Wood Species Guide
Black Ash
Fraxinus nigra
Also called: Brown Ash, Basket Ash, Swamp Ash (regional, shared), Hoop Ash, Water Ash
What Black Ash looks like
Heartwood is a grayish to medium brown, darker than white ash, with a lighter tan sapwood.
Grain and texture
Straight grain with a coarse, ring-porous texture. The bold growth rings look like white ash.
Working Black Ash: planing, cutting and gluing
Softer and lighter than white ash, and it works easily with hand and power tools. Pounded logs separate along the growth rings into thin splints, which is why it is the classic basket wood. Glues and finishes well.
Finishing Black Ash: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Takes stain and clear finishes nicely, and the grain shows strongly. The open pores will release air into epoxy, so seal-coat first. Color mellows a little with time.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Perishable outdoors and prone to powderpost beetles. Moves moderately once dry. In Florida, acclimate it indoors and finish all faces.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Black ash is best known for woven baskets and chair seats, a tradition held by many Native nations of the Northeast. The emerald ash borer is killing it across its range, so lumber is mostly salvage. It is a good, easy-working ash for furniture if you find it. We don't stock it, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Black Ash
Baskets and splints, chair seats, furniture, cabinets, interior trim and veneer.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices. Rated Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List because the emerald ash borer is expected to kill most of the remaining trees.
Safety and toxicity
- Skin irritation
- Respiratory / asthma
Ash is a mild irritant. Skin irritation or a runny nose from the dust is reported now and then, but most people have no trouble.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + mask when sanding
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
Ash dust can irritate the skin and airways, and reduced lung function has been reported with heavy exposure. Use dust collection and a mask.
Black Ash in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Black Ash listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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