Ash vs Beech for a workbench

[Terry - Somerset]

Does movement on a workbench really matter.

For fine furniture with drawers, doors, etc where design, appearance, finish often dominates function it is important.

OTOH workbenches are/should be abused with hammer, chisel, plane, etc and may carry substantial loads from any direction. Providing the fundamental design ensures the surface stays flat, vices work, etc the dominant characteristic is function over design niceties.

Personally I would favour beech with its closer generally straighter grain, and fewer knots, but for most I suspect ash would perform entirely adequately.

 

[gmgmgm]

I'd vote for ash, if only because in a damp environment I notice my beech logs go "bad" more easily than my ash logs.

Either will probably be just fine as a workbench, perhaps choose whatever you have, or whichever looks better to you

 

[Hornbeam]

Beech has a more interlocked tighter grain and is less likely to splinter.
I would use beech for the top and ash or beech for the legs

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have bought 40mm beech from here before for bench worktops. They use narrow strips which helps keep the top flat as long as you oil both sides at the same time.

https://www.worktop-express.co.uk/beech-worktops/#product-detail-items
Cheers

Peter