White Ash Lumber
- Thread starter BarryL
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nickao
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Ash looks like oak, but lighter in color(usually). Works like Oak. Grain like Oak. The smell is not great, but not terrible either.
Its fairly hard(In between white and red oak in hardness) and used for Baseball bats.
I have used it many, many times with excellent results. Anywhere Oak can or is being used ASH is a great substitute.
Its fairly hard(In between white and red oak in hardness) and used for Baseball bats.
I have used it many, many times with excellent results. Anywhere Oak can or is being used ASH is a great substitute.
I have access to a tremendous stack of it that was cut with a woodmizer and air dried now for about a year and a half. It was stickered nicely and there is some beautiful boards in the pile(S) It was sawn just over an inch thick and many boards over 12 inches wide. I am in need of remodeling my entire home, especially all new cabinetry and am considering buying this lumber from a friend....catch is..I have to buy it all. I am betting there is over 2500 BF. I could outfit the whole house! 
...and get lots of practice with my Festools!
...and get lots of practice with my Festools!Got the milling machines...that is the reason my house is still in need of remodeling...all my money went for tools...I feel I am "there now" where I can start my remodeling. I am figuring I would probably be paying less than a 1.00 a bf. Alternatively...I could spend that money on more tools...I just figured this might be a good deal.
Dave Ronyak
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Barry, it might be a good deal pricewise. Just be confident that you and your wife will like living with so much of it around you.
To my eyes, it has a somewhat coarser and more prominent grain pattern than red oak, with geater contrast between the spring and summerwood.
Dave R.
To my eyes, it has a somewhat coarser and more prominent grain pattern than red oak, with geater contrast between the spring and summerwood.
Dave R.
clintholeman
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I've used Ash a good bit. It machines nicely, has good grain structure and is pretty hard [hard enough to be used for baseball bats, as an earlier poster said].
If you are concerned about "all that ash" around, it takes stain nicely and often is used to bring out the grain.
I like it better than Oak. For cabinets, it is lighter - good for uppers and installations
It is also classically distinctive. It will look good without being obnoxious.
At a buck a foot - it is a good deal - even with 50% scrap, it is about $2 per foot - still a good deal.
My 2 cents...
If you are concerned about "all that ash" around, it takes stain nicely and often is used to bring out the grain.
I like it better than Oak. For cabinets, it is lighter - good for uppers and installations
It is also classically distinctive. It will look good without being obnoxious.At a buck a foot - it is a good deal - even with 50% scrap, it is about $2 per foot - still a good deal.
My 2 cents...
nickao
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I have never got Ash I did not like, but like any lumber there is bad and good, straight grain, flat sawn, quarter sawn, it all makes a difference. Unlike Dave I had not had much of a color variance at all. But my dealers only send me what they know I like and weed out the crap for me. Actually, many, many clients have gone to Ash instead of Oak floors and I agree with Clint it stains up well. I like it.
Thanks for all the replies guys. I work with the fellow that has the wood. I have been to his house on occasion and was there when the wood was stacked...I was drooling
I do have concern with everything being ash but I think it would look good with contrasting woods as well. I am glad to hear that it would take stain well. One thing I am terrible at is interior design...but I am betting that the cabinets would look good with the "right" flooring and countertops.
The hard part for me is spending that much on wood in one shot knowing the list of Festool equipment I have on my shopping list could eat that amount right up...but the plus side would be having all that wood right there at a great bargain thus reducing my overall cost for what I will end up doing anyway.
I do have concern with everything being ash but I think it would look good with contrasting woods as well. I am glad to hear that it would take stain well. One thing I am terrible at is interior design...but I am betting that the cabinets would look good with the "right" flooring and countertops.
The hard part for me is spending that much on wood in one shot knowing the list of Festool equipment I have on my shopping list could eat that amount right up...but the plus side would be having all that wood right there at a great bargain thus reducing my overall cost for what I will end up doing anyway.
Notorious T.O.D.
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Barry, this sounds like a reasonable deal if you like the oak/ash look and working properties.
That being said though you have to be aware that the prices of many woods are way down right now.
I have a buddy in the Sharon, PA area who has a cabinet shop, small working with himself and a helper part time.
He is and has been getting kiln dried S3S poplar for 99 cents per board ft and red oak for about $1.35 per board ft.
Cherry has held up better and I think it is still about $4 per board ft.
The other thing to look at is what lengths you are getting and will they meet your needs for trim or other uses. For trim
long lengths are sometimes more important than having to splice trim on a wall or walls.
My friend figures the typical kitchen takes about 400-500 bf of primary lumber.
Best,
Todd
That being said though you have to be aware that the prices of many woods are way down right now.
I have a buddy in the Sharon, PA area who has a cabinet shop, small working with himself and a helper part time.
He is and has been getting kiln dried S3S poplar for 99 cents per board ft and red oak for about $1.35 per board ft.
Cherry has held up better and I think it is still about $4 per board ft.
The other thing to look at is what lengths you are getting and will they meet your needs for trim or other uses. For trim
long lengths are sometimes more important than having to splice trim on a wall or walls.
My friend figures the typical kitchen takes about 400-500 bf of primary lumber.
Best,
Todd
Hey Todd...great answer and good information I needed to here especially about the avg bf per avg kitchen. There are a great number of the boards that are a foot wide and about 10 ft long. Most of the boards are fairly wide. I will be looking to build some "saleable" projects to cover the cost of the wood purchase as well.
Wayne
You are only about 2 hours away. That's a thought. I will not be moving the wood until spring. The man who has the wood works for me and has a real nice little place. Once I take all this wood...he is going to have the man with the woodmizer come back and cut some cherry and more ash. Where the wood is currently stickered and stacked is the only place he has the room to store and dry the wood. We can keep in touch. Are you going to the WW show in Columbus?
You are only about 2 hours away. That's a thought. I will not be moving the wood until spring. The man who has the wood works for me and has a real nice little place. Once I take all this wood...he is going to have the man with the woodmizer come back and cut some cherry and more ash. Where the wood is currently stickered and stacked is the only place he has the room to store and dry the wood. We can keep in touch. Are you going to the WW show in Columbus?
Barry,
I hadm\n't planned on going to Columbus. In fact I just heard about the show last night talking with Dave Ronyak. I am off work for 5 days and could go depending on when they decide to install my furnace. They are collecting parts and haven't nailed down the install time yet, but it migh be Friday. So there is a slim chance I could get in the car and head south but I'm just not sure till I hear form the funace people. Is it on the north side of Columbus? I could just go for the day and come back home too ya never know...
I hadm\n't planned on going to Columbus. In fact I just heard about the show last night talking with Dave Ronyak. I am off work for 5 days and could go depending on when they decide to install my furnace. They are collecting parts and haven't nailed down the install time yet, but it migh be Friday. So there is a slim chance I could get in the car and head south but I'm just not sure till I hear form the funace people. Is it on the north side of Columbus? I could just go for the day and come back home too ya never know...
Any issues with Emerald Ash Borers in your part of Ohio?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Green_ash_killed_by_Emerald_Ash_Borer.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Green_ash_killed_by_Emerald_Ash_Borer.jpg
Dave Ronyak
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There are major infestations of the ash borer in Ohio. Troy cut down most if not all of their trees pre-emptively a couple of years ago. When I drive between Summit and Cuyahoga counties, I see roadside signs warning of the borer and prohibiting transport of firewood. The low price of ash is in part due to harvesting many trees in the hope of stopping the ash borer.
Dave R.
Dave R.
Notorious T.O.D.
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Personally, I would consider air dried lumber to be the same as firewood in this sense.
If the wood was kiln dried then any critters in or around it should be quite dead unless they got to it after drying.
Best,
Todd
If the wood was kiln dried then any critters in or around it should be quite dead unless they got to it after drying.
Best,
Todd
