Material · N°03
Ash — the wood that knows how to bend.
Fraxinus excelsior
Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is among the most flexible of European timbers — its ability to take load without breaking makes it the first choice for projects involving steam-bent details: chair backs, table legs, handles. Ash's light tone and even grain also sit beautifully in contemporary interiors that prefer to move away from oak's pronounced figure.
Properties
- Latin name
- Fraxinus excelsior
- Density
- 0.65–0.72 g/cm³
- Tone
- Pale cream, light brown
- Grain
- Even, with moderate texture
- Hardness (Brinell)
- 3.8–4.0 kN
- Origin
- Europe, including Latvia
Best suited for
- · Chair backs and legs (steam-bent)
- · Table legs and structural details
- · Furniture handles and trim
- · Sporting goods (traditionally)
- · Contemporary design surfaces
Care
How to keep the piece serving for decades.
Ash is fairly resistant to daily use but, like other pale timbers, reacts to prolonged sunlight (it can shift tone). Day to day — a soft, damp cloth. Every six months — surface oiling or waxing.