Hickory lumber wood | alamo hardwoods

Hickory

The Hickory family(Hicoria or Carya), includes many subspecies and varieties. It is a relatively common wood in the Eastern United States and has a long utilitarian history. Most old tool handles, axes, hammers, etc. were made from hickory. It has good hardness and durability. It has no rot resistance, so it's uses are confined to dry applications. Small open pores make it unsuitable for cutting boards or kitchen use. During milling, the Hickories tend to tear slightly in the grain, leaving small divots in the surface. The recent trend towards engineered wood floors with a rustic appearance has been a boon to the hickory business. Hickory lumber has better hardness than oak, so it is perfectly suited for flooring. The "hand-scraped" texture that so many people crave works perfectly with the natural milling "defects" that occur in the boards. The color is varied, from darker heart wood to a lighter colored sapwood. Often very dark mineral streaks appear at random, giving it a casual, "rustic" effect. The flooring is often stained a variety of colors. The pores of the Hickories are less prominent than those of Red Oak, so it has a more refined appearance when stained. The lumber industry allows for the mixing of Pecan lumber in with the hickories at the mill level, and the wood is basically indistinguishable.

Flat Cut Hickory, showing heart and sap wood with mineral staining