Solid Hickory vs Red Oak hardwood floors

houses14

10 years ago

Hello All,

This house will be built in Hickory, NC.

I was set for red oak using select and better in grade with 3" 1/4 width, but then thinking about change to Hickory.

Would be greatly appreciate for sharing their pro and cons.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

illinigirl
10 years ago
I think it is about the look you are going for. Are you talking about site finished floors or prefinished? Stained or natural? Natural Hickory will have more variation from light to dark. I don't know enough to say how well hickory takes to staining but I know red oak stains very well. Hickory is harder but both perform very well as flooring.
User
10 years ago
Hickory has so much variation that choosing select hickory is signifcantly more money than oak if you are comparing select clear. If you want a more rustic look, then choosing hikory is likely to be less than oak. It all depends on the look you are after.
Related Discussions
Beech hardwood floors? vs maple vs oak
Q
Comments (5)
hereigo, It's all a personal preference as far as the look or style you desire. The factors that play a roll include size or sizes of floor boards, color of wood/finish, grade of wood, grain pattern of wood, and site finished versus prefinished installation. Be aware that the higher grades (clear,select) will tend to be more uniform in appearance, whereas the lower grades (#1 Common, #2 common) will have more variation in color and/or visual defects like mineral streaks or knots. Lots or grain and/or a low sheen finish will visually hide dings and dents that can occur. The most visible grain will be with R&Q oak or ash or hickory and it will be in a linear pattern. Moderately visible grain will be found in beech or birch. The least visible grain pattern will be found in maple. A cathedral grain pattern is found with plain sawn lumber/flooring and is most noticeable with oak, ash, hickory, or other coarse grain hardwoods. This style seems to be currently out of fashion. Maple is also a good wood for flooring and it is used on gym floors throughout the country. With a durable, low sheen finish and some care, I think it could remain attractive for a long time before needing a refinish. We have mixed width, wide plank, R&Q red oak, #1 common, and site finished in our upstairs. It works well with our family and 30# dog. It has held up well for 3.5 years and is very stable and the dings and dents don't show. I won't say we abuse this floor, but it has seen dirty shoes and dog/cat claws and kids riding toys and yet it still looks good. My son's Plasma car has scratched the surface finish here and there (Waterlox), but this type of finish is considered soft and can be touched up down the road. I'm not sure how well the harder finishes would hold up against a 5 year old and his car. Finally, the great thing is that almost all hardwood floor finishes can be redone to look like new again. When the surface finish of sheet vinyl or laminate gets scratched and dull, the product gets tossed in the landfill. Best of luck with your remodel.
...See More
hardwood vs engineered hardwood vs vinyl?
Q
Comments (9)
Definitely choose wood. Vinyls are great, however, for resale value, wood is the absolute best ROI especially for the main living areas. You can choose an engineered or solid- whichever makes most sense. We are able to provide engineered HW that can be sanded and refinished just as many times as solid. If the wear and tear is something you are worried about, consider choose a floor that has a reclaimed look with a strong grain pattern and saw markings that can hide many of the scratches and discrepancies that will happen over time. If that specific design isn't your style, consider a light color floor. Oiled floors are a decent choice because fixing superficial scratches are relatively easy. Oaks are good because of their graining and if kept a light color- will be able to disguise many of the scratches. You can ALWAYS sand and refinish your floors a few years down the line if needed. Plus, when you go to sell and the floors have been lived on- they can be sanded and finished for the new buyer. A vinyl floor will need to be replaced. Hardwood is more expensive at the moment, but they actually end up paying for themselves years down the line with the proper care and maintenance. Or you can choose wood in the dining and great room and a tile in the kitchen. SJ McCarthy has a good recommendation for hickory and oak. Another option is Character Maple(make sure it is hard maple). If you really want to be bold- go for Brazilian Pecan. :)
...See More
Somerset 5” solid hickory hardwood flooring
Q
Comments (3)
No experience with Somerset. We installed Homerwood natural solid hickory 6 years ago in a 4 inch plank. Our environment in summer is good with AC running most of the time. Winter is a different story, we heat mostly with wood & coal & do not run our whole house humidifier anymore, as it is a losing battle. I think humidity still stays above 35 percent, but not really sure. We have had zero problems with expanding & contracting. I don't know how much different a 1 inch wider plank would be, but our floor has performed well.
...See More
white vs red oak hardwood floors
Q
Comments (2)
It's red oak.
...See More
virgilcarter
10 years ago
Both woods will make durable floors for normal residential use. As others have said, the primary difference is in appearance. Hickory has highly varied color and grain markings, while Red Oak is very consistent in color and grain.

If it was my house I'd use Oak (or Maple) for a very consistent look that doesn't call attention to itself and compete with the design of the rest of house for attention as Hickory does.

Others milage may vary. Hope this helps. Good luck with your project.
houses14
Original Author
10 years ago
It will be natural look with on-site finished.

There is one website mentioned easy for insect on Hickory than oak. Is it true?

Thank You!
saftgeek
10 years ago
Houses14 = I too thought about using Hickory as I like a lot of variation in color and was interested in having floors with character... What changed my mind was when we cleared the trees to build our house we had a truck load of saw logs and I couldn't bear to see them go to waste. I thought the least I could do for imposing on them was to give them a place in my home. I had a mill cut them into rough boards then finished them out at a local kiln. They were planed, cut, and milled. I had them cut to yield, which gave me 3" - 4" and 5" planks. I asked them to leave in the knots and sawmarks. The first picture is a close up of the floor boards and the second is a picture of the room. These are site finished natural with a touch of brown in them to make the knots pop... The floors just had the final coat put on them and look even better than these pictures... We are very happy with our red oak...

I'm sure whatever you choose will be great... Good luck.

Saftgeek-

Related Stories

WOOD Woodipedia: Make a Solid Choice With Oak

By Marci Crestani

Forget those low-end products of old. Red and white oak today are beautiful, versatile and relatively inexpensive

Full Story

REMODELING GUIDES Your Floor: An Introduction to Solid-Plank Wood Floors

By Paul Anater

Get the Pros and Cons of Oak, Ash, Pine, Maple and Solid Bamboo

Full Story

102

MATERIALS What to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor

By Mitchell Parker

We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring

Full Story

176

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Hardwood Floors

By Bonnie McCarthy

Gleaming wood floors are a thing of beauty. Find out how to keep them that way

Full Story

460

REMODELING GUIDES Contractor Tips: Smooth Moves for Hardwood Floors

By Buckminster Green LLC

Dreaming of gorgeous, natural wood floors? Consider these professional pointers before you lay the first plank

Full Story

REMODELING GUIDES Your Floors: Zebra, Tiger, and Teak Wood, Oh, My!

By Paul Anater

Get the Pros and Cons of Exotic Woods: Hickory, Cherry, Rosewood and More

Full Story

FLOORS How to Paint Your Hardwood Floors

By Ventana Construction LLC

Know how to apply nail polish? Then you can give your wooden floors a brand-new look

Full Story

105

REMODELING GUIDES Transition Time: How to Connect Tile and Hardwood Floors

By By Any Design Ltd.

Plan ahead to prevent unsightly or unsafe transitions between floor surfaces. Here's what you need to know

Full Story

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS Kitchen Counters: High-Tech Solid Surfaces Make Maintenance Easy

By Ivon Street Studio

Sculpted by heat and nonporous by nature, solid-surface countertops bring imagination and low maintenance to the kitchen

Full Story

111

GREAT HOME PROJECTS What to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors

By Fred Albert

Learn costs and other important details about renewing a hardwood floor — and the one mistake you should avoid

Full Story

176

Solid Hickory vs Red Oak hardwood floors

Comments (5)

illinigirl

User

Related Discussions

virgilcarter

houses14
Original Author

saftgeek

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Solid Hickory vs Red Oak hardwood floors

Comments (5)

illinigirl

User

Related Discussions

virgilcarter

houses14Original Author

saftgeek

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

houses14
Original Author