What is ash wood?

The Wood Guide · The wood register

Broadleaf wood · reference

Ash wood

The wood that bends without breaking. From hockey sticks to chair backs — where springiness counts, ash comes first.

Fraxinus excelsior / americana
Highly shock-resistant
Class 5 — indoors only

Fraxinus spp.

European ashFraxinus excelsior

Untreated planed ash board, pale in colour (Fraxinus) — Untreated planed ash board, pale in colourFraxinus

Ash along the grain: straight fibres and distinct growth rings (Fraxinus excelsior) — Ash along the grain: straight fibres and distinct growth ringsFraxinus excelsior

Close-up of ash end grain: rows of large pores in each ring (Fraxinus) — Close-up of ash end grain: rows of large pores in each ringFraxinus

Summary

Ash in brief

From the ash tree (Fraxinus spp.), a genus of broadleaf trees found in temperate climates all over the world. Two species dominate timber production.

European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) grows in Europe and western Asia; white ash (Fraxinus americana) is native to eastern and central North America. The wood of both is strikingly similar: pale, with pronounced growth rings and a straight grain.

Where ash excels is its combination of strength and elasticity. It bends a long way and springs back rather than breaking, and it absorbs shocks. That is why tool handles, hockey sticks, oars and bent chair parts have traditionally been made of ash.

Heartwood and sapwood

The heartwood is light to dark brown, the sapwood white to pale yellow. With ash, the pale sapwood is often the part people value — the pale, even look you see in Scandinavian furniture is largely sapwood.

Botanical: Fraxinus excelsior, F. americana
Origin: Europe, western Asia, North America
Colour: heartwood light to dark brown, sapwood white to pale yellow
Texture: fine to medium-coarse, straight grain, distinct figure
Strength: high, with exceptional elasticity
Durability: class 5 — indoors only

To be fair: ash is not durable. Class 5 means it rots within a few years if left unprotected outdoors, and it is also prone to woodworm. Ash is an indoor wood, full stop.

Measurable

Why ash is so springy

Ring-porous

Each year starts with a row of large vessels, followed by dense fibrous tissue. That alternation makes the wood strong along its length and elastic when bent.

Shock-resistant

It absorbs impacts rather than passing them on. Exactly what an axe handle or a hockey stick needs to do.

Steam-bends well

Under steam, ash can be bent into tight curves without breaking — the basis of classic bentwood chairs.

Pronounced figure

The ring pores give a strongly striped grain that really comes into its own after staining.

Uses

What ash is used for

Use	Why ash	Distinctive
Tool handles	Shock absorption and strength	Axes, hammers, spades — the classic choice
Sports equipment	Elasticity	Hockey sticks, oars, gym equipment
Furniture	Pale, strong, steam-bendable	Bent chair backs and Scandinavian design
Parquet	Hard and light in colour	Popular in clean-lined interiors
Veneer	Pronounced figure	Especially olive ash, with dark heartwood flames
Outdoor work	Unsuitable	Class 5 — choose oak or acacia

Ash dieback

Since the 2010s, European ash across large parts of Europe has been hit by ash dieback, a fungus that kills branches and eventually whole trees. That puts pressure on European supply and explains why ash has become more expensive. It makes reusing existing ash all the more worthwhile.

Quick answer

Frequently asked questions about ash wood

Can ash wood go outdoors?

No. Ash is in durability class 5 and is also prone to woodworm. For outdoor use, choose oak, acacia or pressure-treated softwood.

Why is ash used in hockey sticks?

For its combination of strength and elasticity: it bends a long way and springs back rather than breaking, and it absorbs shocks. The same reason axe handles are made of ash.

What is olive ash?

Ash with dark-coloured heartwood that contrasts strongly with the pale sapwood. It is the same tree; the colouring develops in older trees and yields sought-after veneer.

What is ash dieback?

A fungal disease that has been attacking European ash since the 2010s and kills whole trees. It has shrunk European supply and pushed up the price.

Ash in perspective

A reference species in our register — the springiest broadleaf wood in Europe.

To The Wood Guide Beech wood Broadleaf trees

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Fraxinus — Tim van de Staak, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fraxinus excelsior — Beentree, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fraxinus — Simon A. Eugster, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Fraxinus excelsior — Willow, CC BY 2.5

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What is ash wood?

Ash wood

Ash in brief