White Ash
Fraxinus americana · hardwood · Eastern North America · moderate movement
- Janka hardness 1,320 lbfred oak ≈ 1,290 lbf
- Density ≈ 42 lb/ft³specific gravity 0.6 at 12% MC
- Shrinkage — tangential 7.8%flatsawn width, green → ovendry
- Shrinkage — radial 4.9%quartersawn width
- T/R ratio 1.6 : 1higher = more cupping in flatsawn stock
Shop notes Tough, springy, and open-grained — the classic tool-handle and baseball-bat wood. Bends beautifully; predictable movement for its density.
Seasonal movement at a glance
Width change for white ash across a typical indoor year — 6% moisture content in the heated winter to 12% in a humid summer:
| Board width | Flatsawn | Quartersawn |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ | 3/32″ (0.100″) | 1/16″ (0.063″) |
| 12″ | 3/16″ (0.201″) | 1/8″ (0.126″) |
| 24″ | 13/32″ (0.401″) | 1/4″ (0.252″) |
| 36″ | 19/32″ (0.602″) | 3/8″ (0.378″) |
Run your own numbers
Different width, different climate swing — the calculator below is preset to white ash:
Typical swings:
White Ash questions
How much does white ash move with the seasons?
A 12″-wide flatsawn white ash board moves about 3/16″ across a typical indoor swing from 6% to 12% moisture content; quartersawn, about 1/8″. Its tangential shrinkage is 7.8% and radial 4.9% (green to ovendry) — a moderate-movement wood.
How hard is white ash?
White Ash rates about 1,320 lbf on the Janka scale — in red oak’s hardness neighborhood (red oak is roughly 1,290 lbf). Density runs about 42 lb/ft³ at indoor moisture levels.
Is white ash good for wide panels and tabletops?
Yes, with normal precautions: its 1.6:1 tangential-to-radial ratio is unusually balanced, so panels stay flatter than most. Still fasten solid tops so they can move across their width.
Similar species
Rock Elm · American Beech · Northern Red Oak · White Oak · Post Oak · Bur Oak
Shrinkage, specific gravity, and hardness from the Wood Handbook, FPL-GTR-282 (2021 edition), USDA Forest Products Laboratory (public domain). Values are species averages — individual boards vary with growth conditions and how they were dried.