American White Ash and its purpose in custom timber furniture
At Kithe we are a Melbourne-based 100% Australian made timber furniture producer.
We regularly use American White Ash when making custom furniture and dining tables.
American White Ash or Fraxinus Americana is a North American native hardwood ash. It is a dense hardwood and appears anywhere between a pale, off white colour to a darker yellow hue.
American White Ash has many uses thanks to its straight, strong “Cathedral” grains and famously uniform texture. It is classified as non-durable and as such is mostly used indoors for things like skirting boards, tool handles, flooring, doors, panelling, architectural interiors and dado rails. It is even now used widely in the production of musical instruments, in particular electric guitars. You can see how popular it has become due to its versatility.
When we say in is non-durable, all we mean is that the heartwood is not resistant to decay and is merely moderately resistant to preservative treatment. In addition to this, the sapwood is permeable.
American White Ash’s strength properties mean that you are able use it in machine works and it steam bends well too. It is also a good material to use if you are looking to do some wood turning.
Overall it is easily worked and responds adequately to a range of adhesives and both screws and nails. It can be polished to a high end finish. Where we really see the value of American White Ash is in the production of quality, bespoke furniture.
At Kithe we use it to produce custom timber furniture like exquisite, delicate chairs and bedside tables. We believe that varnish often doesn’t add to these pieces (and sometimes it detracts from them) so you will often see our pieces in all their natural glory which we feel is a thing of beauty. We love the raw finish and the light, delicate hues that are the result.
Why not take a look today at our American White Ash products and you’ll fall in love with them just like we have; we are Melbourne’s premier handmade timber furniture company.