This might be the easiest blog that I have ever written. Hickory is a species of wood that has very little downside. With just 2 or 3 different grades of Hickory flooring can go from your date to a black tie event to your faithful partner in crime at a honky tonk.
Maybe that is a bad analogy. Let me expound a little.
What is Special about Hickory Hardwood Flooring?
The look of a piece of Hickory flooring is unique because of the amount of contrasting colors between the sapwood and the heartwood. One tends to run dark, even black, while the other can move between a light creamy tone and a warm, earthy color. Then you frequently get boards that have both types and things really get busy!
When graded in a Select and Better, Hickory will have less contrast, almost devoid of dark tones. A #1 Common floor will show lots of color, but no black. Some boards will contain both sapwood and heartwood, but not with extreme contrast. A #2 Common floor...well... that's where things can get outta hand.
I forgot. My task was to write about the downside. Instead I got caught up in what makes Hickory so enticing.
And The Downsides of Hickory Flooring
Hickory flooring does have a downside. Two of them, in fact. The first one is that it can be an expensive hardwood floor. The law of supply and demand certainly apply to Hickory, and the price can reflect that. But let's talk about the other downside at length.
Hickory is a very dense wood. Sort of like Cousin Eddie. And like Cousin Eddie, that density works both ways. We love the way Hickory floors are almost impossible to dent. Because of the color and density of this wood species there will almost never a change in appearance due to abuse.
Using the Janka Hardness scale we can compare the density, or hardness, of Hickory flooring to other species. Hickory has the highest score of any common domestic wood species at 1820. Hard Maple follows 1450 at while White Oak and Red Oak are at 1360 and 1280, respectively. For more comparisons, and to better understand how the Janka Scale is done, read our blog here. That is why Hickory is such a popular choice when a customer is looking for hardwood floors that excel in the durability department.
Back to the downside. Because of that density, Hickory has fewer pores and the ones it has are smaller diameter than most other species. What that means to us is that if moisture is introduced to a solid Hickory hardwood floor, almost any absorption will result in the expansion of the dimensions of the board. In the hardwood flooring business that means that the flooring will exhibit warping and cupping. This is bad.
Wide Plank Hickory Has Moisture Sensitivity Issues
Because of the moisture issues we do not recommend that our customers use a solid Hickory floor wider than 3 1/4", unless you are dedicated to keeping the relative humidity in your home under 60% all year around. That means no leaving doors and windows open!
If you really want a wide plank floor, consider our engineered Hickory options. Installation of these high-quality 8 ply engineered floors gives you the option of installing over a wood or concrete subfloor, with no worries about buckling or cupping.
About That Other Downside of Hickory Flooring....
As I said, one of the drawbacks of Hickory floors can be the cost. The demand for Hickory keeps the supply suppressed to a point that a Hickory floor typically costs about 25% more than Red Oak or White Oak.
But that changed recently when we made a great deal with Bruce Hardwood Flooring. Bruce has a customer that will take all of the 5" solid plank that they can get. Well, the way trees are sawn and the lumber is milled assures the manufacturer that they will get all the different widths and grades. That means for every square foot or so of 5" plank that gets produced there is a square foot of 3 1/4" width sawed as well. So Bruce came to us and asked if we would be interested in partnering with them to liquidate all of the 2 1/4" and 3 1/4" wide solid Hickory. Yes we would!
As a result of our partnership, here at ReallyCheapFloors.com is offering our customers 6 different prefinished solid Hickory hardwood floors at the lowest prices of anywhere in the country. While I realize that may sound a bit bold, we encourage you to compare our Hickory prices with anyone. Can I tell you about the products?
The name of the smooth products is American Home, and it is all made here in the USA.
First, the 2 1/4" width. Like all of the products these floors are graded as a first quality hardwood floor, with polyurethane finish, fortified with aluminum oxide. This makes the wear layer extremely scratch-resistant. The 2 1/4 strip is available in 2 colors, Natural and Prairie, at a price of $2.49 sq ft.
The 3 1/4 plank is the most popular choice. Also available in the same 2 colors we can offer this Hickory flooring at $2.99 sq ft.
Let me say that I am not aware of a first quality prefinished hardwood plank in the country for $2.99. For us to be able to offer this in a Hickory is a big deal. This floor cost more 25 years ago than it does today!
Now the big news. We haven't put it on our website as of today, but in the next few days we will be introducing the 2 newest options in our Hickory flooring lineup, the Stovall Mill Hickory. This 3 1/4" wide plank will feature Bruce's incomparable handscraped look in 2 proven colors, Shellbark and Red-Heart. These finishes offer rich, warm tones that lovers of Hickory desire in their homes. And we have this first quality flooring for $3.99 sq ft.
Now You Know More About Hickory Floors
With this information about the pros and cons of Hickory hardwood flooring you are ready to begin shopping for the perfect floor for you. Determine which option or options are right for you, and use our Hickory floors as a comparable. I think you will soon agree that our grading and prices are quite attractive.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call or email. We would love to help you with your Hickory hardwood floor.
