Hickory vs. Walnut Hardwood Flooring

Why choose Hickory vs. Walnut floors?

When you want a hardwood floor that will make a dramatic statement, Hickory and Walnut are two of your best bets. Unlike lighter, more neutral woods like White Maple or Ash, Hickory and Walnut have bold coloration and prominent grain that make these hardwoods real head-turners. And when installed with wide plank floorboards, the personality of Hickory and Walnut is really allowed to shine.

Let’s take a quick look at the benefits of Hickory vs. Walnut floors as well as the challenges of each hardwood.

Hickory: a dense and handsome hardwood

Hickory is tough as nails yet incredibly good-looking. Its strong, visible grain makes it popular in rustic and traditional themes. Hickory floorboards have a natural color variation that ranges from creamy white to beige to rich cocoa brown. And Hickory’s versatility makes it equally at home in contemporary bungalows and rustic lake-side retreats.

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Walnut: a luxurious classic hardwood

One of the most sumptuous of hardwoods, Walnut is highly prized for its dark, chocolate-mocha hues. While the sapwood of a Walnut tree may have creamy light streaks, the heartwood is typically darker with gold and even purple hues that become more splendid as the floor ages and the colors darken. Renowned for its natural color the two most popular choices of finish is either a clear finish that maintains the raw rich color of the Walnut or more of an Amber finish that replicates the rich oils originally used on such extraordinary woods.  Amber finishes will darken the walnut lending a more patinaed appearance to the floor.  Walnut is so prized for its natural color tone that it is rarely stained.

Hickory vs. Walnut on the Janka Hardness scale

The density of hardwood is measured on the Janka Hardness Scale, which determines how much force it would take to embed a steel ball-bearing halfway into a plank of hardwood.

Hickory is among the hardest domestic hardwoods with a Janka rating of 1820, while American or Black Walnut is among the softest with a rating of 1010. (This domestic Walnut hardwood is not to be confused with Brazilian Walnut which, with a Janka rating of 3684, is one of the hardest of hardwoods.)

Consequently, Hickory floors are far more resistant to scratches, dings and dents while Walnut floors will show their wear much more easily. When considering Walnut flooring it is important to understand the level of traffic in the space. The more traffic the more possibility for the dents and dings that will create an aged appearance to the floor.  Typically, in high traffic areas if considering a Walnut floor it is a good idea to place protective rugs to minimize dents and dings if that is not the desired aesthetic.

Is Hickory or Walnut Easier to Stain?

Hickory accepts stain easily, making it possible to create a wide range of color and interior design schemes. However, the strong variation in grain patterns in Hickory floorboards can make it difficult to get an even appearance if using a lighter stain color.  If a more homogenous color tone is desired, it is important to choose a medium to dark color when considering Hickory.  It is rare to stain a Walnut floor simply because it is most often chosen for its rich natural brown heartwood.

Hickory vs. Walnut: which costs more?

Walnut is among the more expensive hardwoods while Hickory is more comparable to Oak, the standard for commercial hardwood flooring.

Which is the more stable hardwood?

All hardwood floors perform best when more consistent moisture levels are maintained in the environment and this is true for Hickory and Walnut as well.

The ideal environment for hardwood flooring is between 30-55% relative humidity.  To improve the performance of your floor if you have moisture conditions that tend to run higher you should consider an engineered floor.  If your environmental conditions ever experience dryness below 30% for an extended period of time you should consider solid hardwood floors.

Cleaning Hickory vs. Walnut floors

While all hardwood floors are fairly easy to keep clean – especially when compared to carpet – Hickory is easier to keep clean and pristine-looking than Walnut floorboards. Hickory’s density helps makes it more resistant to dings and dents while the relative softness of Walnut makes it prone to being scuffed and scratched. Also, the darker tones of a Walnut floor may tend to show pet hair, dirt and debris more easily.

Explore the benefits of Hickory vs. Walnut floors at Carlisle

When you want to know more about the advantages of Hickory vs. Walnut floors, reach out to a wide plank specialist at Carlisle Wide Plank Floors . We can walk you through all the pros and cons of Hickory vs. Maple, Hickory vs. Ash and Hickory vs. Oak flooring and help you choose the best hardwood species for your wide plank floor. We can also show you all the options for stain colors, wood grades, solid vs. engineered floorboards and prefinished floors. And you can learn more about textured surfaces – like Hickory hand-scraped hardwood flooring – that give new planks the appearance of floorboards that are generations or centuries old.