Is Hickory A Good Wood For Deck Building?

By Author: Tom Jacques
Total Articles: 311
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When it comes to building your deck, whether it is for a pool or just for general usage, one of the most important considerations will be the material you use. There are many different types of building materials that can be used to manufacture decks, from composite woods and processed artificials, to the different wood species that are used for construction purposes. In this article, we will take a look at hickory and its relative merits as a deck building wood.

First of all, it is important to note that hickory has been widely recognized for its properties when it comes to the manufacture of thousands of different products, from sporting goods to flooring. Hickory is a very flexible wood, and although that makes it ideal for baseball bats, canes and so on, it is not necessarily the best choice for structure projects.

What this means is that hickory should probably not be used for the pillars of a raised deck or even the substructure. However, note that above we said that hickory is valuable in flooring; this means that it is an ideal choice for the actual decking of your project. Let's take a look at some of ...
... the qualities that make hickory great for decks:

Flexibility: The same characteristic of hickory that makes it great for sports equipment makes it great for surfaces. It is fairly easy to work with and get into place, which means a lot less hassle when you are cutting for dimensions. In addition, hickory tends to have more give, and when used as decking and flooring makes it easier on the feet and less susceptible to damage.

Durability: That same flexibility, as we touched on above, also makes hickory last longer than other types of wood used for decking and flooring. It is a very durable wood and can withstand all sorts of conditions as well as high usage without losing its appearance.

Aesthetics: Hickory is pleasing to all the senses, from sight to touch to smell. In fact, it rivals cedar for the most recognizable scent among the building woods.

Relatively inexpensive: Hickory is native to North America and grows to maturity fairly quickly, so it's fairly affordable as a building material.

So if you are looking for a deck that has a bit more pizzazz to it than the run of the mill cedar, and a bit more character than composites, hickory just might be the ideal choice!