Plantation Ash Properties
E.nitens
For further information click tables marked
Availability & Appearance
General Availability
Readily available and routinely harvested.
Appearance Grade
Available
Plantation
Available
Structural Grade
Available
Veneer
Sizes
Dressed seasoned structural in 90, 120, 140, 170, 190 width, 35, 45 thickness, lengths to 5.4. Appearance material in standard sizes for flooring and lining.
Colour
Light pink to pale brown and blonde.
Grain
Straight, open and even. Growth rings are visible and usually conspicuous.
Texture
Uniform and smooth.
Density
Unseasoned
Seasoned
Density (per standard)
1120 kg/m3
680 kg/m3
Durability
Above-Ground
Class 3: 7-15 yrs
In-Ground
Class 4: 0-5 yrs
Susceptible to Lyctid Borer
Yes
Marine Borer Resistance
0-20 yrs (usually 5 yrs)
Termite Resistant
No
Environmental Details
Resource
Plantation
Reserves
62% of Tasmania's plantations are E.nitens.
Certification
Available
Chain of Custody
Available
Carbon Storage
264 kg/m3
R Values
0.65 (100mm)
Fire Properties
Average Specific Extinction Area
< 250 m2/kg
Bushfire Resistance
BAL-12.5 & 19 (door and window joinery only)
Critical Radiance Flux - Higher
> 2.2 < 4.5 kW/m2
Critical Radiance Flux - Lower
> 2.2 < 4.5 kW/m2
Smoke Development Rate
< 750% per min
EFH Ignitibility: 1
EFH Smoke-Develop Index: 4
EFH Spread-of-Flame Index: 8
Fire Properties Group Number: 3
Joint
Unseasoned
Seasoned
Joint Group
J3
JD3
Mechanical Properties
Unseasoned
Seasoned
Hardness (Janka)
4.8 kN
5.8 kN
Impact
15 J
16 J
Maximum Crushing Strength
31 MPa
58 MPa
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
10 GPa
13 GPa
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
62 MPa
99 MPa
Toughness (IZOD)
Medium - 15-24 Nm
Medium - 15-24 Nm
Movement
Radial
0.22% per 1% MC change
Tangential
0.33% per 1% MC change
Shrinkage
Radial
4.9%
Tangential
9.4%
Stress
Unseasoned
Seasoned
Common Structural Grades
Available in industry-defined grades.
Available in industry-defined grades.
Structural Grades
S1:F14, S2:F11, S3:F8, S4:F7, S5:F5
S1:F22, S2:F17, S3:F14, S4:F11, S5:F8
Strength
Unseasoned
Seasoned
Strength Group
S4
SD4
Workability
General Workability
Plantation Ash is resilient and relatively easy to work.
Bending
Good
Blunting
Low to moderate.
Boring
Easy to drill, holes clean and to size.
Finishing
Readily worked to a smooth, lustrous surface. Stains and finishes very well.
Gluing
Glues well with common adhesives.
Moulding
Surfaces true, clean and even.
Nailing
Pre-drilling sometimes necessary near board ends.
Planing
Moderate feeding forces required. Surfaces smooth and even.
Rebating + Mortising
Produces excellent results.
Sawing
Cuts cleanly.
Turning
Turns well.
Sources: Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW), Wood Solutions