As It Ages: Hickory darkens to a richer, medium brown, and its grain becomes more defined. The wood's tough texture smooths out over time but remains robust. Hickory's strength makes it ideal for heavy-use items, and its aging process adds to its rich, textured appearance.
As with any natural material, hickory flooring may undergo subtle changes in color over time. The heartwood, with its rich dark hues, can mellow into lighter shades, displaying a spectrum from pale blond to warm amber and golden brown.
Wider boards are usually used for flooring because they better reflect the design and patterns of the wood. Although hickory wood is harder than many other kinds of wood, a major drawback is that it is very prone to swelling.
Wood is a natural material that reacts to ambient light. Some woods gain richness in color once exposed to sunlight. Others may lighten over time. The most dramatic changes occur within the first six months following installation.
With salmon-colored hues in the heartwood, Hickory is actually somewhat lighter than White Oak, which has a more nutty brown color. The graining in both varieties is similar and not over-the-top.
In its natural state, Hickory wood has a range of hues from light to tan, sometimes leaning towards grayish hues. The many shades of the light tan tones can add depth and texture to your hardwood floors.
Pecan wood is closest to hickory in terms of appearance and hardness, and often used interchangeably since it is near impossible to tell the two woods apart. Other woods like white oak and hard maple are also somewhat similar, though they are softer.
aged walnut. New walnut has a consistent dark-brown color but as it gets older, two changes occur. 1: Unlike maple and cherry, it gets lighter. 2: A rich honey color starts to come through the grain.
Highly Durable: Both porcelain and ceramic tiles are incredibly durable and resistant to fading, even under prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Dark wood flooring is making a bold and luxurious statement in 2025. The rich, deep tones of dark wood species, such as walnut, mahogany, or dark-stained oak, add sophistication and warmth to living rooms, dining areas, and bedrooms.
Hickory's supreme durability and unique grain patterns makes it slightly more expensive than oak. The average cost of solid hickory flooring is between $4 to $8 per square foot, while engineered hickory's price is generally the same as both white and red oak, coming in at $3 to $6 per square foot.
Light Wood Floors: The Versatile Option
There's something inherently timeless about light wood floors. They bring a sense of freshness, openness, and brightness to any room. Light hardwood floor colors like Maple, Birchwood, and Hickory have a classic appeal that never fades.
But with a hardness rating of 1820, Hickory is among the strongest hardwoods commonly used for flooring. It's incredibly resistant to scratches, dings and dents.
Note that gel and light stains are preferred for hickory hardwood, as they highlight the grain, while darker stains will hide the contrast for which the hardwood is known. Once the stain has dried, the hickory hardwood should be smoothed with a floor polisher.
To acclimate effectively, the planks should be unpacked from their boxes and stacked to allow air circulation on all sides. If the moisture content of the subfloor and new planks are within 2 percent right off the bat, we still recommend 48 hours for the floor to get comfortable in its new environment.
While not as sensitive to moisture as other hardwoods, hickory is still prone to warping and dramatic shrinking and swelling. Because of this, installing hickory floors is often slow, as the wood must be properly acclimated to the site before installation.
Modern vinyl flooring is designed to be highly resistant to UV damage, making it suitable for sun-filled rooms. You can choose from a wide range of styles, including those that mimic natural wood or stone. Choose laminate with UV-resistant coatings to prevent fading.
Direct sunlight has an impact on the wooden furniture, changing its tones to deeper or lighter hues. Naturally, as the wood ages, the finish becomes worn and is likely to develop these effects.
Water-based finishes, which are acrylics, give the wood no color nor do they darken as they age. They work well on lighter woods such as maple, birch or pine. If finishing a darker wood, such as walnut, mahogany or cherry, then one of the other finishes such as shellac or lacquer is better.
Hardwood: Hardwood flooring in a similar color to hickory cabinets, such as oak or maple, which can create a cohesive and seamless look in your kitchen.
Hickory is great for smoking pork, ham, and beef for a sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor. Talk about delicious, satisfying flavor!
In general, hickory tends to be more expensive than oak. That's because hickory is a harder and more durable wood and is, therefore, more difficult to mill and install. Plus, because hickory is less common than oak, its supply may be more limited. That also can add to its cost.