http://www.bellacerafloors.com/hardwood-flooring/Hickory-hardwood-flooring.aspx ...... One reason many decide to choose hickory flooring, characterized by tan to reddish heartwood and white to cream-colored sapwood, for their homes.Hickory hardwood has closed, rough grain and is dense and durable. The grain and density, however, make installing hickory hardwood difficult. Hand tools are not strong enough for the wood's density, and machining and sanding, as a result, are difficult.

3. One reason many decide to choose
hickory flooring, characterized by tan to
reddish heartwood and white to cream-
colored sapwood, for their homes.

4. Hickory hardwood has closed, rough
grain and is dense and durable. The
grain and density, however, make
installing hickory hardwood difficult.
Hand tools are not strong enough for
the wood's density, and machining
and sanding, as a result, are difficult.
Additionally, the hardwood is not
receptive to stains, and its tongues
have a tendency to split when nailed.

5. Installing hickory, however, is not impossible. Using a belt sander with
multiple grit belts is recommended. As you or a professional sands
with the grain of the wood, transition from an 80-grit belt to a 120-grit
belt for smoothing the surface to a 220-grit belt for finishing touches.

6. For finishing, similarly, a less-typical approach
also needs to be taken, and three methods are
used for hickory hardwood.
Conditioning the wood to seal off
the grain is one option.
Wood conditioner applied first seals off the
grain and prevents blotching once a stain
is added.
Water popping, on the other hand, opens
the grain and makes the wood more
receptive to stain.

7. First, run a damp rag over unfinished
hickory hardwood.
This opens the grain, and as soon as
the water is dry, apply the stain
immediately.
A third option is going with
distressed hardwood.
For hickory flooring, distressed

8. There's not just one option for hickory flooring. Grades
and finishes aside, this hardwood is available solid or
engineered.
Each has certain
advantages
Solid hardwood, in general, is considered the
pinnacle of flooring, the highest quality product
available.
Solid hickory, like any species, is used in
conjunction with wood subfloors or built into
floor joist systems.
Installation involves stapling or nailing,
and plank sizes tend to run from 3/4ths of
an inch to one inch thick and 2.25 to
seven inches wide.

9. warp or buckle in the presence
of humidity or high
temperatures and should not
be installed below grade. If
you would like hickory flooring
from the basement to the top
floor, consider going with
engineered hardwood.

10. engineered
flooring has a
wear layer,
also called a
veneer, of
high-quality
hickory
hardwood on
top, and all
layers below
are of the
same or
different
species.

11. The grain pattern of each layer, as well, faces a different
direction. This multilayer, multi-directional composition
allows engineered hickory to expand and contract less
than its solid hardwood counterpart and, as a result,
allows hickory flooring to be added to any floor and on
top of concrete or radiant heat.

12. The type of hardwood, hickory flooring is available
unfinished or prefinished. The latter may be preferable
for installing hickory flooring, as no sanding or
finishing is needed. However, prefinished hardwoods,
in general, come in a limited selection of stains.

13. Bella Cera Hardwood Floors
400 Oyster Point Blvd, Suite
115
So. San Francisco, CA 94080
Tel.866.599.7999
Fax.650.873.4316
www.bellacerafloors.com/hardwood-
flooring/Hickory-hardwood-flooring.aspx