Which is more expensive, oak or ash?

Oak — particularly white oak — usually carries a higher raw timber cost than ash, so an oak table tends to price a little above the same design in ash. Timber species is the single biggest line in a bespoke quote, so the wood you choose is one of the main things that moves the price.

Does ash scratch or mark more easily than oak?

Not meaningfully. Ash is close to oak in hardness on the Janka scale, so day-to-day durability is very similar. Both are finished in a hand-rubbed hardwax oil that is easy to maintain and spot-repair, so ordinary dining use is well within what either timber handles.

Guide

Oak vs ash for a
dining table.

Q: Is oak or ash better for a dining table?

Both are excellent solid hardwoods for a dining table and both will last a lifetime. Oak is a little harder and denser with a warmer tone and prominent grain; ash is slightly paler with a bold, straight grain and is prized for its toughness and shock resistance. The better choice comes down to the look you want, the room, and budget rather than durability.

Two of the finest solid hardwoods for a table you keep for decades. Here is how they really differ — and how to choose.

The short answer

Both oak and ash make a dining table that lasts a lifetime, so this is not really a durability decision. Oak is a little harder and denser, with a warmer tone and a prominent, characterful grain. Ash is slightly paler with a bold, straight grain and is famously tough. The right choice comes down to the look you want, the room and budget.

We build in solid French and white oak, in ash, and in reclaimed barrel-stave oak. Whichever you choose, it is solid timber all the way through — never veneer or board.

Side by side

Where oak and ash differ.

Five things that actually change the piece.

Hardness

Both are hard enough for a lifetime of dining. White oak sits around 1350 on the Janka scale and ash just below it — close enough that everyday durability is effectively the same.

Grain and character

Oak has a deeper, more open grain with more figure and movement. Ash runs in a bolder, straighter, more uniform grain — cleaner and more contemporary in feel.

Colour

Oak leans warm honey-to-amber and mellows richly with age. Ash is paler and more neutral, which suits lighter, brighter rooms and takes an even, natural finish.

Toughness

Ash is prized for shock resistance and flex — the reason it is chosen for tool handles and sports gear — so it takes knocks along an edge very well. Oak is stiffer and denser.

Cost

Oak usually carries the higher raw-timber cost, so an oak table tends to price a little above the same design in ash. Species is the biggest single line in a quote.

How to choose

Choose for the look, not the strength.

Want warmth, richness and pronounced grain that deepens over the years? Oak. Want a paler, cleaner, more contemporary table for a lighter room, often at a slightly kinder price? Ash. Either way you get a solid-timber piece finished in hand-rubbed hardwax oil that you can care for and repair for a lifetime.

See it in timber

Talk it through with the maker.

The easiest way to decide is to see samples against your floor and light. Send your dimensions and the look you are after and we will come back with a sketch, the timber options and a fixed quote within a week.

Start your table → What it costs

More on the made-to-measure process is on the Bespoke page, or read how to care for an oiled timber table. To begin, get in touch or WhatsApp Simon on 082 762 5259.