Ash, White

Botanical Name: Fraxinus Americana

The white ash group presents numerous species (for example: the American white ash, blue ash, green ash and Oregon ash).

While the American white ash, blue ash and green ash can be find in the eastern United States, the Oregon ash grows mainly along the Pacific coast.

The American white ash is generally used for baseball bats, oars, and other sporting goods, while the white ash group is used for furniture, cabinets, flooring, and other millwork.

The lifespan of ash is about 300 years, and the average height for a fully grown tree is between 65 and 100 feet, having a diameter between 2 and 5 feet.

History

Ash has a rich and great history which involves ancient mythology. The Norse believed that the ash tree supported the heavens while its roots traversed the underworld. British folklore talked about the healing effects of the ash.

Before making a reputation in the flooring industry, the white ash was used for a variety of items (for example tennis racquets).Furthermore, it has also long been used in the food industry, as a packaging for food because the wood leaves imparts no taste on the items. Longbows can also be manufactured by white ash.

Nowadays, hardwood has been used in the body of electric guitars. Many parts of the tree, in addition to the timber, have also been historically used. The inner bark from some varieties was used to create a blue dye and the bark of others has been used in traditional Chinese homeopathic remedies.

Durability

Janka rating determines the durability of a hardwood floor.

While 0 is the softest wood from the scale, 4000 is the highest rating.

White ash receives a rating of 1320, slightly harder than red oak. This makes it ideal for being used as hardwood floors.

Workability

White ash is easily machined and is well adapted to gluing, nailing, and screwing. It dries quickly with very little degradation and once dried has little movement in performance. It can be sanded and stained with minimal difficulty. This hardwood has very good shock resistance and is a good choice for steam bending.

Where to use

Ash is a very durable hardwood and it is appropriate to use in any area. While the coarse grain is similar to oak, the colors are quite distinctive. The natural color of the sapwood is light, almost white and the heartwood of ash can have different colors (for example grey, light brown, and pale yellow).

It is possible to customize the flooring with dark stains for making it more appropriate to the home’s décor. Because the grain is uniform and straight, this type of hardwood is a perfect pick for those who want to own a smaller pattern in their flooring.

Ash is strong and durable and it can be used in higher traffic areas. We do not recommend installing any type of hardwood in areas where the flooring may be exposed to excessive moisture.

Care and Maintenance

It is necessary to take precautions in order to maintain the integrity and beauty of your hardwood flooring.

Preventative maintenance is the most important first step. All entryways and areas that receive a high amount of foot traffic need to be protected with runners or rugs. The next step is placing pads under the legs of furniture to prevent scuff marks. The nails of your pets should be routinely clipped to prevent scratches to the flooring.

Routine maintenance will benefit the flooring as well. In order to do that you have to regularly remove dirt and sand from the floor with a broom or vacuum set to a hardwood setting. This prevents the sand and dirt from scouring the flooring and damaging the finish. Spills of any kind need to be immediately wiped up in order to prevent stains from seeping into the wood.

Environmental Issues

Ash trees provide home to animals such as, squirrels, birds, and insect larvae and the fruit and leaves from the trees feed others.

The Emerald Ash Borer, or Agrilus planipennis, was accidentally introduced into North America from its native home of eastern Asia. Millions of trees have been killed in Michigan and Ontario as well as in isolated areas of eastern North America. The beetle has killed trees in forests as well as ornamental trees planted in residential and commercial sectors. Studies have indicated that the beetle is able to destroy trees regardless of the type of environment in which they are located. The continued spread of these beetles could threaten the estimated seven billion ash trees in North America. This could affect one in 10 trees. In time, this devastates  the ecosystem.

White ash is mostly used for baseball bats, oars, and other sporting goods. Overall, the white ash group is used for furniture, cabinets, flooring, and other millwork.

The lifespan of ash is about 300 years, and the average height is between 65 and 100 feet with a diameter between 2 and 5 feet.