American ash

American ash is ideal for bending and turning. It is strong and tough with distinctive grain, character and colour. 

Latin Name

Fraxinus species, including Fraxinus americana

Other Common Names

northern ash, southern ash

American_ash_big
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American ash trees grow commonly throughout the eastern United States in mixed hardwood forests, from the north in New York State to the southern States along the Gulf of Mexico, and everywhere in between. They grow high in the mountains and low on the plains and coastal areas giving rise to great variety of character. With such widespread distribution in latitude, climate and soil conditions, there are significant variations in ash depending on location, in particular between the slower grown northern and faster grown southern trees. There are also sub-species that add to this variety. Despite some longer-term threats by forest pests and disease to the ash standing stock of timber, ash is a prolific species. 

FOREST GROWTH

Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) data shows U.S. ash growing stock is 657 million m3, 4.5% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock. American ash is growing 3.3 million m3/per year while the harvest is 6.9 million m3 per year. Net volume (after harvest) is increasing -3.5 million m3 each year. The 2014 inventory indicates that U.S. ash growth exceeds harvest in all major supplying states except Michigan and Ohio, which are central to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation. Ash mortality rates and removals are expected to rise in the immediate future, likely in excess of growth in some states, due to the EAB infestation.

Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Delaware Florida Georgia Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming Volume of live trees on forest land, 1000 m³ 0 3.5K All data derives from The Forest Inventory and Analysis Database developed in 2001, a component of the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.Data was compiled by AHEC in May 2020 using the most recent state inventory available (2018 for most states).“Forest volume” refers to “Net volume of live trees on forest land" as defined by FIA (see glossary). FIA forest volume data is available for 49 U.S. states (Hawaii and Washington D.C. are omitted) with total commercially significant hardwood forest volume of 14.6 billionWith the 2008 Farm Bill, every US State was tasked to prepare a Forest Action Plan by 2010, reviewed in 2015, to include comprehensiveassessment of forest condition and a strategy for sustainable forestry. Further details are available from theNational Association of State Foresters
Back to whole mainland U.S. 0-20K 20K-40K 40K-60K 60K-80K 80K-100K 100K-120K > 120K Volume of live trees on forest land, 1000 m³ 0 200K
-15K -10K -5K 0 5K 10K 15K 20K 25K GROWTH AND REMOVALS, 1000 m³ -10K -9K -8K -7K -6K -5K -4K -3K -2K -1K 0 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K GROWTH AND REMOVALS, 1000 m³ -2000 -1750 -1500 -1250 -1000 -750 -500 -250 0 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 GROWTH AND REMOVALS, 1000 m³ -300 -200 -100 0 100 200 300 400 500 GROWTH AND REMOVALS, 1000 m³ Removals 0 Growth 0 Net growth 0
0 200K 400K 600K 800K 1M 1.2M FOREST VOLUME, 1000 m³ 0 40K 80K 120K 160K 200K 240K 280K 320K 360K 400K 440K FOREST VOLUME, 1000 m³ 0 10K 20K 30K 40K 50K 60K 70K 80K 100K FOREST VOLUME, 1000 m³ 0 4K 8K 12K 16K 20K FOREST VOLUME, 1000 m³ Forest volume 0

LCA Tool

10.77
seconds
it takes 19.05 seconds to grow 1m³ of American ash
The replacement rate is calculated from total U.S. annual increment of the specified hardwood species derived from the U.S. Forest Service Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and assumes that 2 m³ of logs is harvested to produce 1 m³ of lumber (i.e. 50% conversion efficiency). The rapid rate of replacement is due to the very large volume of hardwood trees in U.S. forest.

Global Warming Potential (Kg CO2 -eq)

03000-30006000-6000

Primary Energy Demand from Resources (MJ)

04000-40008000-8000

Primary Energy Demand from Renewables (MJ)

010000-1000020000-20000

Acidification Potential (Moles of H+ eq.)

04-48-8

Freshwater Eutrophication Potential (Kg P -eq)

00.002-0.0020.004-0.004

Marine Eutrophication Potential (Kg N -eq)

00.06-0.060.12-0.12

Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (Kg NMVOC)

04-48-8

Resource Depletion (Kg Sb -eq.)

00.0003-0.00030.0006-0.0006
Key
Forestry
Drying
Sawmill
Transport Forest-Kiln
Transport Kiln-Customer
Carbon uptake
Global Warming PotentialPrimary Energy Demand from ResourcesPrimary Energy Demand from RenewablesAcidification PotentialFreshwater Eutrophication PotentialMarine Eutrophication PotentialPhotochemical Ozone Creation PotentialResource Depletion
UnitKg CO2 -eqMJMJMoles of H+ eq.Kg P -eqKg N -eqKg NMVOCKg Sb -eq.
Forestry
/310111000.335/0.0003990.4220.00000241
Drying
38.55806060.2150.0003170.01021.360.0000246
Sawmill
-14180522400.2560.0001590.005210.1830.000218
Transport Forest-Kiln
61.785413.80.2840.0004340.007250.3560.0000374
Transport Kiln-Customer
193257038.83.20.000850.06062.410.000107
Carbon uptake
-2960///////
Total-28105110140004.290.001760.08374.740.00039
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  • Ash from the USA is readily available as sawn lumber and veneer, in a wide range of grades and sizes. In the north the sapwood tends to be less due to the shorter growing season, than in the south where the wood is grown faster with more open grain and texture. Ash may be sold on the basis of colour and is widely available for export. Ash was the 4th major American hardwood species to be exported worldwide by volume in 2015.
     
  • Ash lumber is available in a range of grades from 4/4” (1” or 25.4mm) through to 8/4” (2” or 52mm) although limited volumes of 10/4” (2.5” or 63mm) and 12/4” (3’ or 75mm) can be sourced.
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  • In general ash is a light coloured wood, with sapwood varying from white to yellow and heartwood light to dark brown, sometimes with lighter streaks. The colour difference between the outer light-coloured white sapwood and inner, darker, even brown heartwood is quite distinct. Ash wood is generally straight-grained with a coarse uniform texture. Its appearance has a very strong grain contrast between the softer summer growth and hard winter growth rings. No two pieces are ever the same in appearance.
     
  • Light brown flecks, or mineral streaks, sometimes referred to as ‘glassworm’, are common in ash and are treated as a natural characteristic, and are not considered as a defect under the NHLA Grading Rules. They do not undermine the integrity of the wood.

Mechanical Properties

Ash wood has very good overall strength properties relative to its weight. It has excellent shock resistance, which takes some of the pain from those using hand tools and sports equipment, such as baseball bats. It steam bends very well, so is a favourite of furniture makers and hobbyists. Being very hard, stable when dry and easy to finish and stain, it is ideal for furniture and flooring.

To find out more about the mechanical properties of ash read the full structural guide.

  • 0.6

    Specific Gravity (12% M.C.)

    673 kg/m3

    Average Weight (12% M.C.)

    10.70%

    Average Volume Shrinkage (Green to 6% M.C.)

    103.425 MPa

    Modulus of Rupture

    11,977 MPa

    Modulus of Elasticity

    51.092 MPa

    Compressive strength (parallel to grain)

    5,871 N

    Hardness
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Oiled
ash_oiled
Un-oiled
Ash_unoiled_03.jpg
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Ash lumber machines well, with good performance in nailing, screwing, gluing and can be stained and polished to a very good finish. Black stained ash has experienced several successful fashion cycles in furniture. The wood dries fairly easily with minimal degrade. With good stability there is not much movement in performance. Ash veneer laminates well to board materials. Ash is not resistant to heartwood decay and the heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment, but the sapwood is permeable. This makes ash very suitable for being thermally modified, as has now been proven through its widespread use for decking, cladding, worktops and garden furniture.

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This sustainably managed wood from natural forests of North America, with its excellent environmental credentials, is popular with designers, architects, specialist users and consumers around the world. Its main uses are furniture, flooring, doors, architectural joinery and mouldings, kitchen cabinets, tool and sport handles.

Mouldings
Flooring
Furniture
Doors