Ash

[yeagerp]

Don,
I am making my son a bed from Ash. I picked it out for the price and its appearance. My son wanted to see the wood grain after the bed was finished, so I figured it ought to be a reasonably good looking wood. It is, but I've no idea how it will finish. Have you made anything from ash, and if so, what luck have you had with various finishes?

Many thanks,

Pete

[Don]

Hey, Yeager and welcome to the forum. Think baseball bats when thinking of ash. A very hard and durable wood with heavy grain. In some ways its close to oak, maybe with a coarser texture.

As far a finishing, it really is a matter of what you want to achieve. Ash has a coarse grain structure and large open pores, similar to some oaks. If you are looking for a super smooth mirror finish then you will have to consider a wood filler that fills these. There are wood fillers made for the purpose. But having said that a very good finish for a boys bedroom would simply be find a good quality oil wiping stain, followed by a sanding sealer, followed by a coat or two of urethane. It would last for years. Most of this stuff would be available from most box stores, the oil wiping stain and or wood filler might have to be obtained from a places like, Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams. If you are net savvy then you might want to look through the inventory at a place like Woodcrafters, unless there is a store nearby.

Think about it and all of us can talk some more as you proceed.

All the best, Don