White Ash
Fraxinus americana · Hardwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 1,320 lbf (5,871 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 37 lb/ft³ (600 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.60 |
| Modulus of rupture | 15,400 psi (106.2 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 1.74 million psi (12.00 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 7,410 psi (51.1 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 4.9% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 7.8% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 13.3% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 1.6 |
Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5–3b p. 5–9; shrinkage Table 4–3 p. 4–8.
White ash is a heavy, strong, hard hardwood (specific gravity 0.60, Janka hardness 1,320 lbf) with unusually high shock resistance. American white ash is the classic wood for nonstriking tool handles, oars, and baseball bats.
Appearance & grain
The heartwood is brown. The sapwood is light colored to nearly white, giving a strong color contrast in the log.
Workability
The Handbook describes the white ash group as heavy, strong, hard, and stiff, with high resistance to shock. That toughness is what suits the wood to handles, oars, bats, and other sporting and athletic goods.
Common uses
- Tool handles
- Oars
- Baseball bats and other sporting goods
- Decorative veneer
- Cabinets
- Furniture
- Flooring
- Millwork
- Crates
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered (checked 2026-10-24).
Work with White Ash
Similar woods
Related reading: Read our white ash lumber guide
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
Property data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-282 (2021).