About the wood
Hickory
Carya spp. (true hickories: C. tomentosa, C. ovata, C. glabra, C. laciniosa); reference page Carya tomentosa
Among the hardest and strongest woods native to the United States, harder on average than white oak or hard maple, and sold as a mix of four true hickories and often pecan, which is itself a hickory.
- Density
- 51.0 lb/ft³
- Origin
- Eastern United States
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern
Working & finishing
Difficult to work: tearout is common in machining if cutting edges are not kept sharp, and the wood blunts edges quickly, so OCC runs fresh knives, light planer passes and the drum sander for the final surface. The Wood Database pages consulted do not rate hickory's gluing or finishing. An oil or hardwax finish keeps the two-tone heartwood and sapwood bands plain to see; a film finish suits a top that needs spill protection.
Care
Wipe spills promptly and clean with a damp cloth. Hickory has the highest shrinkage of OCC's Tier 1 species, so expect more seasonal width movement than oak or walnut and keep the top on a base that lets it move. Indoor use only; hardness is not rot resistance.