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Ash furniture is not as widely known as oak furniture yet this remarkable hardwood, which is noted for its properties of toughness and shock resistance, also produces an attractive grain for furniture making.
Most of our ranges are of solid ash, so whether choosing ash bedroom furniture or ash dining furniture, you can be sure the quality will be of a good standard.
Ash is not a popular furniture timber but this is largely due to it being outshadowed by the traditional hardwood choice of oak. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the timber and it produces furniture with a clean grain and an attractive light colouring.
More about ash furnitureMaking ash furniture is almost unknown before the 20th Century, although ash burrs and black ash were used as decorative veneers on furniture made of other hardwoods. There are perhaps two reasons for this: oak was still the predominant native hardwood for furniture making until the heavy demands of the First World War (for wagons, pit props, shoring for trenches etc.) decimated national stocks. Secondly, the shock resistant properties of ash made it the timber of choice for wheel spokes, tool handles and similar uses until developments in materials technology found replacements for these uses. With oak stocks in short supply and the traditional uses of ash disappearing, it made sense to use it for producing ash furniture. Ash occurs naturally and grows extremely well in many parts of the UK, although it is fair to say that much of the
ash furniture on sale is produced overseas.