The Ultimate Guide to Hickory Hardwood Flooring

Have you ever wondered which wood floor you should choose? You could be missing out on a great option for your home or project if you haven’t considered hickory hardwood flooring.

Hickory’s distinctive grain and prominent knots give a rustic look that can warm most any indoor space.

There are a lot of reasons for putting hickory hardwood floors at the top of your wood floor list.

If you’re curious about why hickory is one of the best flooring options, keep reading. We’ll also talk about why hickory might not be for you.

Why You Should Use Hickory Flooring

Here are 4 reasons why hickory floors might be the right floors for you:

1. Hickory is durable
2. Hickory is easy to maintain
3. Hickory stains well and looks charming
4. Hickory is less expensive than exotic hardwoods

1. Hickory is Extremely Durable

Hickory’s durability is one of the best reasons to choose it. Floors take a lot of beatings from furniture, heavy foot traffic, pets, kids, dirt, food, and drink.

Hickory is one of the hardest North American woods commonly used for flooring. On the Janka hardness scale, shagbark hickory rates about 1,880 and pecan, which is often sold as hickory flooring, about 1,820. That’s roughly 50% harder than northern red oak, at 1,220.¹

If you have a busy home and know that your wood floor will take some abuse, hickory is a great option for getting the hardwood look without constantly worrying about wrecking your floors.

2. Hickory is Easy to Maintain

One of the most common concerns about any type of flooring is that it can be a pain to keep up. Hickory’s hardness helps it resist dents and wear, and its busy grain can help disguise minor wear.

Caring for hickory floors is simple: sweep or vacuum regularly, and clean with a product the flooring manufacturer recommends.

3. Hickory Stains Well and Looks Charming

Hickory takes stain and finishes well. If you don’t like hickory’s natural light shade, you can stain it to get the look you want.

Overall, hickory has a lot of charm. Its distinctive grain and prominent knots give a rustic look that warms up a modern space or complements a rustic one.

4. Hickory is Less Expensive than Exotic Hardwoods

While some other wood floor options are less expensive, hickory gives you the durability and look you might be looking for without the cost of imported exotic woods.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Hickory Floors

While there are a lot of pros to hickory floors, there are also a few cons. In fact, many of the things that make hickory great can also make it a not-so-great choice for you.

Some questions to ask if you think hickory isn’t the wood floor for you are:

1. Is hickory’s grain pattern too distinct?
2. Why is hickory flooring hard to install?
3. Is hickory sensitive to moisture?

1. Is Hickory’s Grain Pattern too Distinct?

Hickory’s grain is one of the reasons people love hickory, but it’s also a reason why hickory might not be the right choice for you.

Hickory’s grain pattern is active and busy, and the color difference between the knots and other parts of a hickory board can be dramatic.

If you are looking for a clean, modern look, then hickory probably isn’t the best choice for you.

2. Why is Hickory Flooring Hard to Install?

Because hickory is such a hard, dense wood, it can be difficult to cut and machine, and it dulls cutting edges quickly.¹

If you prefer to lay your floors yourself, you can buy prefinished hickory flooring, which removes the need to sand and finish the floor on site. However, prefinished flooring usually costs more.

Because hickory is challenging to work with, you may want professional help whenever you need to replace boards.

3. Is Hickory Sensitive to Moisture?

The use of a pinless wood moisture meter is important for avoiding moisture-related problems with any wood flooring, including hickory.

Yes. Hickory shrinks and swells more than many common flooring species as its moisture content changes. Shagbark hickory’s shrinkage, for example, is 10.5% tangential and 7.0% radial, compared with 8.6% and 4.0% for northern red oak.¹

Because of this, hickory flooring needs to be properly acclimated to the site before installation, which can make installation slower.

It also means hickory floors may not be the best choice in areas where the humidity changes dramatically or where the floors often get wet, such as kitchens or bathrooms.

To avoid moisture issues during and after installation, use a pinless moisture meter that won’t damage your floors but will still give you the information you need. Wagner Meters’ Orion^® pinless wood moisture meters are a great option.

Is Hickory Good for Flooring?

Yes. Hickory is one of the hardest North American woods commonly used for flooring, at about 1,820 to 1,880 on the Janka hardness scale. It resists dents and wear, is easy to maintain, offers distinctive color and grain, and is less expensive than exotic woods. Just make sure it’s properly acclimated before installation, since it moves more with moisture changes than many species.

Hickory is Just One of Several Options

If hickory sounds like a great floor for you, then go for it! There are many pros that make hickory an excellent choice for many spaces.

If hickory isn’t for you, not to worry. Hickory is just one of many flooring options. If you want to explore more options, check out our article about the top 10 flooring choices.

Whatever hardwood floor you choose, use a Wagner pinless moisture meter to help protect your floors from moisture problems.

Shop Orion Moisture Meters

Jason Wright

Jason Wright, Business Development Specialist for New Products, joined Wagner Meters in 2019. He comes to Wagner with over 35 years of experience in the flooring industry.

Last updated on October 8th, 2026