Hickory flooring is durable and designed to last, making it a go-to choice for many residential building and design projects. A timeless pick for interior spaces, long-lasting hardwood also provides a look that can be traditional, transitional or more contemporary without feeling dated in the next few years. You’ll rarely find this combination of long-term durability and elegant style in other flooring materials.
While hickory may not be the most common choice when it comes to hardwood flooring, it should definitely be on your radar if you’re building a home, renovating your existing house or simply looking for ways to spruce up one part of your home like your living room or master bedroom suite. Use this guide to learn more about the benefits of hickory flooring for your home. You may find that hickory is the perfect pick for residential build or upgrade.
Hickory Flooring is Hard and Durable
Hardwood floors in your home can take a beating from kids, pets and even adults. From your hallways that can be scuffed and scratched to seating areas where chairs and sofas can take their toll, hickory is truly up to the challenge. That’s because hickory hardwood has a Janka scale rating of 1820, making it one of the hardest wood varieties commonly found in the country.
Janka scale ratings might look good on paper, but what do they really mean to you? When it comes to hickory hardwood, that high Janka number means that your floors will be resistant to scuffs, scratches, dings and dents – the stuff that’s basically everyday wear and tear. That makes them ideal for high-traffic spaces where you spend time with your family, friends, pets and kids.
Lots of Looks Are Available
Floors that can stand up to daily abuse are a must-have in entry areas, family rooms, dining rooms and shared spaces like kitchens and hallways. Durability won’t be wasted in bedroom and home office spaces either. You don’t have to give up the look you want to ensure that your floors will last a lifetime in your home though.
Hickory wood comes in a range of different looks. Classic, natural wood grain styles with lots of knots and imperfections are excellent for traditional or antique-inspired and rustic spaces. Sapwood options provider a lighter, more modern look with fewer knots and color variations.
Finding a balance between more rustic and contemporary looks is also possible. Unfinished hickory flooring is particularly popular since it provides some color variation and knotting without appearing too rustic or old-fashioned.
Hickory Retains Stain Well
Natural-look hickory hardwood flooring is extremely popular and can complement many different home styles ranging from more traditional to minimalist modern structures. Hickory does take stain well though, allowing you to get the ideal tone that works for your space.With many different looks available on the market today ranging from wire-brushed hickory to clean, modern blonde wood styles, pre-stained hickory is an excellent choice for residential spaces. By choosing pre-stained varieties, you’ll reduce the amount of in-home work required and ensure that you get a uniform look throughout your room or whole house.
If your floors need to be sanded and stained many years down the road, hickory will fare well and look exceptional again once your project is complete.
SKU: 15266914
Engineered Hickory is an Excellent Choice for Humid Climates
Natural hardwood can swell considerably in humid climates, leading to plank separation and a less than perfect look over time. This is particularly true in rooms where you get a lot of natural sunlight or have limited climate control. Engineered hickory flooring is often the perfect answer for a humid space.
That’s because engineered hickory can be made waterproof and impervious to humidity changes that are common in the winter and summer months. This also makes engineered hickory an excellent choice for kitchens, powder rooms and bathrooms where you want the look of wood without risking water damage.
In many cases, you won’t be able to tell the difference between natural hickory and engineered hickory once its installed. Like natural hickory flooring, a range of style options are available to suit any home design.
Sustainable Options Abound
Hickory is a domestic wood that is common found and harvested in the United States. If sustainability is a concern for you, hickory is an excellent choice because it’s much less likely to be flown to your home from another continent.
The hardness factor also makes hickory a sustainable hardwood since it can last as long as your home. Properly cared for, your hickory floors should look spectacular for generations to come, making it a smart, sustainable choice if you’re looking for hardwood flooring.
Rugged Hickory is Worth the Investment
Hickory flooring is durable and stylish, and with many styles available today, easy to use in just about any home setting. This near-perfect wood does come at a price though. In some cases, hickory can cost 10% to 20% more than other types of commonly used wood like maple or birch.
However, it’s important to remember that hickory is an investment in quality flooring for many years to come. Resistant to scratches, scuffs, dents and dings, hickory will look exceptional in your home for many years. Easy to refinish, hickory will also adapt to style changes over time, allowing you to update your space as you see fit. Natural hickory floors can easily be sanded and stained two to three times or more.
Engineered hickory provides much of the same durability as natural hickory, but is often a better choice for humid climates and wet spaces like kitchens and bathrooms. Like its natural brethren, engineered hardwood is available in many styles and finishes.
Hire Pros for Hickory Flooring Installation
Hickory is incredibly hard and durable. That makes it a smart pick for family homes and spaces where longevity and sustainability are concerns. It doesn’t make hickory a very good candidate for a do-it-yourself installation unless you have a vast amount of experience installing wood floors though.
In general, hickory floors should be left to the pros. The hardness of the wood makes it tough to cut, particularly around corners, angled walls and architectural elements like columns. Adding hickory to a staircase or other home feature is also an extremely difficult task that requires a lot of on-the-job experience to handle correctly.
From proper acclimation time to installation in uniquely-shaped rooms, wood floor professionals will know how to handle hickory properly. With a big investment like hickory flooring, hiring pros to ensure that your floors last for many years is a sound choice.
Ready to add natural hickory or engineered hickory flooring to your home? Whether you’re taking on a major home upgrade, updating one room or building a house from the ground up, BuildDirect is here to help you get started right.
Reach out to our trained professionals today to learn more about natural and engineered hickory flooring for your home. We can help you find your preferred style and choose the flooring material that will last based on your lifestyle and durability needs.
We’ll also ship your flooring materials right to your door so you don’t have to do any hauling on your own or pay professionals to pick up your wood. Contact us today to order samples so you can get your project underway.
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