European Ash

European Ash (F. americana pictured)

Common Name(s): European Ash, Common Ash

Scientific Name: Fraxinus excelsior

Distribution: Europe and southwestern Asia

Tree Size: 65-115 ft (20-35 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 40 lbs/ft³ (650 kg/m³)

Basic Specific Gravity: .49

Hardness: 1,480 lb_f (6,580 N)

Bending Strength: 15,020 lb_f/in² (103,590 kPa)

Elasticity: 1,785,000 lb_f/in² (12,310 MPa)

Shrinkage: Radial: 5.7%, Tangential: 9.6%, Volumetric: 15.3%, T/R Ratio: 1.7

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 Range: European Ash is the European equivalent to White Ash of the United States, and both should be among the least expensive utility hardwoods available domestically, respectively. It should compare similarly to oak in terms of price.

Comments: European 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.

Related Species:

Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra)

Blue Ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata)

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia)

Pumpkin Ash (Fraxinus profunda)

White Ash (Fraxinus americana)

Scans/Pictures: There are currently no pictures of this exact wood species, but a similar species within the Fraxinus genus is being substituted (F. americana). If you’d like to contribute a wood sample of this specific species to be scanned, (even small pieces of veneer can be sent), please use the contact form.

White Ash (sanded)