HICKORY

Hickory is a strong, long-lasting wood species in the true-hickory category native to North America and specifically southern Ontario. Its heartwood tends to be light to medium brown, with a reddish hue and its sapwood is a paler yellowish brown. Hickory with contrasting heartwood and sapwood create a somewhat rustic appearance that is desirable amongst woodworkers and homeowners. Its grain is more commonly straight, though sometimes wavy, with a medium texture. It is considered to be non-durable to perishable wood species regarding heartwood decay, and is also very prone to insect attacks. Hickory is difficult to work with. A common issue with working with Hickory is tearout during machining operations, so make sure your cutting edges are kept sharp. Hickory glues, stains, finishes well, and responds well to steam bending. Hickory is most commonly used in household flooring, cabinetry, and furniture.