lg_hickory_pecanWood Species: Hickory-Pecan (Carya spp.)

Appearance: Top portion is finished with water-base finish; bottom with oil-based finish.

Color: Pecan heartwood is reddish brown with dark brown stripes; sapwood is white or creamy white with pinkish tones. Hickory heartwood is tan or reddish; sapwood is white to cream, with fine brown lines.

Grain: Pecan is open, occasionally wavy or irregular. Hickory is closed, with moderate definition; somewhat rough-textured.

Variations Within Species And Grades: In both hickory and pecan, there are often pronounced differentiations in color between spring wood and summerwood. In pecan, sapwood is usually graded higher than darker heartwood. Pecan and hickory are traditionally mixed by flooring mills.

Workability:

  • Sawing/Machining: Hickory’s density makes it difficult to machine and work with hand tools.
  • Sanding: Difficult to sand because of density, and because light color makes sander markers show more than on darker woods.
  • Nailing: Has a tendency to split the tongues.
  • Finishing: May be difficult to stain

Comments Origin: North America

Properties: Hardness/Janka: Janka:1820; (41% harder than Northern red oak). Pecan is slightly softer than true hickories.

Dimensional Stability: Pecan, average (8.9; 3% less stable than Northern red oak.

Availability: Readily available.

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