Maple vs. Ash — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 14, 2024
"Maple" wood is known for its strength and fine grain, often used in furniture and flooring, while "ash" wood is highly resilient and elastic, favored in sporting goods like baseball bats.
Difference Between Maple and Ash
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Maple wood, derived from the maple tree, is recognized for its durability and smooth texture, which makes it a preferred choice for detailed woodworking projects. Ash wood, coming from ash trees, is noted for its flexibility and strength, which lends itself well to uses where resilience is required.
In terms of appearance, maple typically has a lighter, creamier color with a more uniform grain pattern. Ash, on the other hand, often displays a light to medium brown tone with a straight grain that is more pronounced and can vary more between pieces.
Maple is generally harder on the Janka hardness scale, which measures the resistance of wood to denting and wear. This quality makes it excellent for high-traffic areas when used in flooring. Ash, while still hard, offers a slightly lower rating on the same scale but is exceptional for absorbing shocks, making it ideal for tool handles and sports equipment.
The workability of maple can vary; softer maples work easily with both hand and machine tools, but harder varieties can be more challenging to cut and shape. Ash is consistently praised for its ease of handling, cutting, and finishing, making it a favorite among craftsmen for its overall user-friendliness.
Both woods are widely used but for different reasons. Maple is often seen in luxury interior designs and detailed furniture, whereas ash is more commonly found in functional sports equipment and practical applications like ladders and frames.
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Comparison Chart
Source Tree
Maple trees (genus Acer)
Ash trees (genus Fraxinus)
Typical Uses
Furniture, fine woodworking, flooring.
Sporting goods, tool handles, furniture.
Color and Grain
Light, creamy color with fine, uniform grain.
Light to medium brown with pronounced, straight grain.
Hardness
Higher hardness, excellent for high-traffic areas.
Slightly lower hardness, great shock absorption.
Workability
Varies; generally good but harder types can challenge.
Good, easy to work with, finishes well.
Compare with Definitions
Maple
A light-colored wood popular in interior design.
The new office had floors of polished maple for a bright look.
Ash
Often used in sporting goods for its resilience.
Ash is a popular choice for making high-quality cricket bats.
Maple
A type of hardwood from the maple tree, known for its fine grain and strength.
The carpenter chose maple for the intricate cabinetry to ensure a smooth finish.
Ash
A type of hardwood known for its elasticity and strength.
Ash wood was used for the baseball bats due to its shock resistance.
Maple
Wood used for musical instruments due to its acoustic properties.
High-quality violins often have maple backs and sides.
Ash
Used in traditional medicine and folklore.
Ash bark has been used historically for its supposed medicinal properties.
Maple
A material for durable kitchenware.
Maple is favored for cutting boards because of its density and minimal wear on knives.
Ash
A wood that is easier to work with and finish.
The furniture maker preferred ash for the chairs because it sands smoothly.
Maple
Commonly used in syrup production.
Maple syrup is made from the sap of sugar maple trees.
Ash
Wood chosen for its pronounced grain in aesthetic pieces.
The grain of the ash wood added a rustic charm to the farmhouse table.
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.
Ash
Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ash refers to all non-aqueous, non-gaseous residues that remain after something burns.
Maple
Any of various chiefly deciduous trees or shrubs of the genus Acer of the Northern Hemisphere, having opposite, usually palmate leaves and fruits consisting of paired seeds attached to long wings.
Ash
The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance
I turned over the ashes
Cigarette ash
Maple
The wood of any of these trees, especially the hard, close-grained wood of the sugar maple, often used for furniture and flooring.
Ash
A trophy for the winner of a series of Test matches in a cricket season between England and Australia.
Maple
The flavor of the concentrated sap of the sugar maple.
Ash
A tree with compound leaves, winged fruits, and hard pale timber, widely distributed throughout north temperate regions.
Maple
A tree of the genus Acer, characterised by its usually palmate leaves and winged seeds.
Ash
An Old English runic letter, ᚫ, a vowel intermediate between a and e. It is represented in the Roman alphabet by the symbol æ or Æ.
Maple
The wood of such a tree, prized for its hardness and attractive appearance
Ash
The grayish-white to black powdery residue left when something is burned.
Maple
A tree of the genus Acer, including about fifty species. Acer saccharinum is the rock maple, or sugar maple, from the sap of which sugar is made, in the United States, in great quantities, by evaporation; the red maple or swamp maple is Acer rubrum; the silver maple, Acer dasycarpum, having fruit wooly when young; the striped maple, Acer Pennsylvanium, called also moosewood. The common maple of Europe is Acer campestre, the sycamore maple is Acer Pseudo-platanus, and the Norway maple is Acer platanoides.
Ash
(Geology) Pulverized particulate matter ejected by volcanic eruption.
Maple
Wood of any of various maple trees; especially the hard close-grained wood of the sugar maple; used especially for furniture and flooring
Ash
The mineral residue of incinerated organic matter, used as an additive in pet foods.
Maple
Any of numerous trees or shrubs of the genus Acer bearing winged seeds in pairs; north temperate zone
Ash
Ashes Ruins
The ashes of a lost culture.
Ash
Ashes Bodily remains, especially after cremation or decay.
Ash
Any of various chiefly deciduous trees of the genus Fraxinus, having opposite, pinnately compound leaves, clusters of small flowers, and one-seeded winged fruits.
Ash
The strong, elastic wood of any of these trees, used for furniture, tool handles, and sporting goods such as baseball bats.
Ash
(Linguistics) The letter æ in Old English and some modern phonetic alphabets, representing the vowel sound of Modern English ash.
Ash
To reduce or convert to ash
Ash a tissue sample for analysis.
Ash
(Informal) To drop ashes from a cigar or cigarette
Accidentally ashed on his own sleeve.
Ash
The solid remains of a fire.
The audience was more captivated by the growing ash at the end of his cigarette than by his words.
Ash from a fireplace can restore minerals to your garden's soil.
Ashes from the fire floated over the street.
Ash from the fire floated over the street.
Ash
(chemistry) The nonaqueous remains of a material subjected to any complete oxidation process.
Ash
Fine particles from a volcano, volcanic ash.
Ash
(in the plural) Human (or animal) remains after cremation.
The urn containing his ashes was eventually removed to a closet.
Ash
Mortal remains in general.
Napoleon's ashes are not yet extinguished, and we're breathing in their sparks.
Ash
(figuratively) What remains after a catastrophe.
Ash
A gray colour, like that of ash.
Ash
A shade tree of the genus Fraxinus.
The ash trees are dying off due to emerald ash borer.
The woods planted in ash will see a different mix of species.
Ash
(uncountable) The wood of this tree.
Ash
The traditional name for the ae ligature (æ), as used in Old English.
Ash
(chemistry) To reduce to a residue of ash. See ashing.
Ash
(intransitive) To hit the end off of a burning cigar or cigarette.
Ash
(transitive) To hit the end off (a burning cigar or cigarette).
Ash
To cover newly-sown fields of crops with ashes.
Ash
A genus of trees of the Olive family, having opposite pinnate leaves, many of the species furnishing valuable timber, as the European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and the white ash (Fraxinus Americana).
Ash
The tough, elastic wood of the ash tree.
Ash
Sing. of Ashes.
Ash
To strew or sprinkle with ashes.
Ash
The residue that remains when something is burned
Ash
Any of various deciduous pinnate-leaved ornamental or timber trees of the genus Fraxinus
Ash
Strong elastic wood of any of various ash trees; used for furniture and tool handles and sporting goods such as baseball bats
Ash
Convert into ashes
Common Curiosities
What are the environmental concerns associated with using ash wood?
The decline in ash tree populations due to diseases like the emerald ash borer poses sustainability concerns.
What makes maple wood suitable for furniture?
Its strength and fine grain make it ideal for both the structural and aesthetic aspects of furniture.
Can maple wood be used outdoors?
Maple is generally not recommended for outdoor use due to its lower resistance to moisture and decay compared to other hardwoods.
How do you care for maple wood products?
Regular maintenance including cleaning and occasional refinishing can keep maple wood products looking new.
How does the cost of maple compare to ash?
Maple can be more expensive, especially the harder varieties used in luxury applications, compared to the generally more affordable ash.
Is there a noticeable difference in weight between maple and ash wood?
Maple is typically heavier, contributing to its stability in furniture and flooring.
What are the benefits of using ash wood in construction?
Its strength and elasticity are advantageous in construction elements that require flexibility and durability.
What are some common finishes for ash wood?
Ash wood finishes well with stains and varnishes that enhance its natural grain.
Why is ash wood favored for baseball bats?
Its resilience and ability to absorb shocks make it perfect for high-impact sports equipment.
What is the impact of wood hardness on the choice of wood for flooring?
Harder woods like maple are preferred for flooring due to their resistance to scratches and dents.
What are the acoustic properties of maple in musical instruments?
Maple provides excellent sound resonance, making it popular for string instruments and drums.
How does the color of the wood affect its use in interior design?
Wood color can influence the warmth and style of a space, with lighter woods like maple often used to create a bright and airy feel.
Can maple be easily stained or painted?
Maple can be more challenging to stain evenly due to its density and grain structure.
How sustainable is ash wood?
Ash is considered sustainable, but concerns exist due to the impact of pests on ash tree populations.
Are there any health benefits associated with maple or ash wood?
There are no direct health benefits from the woods themselves, though products like maple syrup have nutritional benefits.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
