White Ash Dimensional Lumber
Discover the versatility of white ash dimensional lumber! This wood is known for its practical strength and understated elegance. With a straight-to-wavy grain pattern and excellent shock resistance, woodworkers frequently choose white ash for furniture, millwork, and wood-turning projects.
What You Need to Know About Our White Ash Dimensional Lumber
At North Castle Hardwoods, we sell solid hardwood ash lumber at nominal thicknesses of 4/4, 5/4, and 6/4, plus thin stock. Boards are surfaced on 4 sides and dimensioned to exact tolerances. You can order dimensional ash boards on our website in widths of 2.5” to 6.5” and lengths up to 48”. Longer pieces are available upon request.
You can expect premium-quality boards when you order from North Castle Hardwoods since our proprietary grading standards exceed typical grading requirements.
Characteristics of White Ash
White ash has a neutral color. Other ash species – such as green ash or black ash – may be brown in color. But at North Castle Hardwoods, we select pure white ash trees with bright, brilliant sapwood and a heartwood that’s beige to light brown. Ash’s natural beige color will “amber” with time if not finished with a stain or UV-protective polyurethane finish. Fortunately, ash wood has open pores and takes stains very well. You can use gel, oil, or water-based stains to get some creative finishes on your ash projects.
Other Names for White Ash
The scientific name for white ash trees is Fraxinus americana. In a horticultural context, it may be called Biltmore ash. Ash is in the olive tree family. Green ash and black ash species are sold as “dimensional ash lumber” in some contexts, but we exclude them from our ash lumber offering.
Where We Source Our White Ash
Our white ash is sustainably harvested from the Great Lakes region of North America. We know that healthy forests are not only crucial for the well-being of our planet but produce the best lumber. That’s why we work only with a very small handful of loggers and sawmills to select-cut trees in a way that will benefit the forests and provide our customers with high-quality, high-yield lumber so as little as possible goes to waste.
Common Uses For White Ash Dimensional Lumber
White ash wood has a Janka hardness rating of 1,320. Ash is often called a “moderately hard” wood because its rating is much lower than exotic woods that can have Janka ratings of over 5,000, But in terms of lumber species that are dense and durable but not too hard to work with, ash is near the top of the charts.
Since ash is tough but lightweight, it’s great for projects that see everyday use. Trimwork, millwork, flooring, tool handles, and sporting goods like baseball bats are common uses for ash. It turns and stem-bends well and is popular for mid-century modern and restaurant furniture. It resists splitting and is good for hand-carving. Power tools work well on ash wood, but bits need to be very sharp or they will burn this type of lumber.
Whether you start with 4/4” boards, thick stock, or thin stock dimensional lumber, the timeless charm of white ash will stand out in woodworking creations more than you might expect!
