There’s such a wide range of hardwood flooring materials available that it may be difficult to choose the appropriate one.  When considering domestic species you’ll often come across oak, maple and pine.  But what about hickory?  Is hickory good for hardwood flooring?  Below we’ll go over the various advantages and disadvantages related to hickory hardwood floors.

Hardness

Hickory ranks among the hardest of North American wood flooring species.  This makes it a great option for high traffic areas and households with children and pets.  Hickory is more resistant to scratches and dents than most woods.  This fact is only reinforced by its prevalence in the manufacture of baseball bats, golf club heads and axe handles.  If you’re looking for a durable, domestic hardwood flooring species, hickory should be at the top of your list.

Aesthetic Appeal

Hickory provides a broad range of colours and wood grain patterns that makes it a versatile choice for interior design applications.  The heartwood exhibits deep reds and dark browns, whereas the sapwood is more often a lighter, golden or pinkish cream colour with narrow brown lines.  Hickory’s grain is often described as a middle ground between the heavy prominence of oak or ash and the less conspicuous markings of maple.

Flooring Styles

Hickory comes in a variety of flooring styles.  You can choose from cheaper laminate versions or opt for the more expensive solid or engineered planks.  Hickory floors can also exhibit all types of surface finishes and textures ranging from trendy hand scraped and wire brushed markings to more rustic, distressed styles.  The planks can also feature all the common edge styles such as bevelled, micro bevelled, eased, square and pillowed.

Maintenance

Hickory floor maintenance is generally trouble and fuss free.  It’s hardness and durability means that scratches and dents aren’t often a problem and regular sweeping and dry mopping are often sufficient to keep the floor looking fresh.  That said, the wood’s hardness can also make DIY repairs somewhat tricky and it may be best to leave such alterations to a professional

Is Hickory Good for Hardwood Flooring?

The bottom line is that hickory can be a great flooring material option.  If hardness and durability of a domestic species are high on your list of priorities, hickory becomes an obvious choice.