Hickory and Pecan
Scientific name:
Carya spp.
Other names:
Pecan Nut
Pecan Hickory
Sweet Pecan
Nogal Morado
Pecanier
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True hickory is found throughout the eastern United States. However, the range of pecan hickories is limited; bitternut is throughout the eastern United States; pecan is found from Texas to Louisiana, through Missouri and Indiana; water hickory is found in Texas through South Carolina; and nutmeg is found in Texas and Louisiana. Character hickory (with knots, streaks and similar; low grade lumber which keeps costs under control) has also recently become popular for furniture, cabinets and flooring.
Weight:
The density of true hickories averages about 50 pounds per cubic foot at 8 percent MC. This is heavier than oak. Pecan hickories average about 42 pounds per cubic foot. A dried and planed board foot of lumber will weigh more than three pounds.
Use:
Furniture, doors, flooring, millwork, paneling, brush handles, woodenware, bending stock, toys and turnings. It is particularly suitable for food and liquid containers since there is no odor or taste.
General characteristic:
True hickory group has more uniform and lighter color than the pecan hickory group. Both seem to have nice grain and color character, however, after finishing. If dried correctly, the heartwood is fairly white colored, with tinges of brown and sometimes red. The large pores in hickory present some of the same finishing problems as oak, hackberry and ash.
The sapwood of hickory is white, tinged with inconspicuous fine brown lines while the heartwood is pale to reddish brown. Both are coarse-textured and the grain is fine, usually straight but can be wavy or irregular.
Working properties:
Hickory is very unforgiving when gluing due to its high density. Surfaces must be flat, smooth and freshly prepared. Clamp carriers are probably best for this wood. True hickory is more difficult to glue than pecan hickory. Machining of hickory is difficult due to its density.
With proper knives and machines, the surface is excellent in quality, however. Usually, machine tools need to have a larger tool (or sharpness) angle, thereby increasing the amount of metal in the tool.
Drying and shrinkage:
Both hickories are difficult to dry and require close control of drying environments. The wood can check if dried too quickly. Staining if dried too slowly or stored when green is likely, especially a blotchy type gray stain or overall pinking. Shrinkage in drying is around 7 percent.
Durability:
The hickories are one of the strongest native softwoods. Bending strength (MOR) averages 19,500 psi for true hickory and 16,000 psi for pecan. Stiffness (MOE) averages 2.0 million psi for true hickory and 1.8 million psi for pecan.
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