# European ash

> European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is a light to medium brown, oak-like hardwood with a Janka hardness of 1,480 lbf (6,580 N), above English oak at 1,120 lbf and close to beech at 1,450 lbf [1]. Its listed shrinkage is lower than beech and a little higher than English oak [1]. Ash dieback is the main supply concern for the species.

Source page: https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-ash/
Updated: 2026-11-03

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Fraxinus excelsior (also called Common Ash) [1] |
| Janka hardness | 1,480 lbf (6,580 N) [1] |
| Density | 680 kg/m³ (42 lbs/ft³) average dried weight; specific gravity 0.49 basic, 0.68 at 12% moisture content [1] |
| Origin | Europe and southwestern Asia [1] |
| Shrinkage | Radial 5.7%, tangential 9.6%, volumetric 15.3%, T/R ratio 1.7 [1] |
| Heartwood durability | Perishable or only slightly durable; not resistant to insect attack [1] |

European ash is a pale, oak-like hardwood that suits interior floors where you want a light brown board with a clear, fairly straight grain. It is harder than European oak and close to beech on the Janka scale, with shrinkage figures that sit between the two [1] [2] [3]. The main practical question today is supply, because ash dieback is affecting the species across Europe.

## What is European ash?

European ash is *Fraxinus excelsior*, also known as Common Ash. The Wood Database gives its distribution as Europe and southwestern Asia, and describes a tree 65 to 115 ft (20 to 35 m) tall with a trunk 3 to 6 ft (1 to 2 m) in diameter [1].

Do not confuse it with the ash used in North American flooring. NWFA's Hardwood Floors Magazine covers white ash (*Fraxinus americana*) and black ash (*Fraxinus nigra*), and does not mention European ash [4]. The figures in this page apply to *Fraxinus excelsior* unless stated.

## What does ash look like?

The heartwood is light to medium brown, with darker streaks that are sometimes sold as Olive Ash. The sapwood is wide, beige or light brown, and not always sharply separated from the heartwood. Texture is medium to coarse, similar to oak, and the grain is usually straight and regular, although curly or figured boards occur [1].

When stained, ash can look very similar to oak. The difference is in the rays: oaks have much wider rays visible on all wood surfaces, including as short, thin brown lines on flatsawn faces, and ashes lack them [1]. If you are choosing between the two, compare samples side by side with [European oak](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-oak/).

## How hard and dense is it?

| Species | Janka hardness | Average dried weight |
|---|---|---|
| European ash (*Fraxinus excelsior*) | 1,480 lbf (6,580 N) | 680 kg/m³ |
| European beech (*Fagus sylvatica*) | 1,450 lbf (6,460 N) | 710 kg/m³ |
| English oak (*Quercus robur*) | 1,120 lbf (4,980 N) | 675 kg/m³ |

All values are from The Wood Database [1] [3] [2]. Our [Janka hardness guide](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/janka-hardness-explained/) explains how to read these numbers. For comparison, NWFA's Hardwood Floors Magazine lists American white ash at about 1320 and black ash at about 850 [4].

## How much does ash move?

Shrinkage is a rough guide to how much a board responds to changes in moisture. The Wood Database lists these figures [1] [2] [3]:

| Species | Radial | Tangential | Volumetric | T/R ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European ash | 5.7% | 9.6% | 15.3% | 1.7 |
| English oak | 4.7% | 8.4% | 13.0% | 1.8 |
| European beech | 5.8% | 11.7% | 17.9% | 2.0 |

Ash therefore shrinks less than beech and slightly more than English oak. For the white ash covered by NWFA, the magazine gives 4.9% radial and 7.8% tangential and rates its stability above average; those are figures for a different species and are not directly comparable [4]. Whichever species you choose, moisture control before and after installation matters, as set out in our guide to [moisture and acclimatisation](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/moisture-and-acclimatisation/).

## How does ash work, finish and wear?

The Wood Database says ash works well with hand and machine tools, and glues, stains and finishes well. It lists flooring among its common uses, alongside millwork, crates, baseball bats and turned objects such as tool handles [1].

For finishing, the NWFA article on white ash says it sands much like red oak, accepts stain well, and often needs a higher final grit to keep scratches from showing. It adds that grain becomes more pronounced once colour is added [4]. That article is about American species, so treat it as indicative for European ash and test on a sample. Our guides to [wood floor finishes](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/wood-floor-finishes/) and [sanding and refinishing](https://www.misterendgrain.com/guides/sanding-and-refinishing/) cover the general process.

Ash heartwood is rated perishable or only slightly durable against decay and is not resistant to insect attack, which points to dry interior use [1].

## What is ash dieback and does it affect flooring supply?

Ash dieback is a disease caused by the fungus *Hymenoscyphus fraxineus*. Forest Research states that it causes severe dieback on European ash across Europe, and that it was first noticed in Poland in the early 1990s [6]. The FVA's waldwissen.net article says the fungus is suspected to have been imported unintentionally from eastern Asia and that the disease now affects European ash throughout most of its natural range in Europe [5].

We found no published figure on how this changes the price or availability of ash flooring, so we do not give one. If you are specifying ash for a large project, ask your supplier where the timber comes from and how much is available. The Wood Database states that European ash is not listed in the CITES Appendices [1].

## How does ash compare with other species?

- **European oak:** softer (1,120 lbf), slightly lower shrinkage, and visibly wider rays. See [European oak](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-oak/).
- **European beech:** similar hardness (1,450 lbf) but higher tangential shrinkage. See [European beech](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/european-beech/).
- **Hickory:** a North American group with its own species-by-species figures; see [hickory](https://www.misterendgrain.com/species/hickory/).

For how boards are built, see [solid wood flooring](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/solid-wood/) and [engineered wood flooring](https://www.misterendgrain.com/flooring/engineered-wood/).

## Frequently asked questions

### How hard is European ash compared with European oak?

The Wood Database lists European ash at 1,480 lbf (6,580 N) and English oak (Quercus robur) at 1,120 lbf (4,980 N), so ash is the harder of the two on the Janka scale [1] [2].

### Can ash be stained to look like oak?

Yes, in many cases. The Wood Database says stained ash can look very similar to oak, but oaks have much wider rays that show on every surface, while ashes lack these conspicuous rays [1].

### Is European ash the same as the ash sold in North America?

No. North American flooring ash is usually white ash (Fraxinus americana) or black ash (Fraxinus nigra), which NWFA's Hardwood Floors Magazine rates at about 1320 and 850 on the Janka scale. European ash is a different species with different figures [4] [1].

### Does ash dieback make European ash unsuitable for flooring?

Dieback is a disease of the living tree, caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, and it affects European ash across most of its natural range in Europe. We found no published figure for its effect on flooring supply, so ask your supplier about current availability [5].

### Is ash suitable for damp areas?

The Wood Database rates ash heartwood as perishable or only slightly durable against decay, so it is a species for dry interior use rather than for places that stay wet [1].

## Sources

1. [European Ash](https://www.wood-database.com/european-ash/), The Wood Database, accessed 2026-11-03
2. [English Oak](https://www.wood-database.com/english-oak/), The Wood Database, accessed 2026-11-03
3. [European Beech](https://www.wood-database.com/european-beech/), The Wood Database, accessed 2026-11-03
4. [Species Specs: Ash](https://hardwoodfloorsmag.com/2018/07/31/species-specs-ash/), Hardwood Floors Magazine (NWFA), accessed 2026-11-03
5. [Ash dieback](https://www.waldwissen.net/en/forestry/forest-protection/fungi-and-nematodes/ash-dieback?L=1), waldwissen.net (Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg, FVA), accessed 2026-11-03
6. [Chalara ash dieback on different ash species and non-ash hosts](https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/chalara-ash-dieback-on-different-ash-species-and-non-ash-hosts/), Forest Research (UK), accessed 2026-11-03