Wood Flooring SuppliesInstalling Wooden Floors

Which Type of Hickory Flooring Should Be Added to Your Home?

The look of tan to reddish heartwood and white or cream-colored sapwood draws many to hickory flooring, but the arduous and unconventional installation process also causes some to hold back. If you are thinking about adding hickory flooring to your home or building but aren’t entirely convinced yet, take the following factors into consideration.

Hickory flooring is characterized by rough, closed grain and density, with a Janka scale rating of 1820. These factors are the primary causes of sanding, machining, and finishing issues. In many cases, they can be eliminated by prefinished hickory flooring. With the sanding and finishing already done, the hardwood just needs to be installed. However, prefinished products, in general, have a limited amount of finishes, and if you want a specific look for your floors, going with an unfinished product is better.

For tackling the installation of unfinished hickory, realize from the start that the wood is too dense for hand tools, and power or pneumatic ones, such as nailers and belt sanders, should be used instead. For sanding the wood, a belt sander needs an 80-grit belt; for smoothing out the floor, change to a 120-grit belt, and for any finishing touches, go with 220-grit.

Choosing a stain is the benefit of unfinished flooring, as you, the owner, can test various shades on the hardwood until you find the exact match. Staining hickory, however, is difficult, and one of three approaches can be taken. Water popping involves wiping down the sanded hardwood with a wet rag to open up the grain and, once the wood is dry, finishing it immediately. Wood conditioner, on the other hand, takes an opposite approach: the conditioner seals the grain, which prevents blotching once a finish is applied. Going with distressed hickory is a third option. Although distressed hickory has a distinct appearance, it hides imperfections better.

Once you have decided whether prefinished or unfinished fits your needs better, determine which type of hickory hardwood – solid or engineered – is fit for your home or building. Although solid hardwood is the most traditional and the highest quality hardwood available, it needs to be installed over a wood subfloor and can only be added on or above grade; areas with heat or moisture cause solid hardwoods to warp or buckle. Engineered hardwoods, on the other hand, can be added below grade and on top of concrete or radiant heat. For adding hickory flooring to your home, decide where it will be added – a ground or top floor or a basement – and be aware of the materials on which the hardwood will be installed.

About the Author

4729 Hickory Wood Row

Ennospace 4 Inch x 12 Inch Hickory Hardwood Vent Floor Register Flush Mount Unfinished $27.00 It is designed to lay flat with the surface of the wood flooring, provides two way diffusion and is the preferred style for sand and finish hardwood floors where an architecturally smooth look is desired. Each frame is grooved on the outside to accommodate most 3/4″ tongue and groove flooring. It is recommended that this floor register be installed during the installation of your hardwood floor, w…

White Oak Unfinished Wood Floor Vent Register 4 x 12 $21.99 This product is custom made with the natural White Oak solid hardwood. Flush Mount complete with its own frame assembly, this style sits flush with any hardwood floor. Provides a seamless and refined appearance to a wood floor that looks truly custom….

Hickory Pecan Unfinished Wood Floor Vent Register 4 x 12 $39.22 This product is custom made with the natural solid Hickory Pecan hardwood. Flush Mount complete with its own frame assembly, this style sits flush with any hardwood floor. Provides a seamless and refined appearance to a wood floor that looks truly custom….