Common Uses For Hickory

Hickory is widely known and a very popular North American hardwood species.  It is found throughout the hardwood forests of the eastern United States and is used in various different products.  At one time it was used significantly to make sporting goods like bats, tennis rackets, golf club shafts and skis.  But that was before composite materials became the norm in those items.  Today you will find hickory used to make many tool handles because it is very hard, very heavy, and very strong.

But where else will you find hickory used? We find hickory to be used frequently when making hardwood flooring and cabinetry.  It’s hardness and durability work well in those applications and its normal characteristics give it a rustic or country type appeal that is very popular with designers today.

The varying lighter and darker shades of its contrasting heartwood and sapwood give it a very appealing look which many refer to as “calico”.  Calico is usually defined as a board of hickory lumber having a varying amount of heartwood and sapwood on each face of the board. This gives it a very beautiful and unique appeal which often times it turned into real unique home products that can become great conversational pieces!

So consider hickory for your next cabinet or flooring project. You will not be disappointed.  Perhaps even consider asking for a calico grade hickory product to create that unique look. 

If we can help you with some hickory lumber let us know.  Several of our facilities regularly produce hickory including Clendenin Lumber, Leitchfield, Smyrna and Hawkeye Forest Products. We usually have an ample supply of 4/4, 5/4 6/4 and 8/4 hickory in our system and rustic grade and calico loads can be sourced in time.

Tony C.
Baillie Lumber
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