Hickory Flooring Pros and Cons

If you need flooring, look no further than hickory. This durable hardwood is among the most popular choices for both residential and commercial use, due to its durability, low maintenance, and easy to install. However, hickory has become the victim of its own success, as there are many different types of hickory flooring, each with different pros and cons. This hickory flooring pros and cons guide will highlight the five options you can choose from.

Hickory is a hard wood that is the most popular choice for flooring. It is a dense, heavy and strong wood. Hickory flooring is usually used for base boards, risers and flooring. Hickory flooring is very durable and does not require any maintenance. However, unlike other wood types, it is very heavy and difficult to install.

Hickory flooring is a popular choice for many home buyers, and for good reason: it’s durable, attractive and has a distinctive woodsy look and feel. But do you know the differences between natural and treated hickory? Or how about the benefits of pre-finished and solid-wood flooring?

Here we share our hickory flooring pros and cons guide including what is, how hard it is, its reasons for and against, durability, cost and hickory wood maintenance. Hickory floors not only enhance the aesthetics of one’s home. These flooring options also improve air quality and room lighting, are effortless to clean and do not require complicated maintenance. However, hickory can also present a few issues families may be ill-prepared to handle.

One of the finest hardwoods for contemporary flooring is hickory. It is not only beautiful, but it is also one of the most difficult materials to install on a floor.

Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of hickory flooring can assist homeowners in making an informed choice.

Is Hickory a Hardwood or a Softwood?

Hickory is a hardwood that is used to make one of the most popular types of timber in the United States. There are approximately a dozen hickory types in the United States, with some reaching heights of up to 100 feet.

Within a single board, this hardwood has color variations, mineral streaks, distinctive knots, and complex grains. Many families avoid hickory because of its uncertain looks due to these grain characteristics. More information about our guide to wood floor designs may be found here.

What is the Hardness of Hickory Wood?

Hickory has a score of 1,820 on the Janka Wood Hardness Scale. It is approximately 30% stronger than white oak, the most popular hardwood used in flooring. Other common wood flooring choices, such as pine and teak, are more scratch-resistant than hickory.

Pros of Hickory Flooring

Here are some of the advantages of hickory flooring.

Hickory Lightens Up Any Space

Natural tones of hickory range from mild golden-brown to creamy brown. Its strong grain patterns may also help to balance out the wood’s lightness. It’s ideal for highlighting dark-colored furniture and walls.

Stains and finishes are simple to apply.

People who don’t like the natural tone of hickory may rest easy knowing that it takes stains and other kinds of wood treatments quite well. It has the ability to transform the floor from a natural marvel to an exquisite beauty.

Scratch Resistance is Outstanding

As previously stated, hickory scores high on the Janka Wood Hardness Scale, outperforming the industry norm – white oak – by up to 30%.

Because of its resilience, hickory has excellent scratch resistance, making it an ideal flooring choice for mobile furniture.

Maintenance that isn’t a pain

Dry cleaning hickory hardwood floors after using a proper floor cleaner is all it takes to keep them clean. Sweeping and dusting should be done on a regular basis to maintain its strength and longevity.

Humidity Resistant (More Resistant)

While no hardwood flooring is completely weatherproof, hickory outperforms the competition in terms of moisture resistance.

It’s ideal for houses in humid climates where other flooring choices may succumb to water damage. Learn more about how to repair water-damaged wood flooring in our guide.

Hardwoods that are less expensive than exotic or rare hardwoods

Hickory is often more costly than white oak or other types of wood flooring. It is, nevertheless, less expensive than exotic and uncommon hardwoods such as Brazilian teak, Merbau, and Brazilian oak.

Increases the resale value of a home

Hickory hardwood is a smart flooring choice because of its excellent longevity, amazing scratch resistance, superb moisture resistance, and distinctive grain patterns.

It raises the resale value of the home since it can outlive the next owners.

Cons of Hickory Flooring

The disadvantages of hickory flooring are discussed below.

Traditional Wood Flooring Options are More Expensive

Although hickory is a popular timber wood in the United States, it has a smaller availability than other wood flooring choices like pine and oak. That is why hickory hardwood flooring is more costly than other types of wood flooring.

Not for Novice Do-It-Yourselfers

The strength of hickory may also be its Achilles heel. Cutting and shaping hickory hardwood may be difficult for inexperienced woodworkers. Special equipment may be required to cut and shape hickory boards to meet design requirements.

White oak is a great alternative if you want an easy-to-install wood flooring option. Because it is softer than hickory, it is easy to cut, shape, and install.

Some people may be turned off by the grain pattern.

Swirls, lines, and other grain patterns are subtle and beautiful in other hardwood flooring choices. Unfortunately, the wood grain of hickory may be very loud, broad, and variable.

Some people despise them, while others like the distinct beauty of hickory wood grain on the floor.

Hickory Flooring’s Longevity

Hickory hardwood is one of the most long-lasting flooring choices available to any household. This hardwood flooring may endure many generations if properly cared for.

Just look at the difference between hickory and white oak, which is the industry standard for contemporary hardwood flooring. Hickory is 30% more durable than the hardwood flooring seen in many houses.

Maintenance of Hickory Flooring

The strength and durability of hickory hardwood also make it simple to maintain. All that is required of homeowners is to gently spray an appropriate cleaning on the floor and then mop it dry. Every day, one may sweep the surface.

Many families choose hickory because of its simplicity of upkeep. It is not necessary for them to spend a lot of time cleaning it. Dusting and dry mopping on a regular basis is all that is required to maintain the hickory wood floor in good condition for decades.

Cost of Hickory Flooring

Hickory hardwood planks are more costly than other types of flooring. Low-end solid hickory boards may be purchased for $4 per square foot for flooring applications. If high-end goods are desired, the price per square foot may reach $10.

As a result, depending on the hickory solid wood quality, covering a 300-square-foot living room may cost a family anywhere from $1,200 to $4,000. A 1,500-square-foot home may cost anything from $6,000 to $15,000.

It’s important to keep in mind that the price includes just the hickory wood flooring. It excludes the cost of labor and additional supplies. Here’s where you can learn more about our guide to wood flooring prices.

Hardwood Flooring Issues with Hickory

There are a few drawbacks to hickory hardwood flooring, particularly if it is not placed by a professional.

Installation is a time-consuming and careful procedure. To avoid swelling, contracting, and warping, each hickory wood board must be fully dry before being installed on the floor.

Acclimating the hickory hardwood to local circumstances for approximately a week before installation is one of the best methods to prevent this issue.

Another problem is that it has a naturally light tone, which makes grain flaws apparent. These ugly markings usually appear throughout the cutting process, giving the job a ‘busy’ appearance, as many contractors describe it.

Knowing the benefits and drawbacks of hickory flooring allows homeowners to determine if this flooring choice is right for them. The benefits of hickory include its greater hardness, moisture resistance, simplicity of maintenance, and distinctive grain features.

Unfortunately, its hardness makes it difficult to deal with for DIYers, and its warp-proneness and high cost may deter families from installing hickory wood flooring. On this page, you can find more relevant information in our post on the many kinds of hardwood flooring.

Hickory is a versatile hardwood that can be found in a variety of products, including floors, furniture, and cabinetry. Based on the hardwood’s unique properties, the most widely used version of Hickory is a hardwood flooring variety called Hardwood Flooring, which is widely available at your local big-box or even hardware store.. Read more about hickory flooring wide plank and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are hickory floors worth it?

Hickory floors are often considered to be worth it because they are very durable and long-lasting. They also have a nice smell that can last for years.

Do hickory floors scratch easily?

They are made from a wood that is harder than oak. You should not have any problems with them scratching easily.

Is hickory flooring in style?

Yes, hickory flooring is in style.