant to insect attack.

Workability: Easy to work, and takes glues, stains, and finishes well.

Smell: Gives off a distinct, moderately unpleasant smell when being worked.

Safety: Ash in the Fraxinus genus has been reported to occasionally cause a decrease in lung function. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price/Availability: Ash is among the least expensive utility hardwoods available domestically; it should compare similarly to oak in terms of price.

Comments: White Ash has fairly good strength properties for its weight, and is also shock resistant. Some common uses for ash include flooring, millwork, boxes/crates, baseball bats, and other turned objects such as tool handles.