Ash trees for timber frame

[FlackvilleFarms]

This a more of a should you, not could you question. I have tons of ash trees that are have met the ash bore beetles. I know ash is super strong when dry but just wasnt sure if it is used. I only see people using pine. 

[Jim_Rogers]

Use it.
Jim Rogers

[Mad Professor]

Fine wood for a frame. Light and strong.  They use ash for baseball bats.

It rots easy and PP beetels love it. Treat with borates.  Also end checks easy, use anchorseal on the logs right after bucking, the timbers too. Joinery treated with anchorseal will slide in slick as manure.

I asked this of Dick Babcock many years ago when he was hewing an ash beam......  Wish I remembered the limerick he replied with, RIP Richard.

If you are using standing dead ash from EAB, be sure it does not have rot/punk.

[Brad_bb]

I just got my 2x8 Ash T&G back for a barn (stalls and walls).  I'm going to try Shellguard from Permachink.  It's a borate that is in an alcohol solution to help it penetrate the wood better.  Very low toxicity to animals and people.  Not all that cheap, but we'll see how much coverage we really get.  I used their stain and clear on another project and the stain went way further than what they said.  

I'm a bit less concerned about Ash that will be inside a house in a conditioned space.  Should be far less prone to PPB there.  But it wouldn't hurt to have the Shellguard.

[Don P]

I think ash would be fine for timbers.
On the Shell-guard, holy smokes somebody is making a killing. Shell guard is one of the more expensive ways of buying borate. It is a ready to use 10% solution of borate with propylene and polyethylene glycols, those are the "alcohols"  that help penetration into dry wood. If the wood is treated green from the saw no glycol is needed. Solubor or Timbor, straight borate, mixed with water provides deeper penetration than if you wait until the wood is dry and then apply a borate/glycol mix. The price moves from ~$120/gallon to ~$5/gallon.... same active ingredient in the same concentration, just lacking the rv antifreeze.