Hickory vs White Oak
Hickory (Carya spp.) and White Oak (Quercus alba) are two woods people often weigh against each other. Hickory is the harder of the two at 1820 lbf on the Janka scale, versus 1350 lbf for White Oak, which affects how each handles wear, tools, and denting.
| Property | Hickory Carya spp. | White Oak Quercus alba |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Hardwood | Hardwood |
| Cost | $$ · Moderate | $$$ · Premium |
| Hardness | 1820 lbf | 1350 lbf |
| Workability | Fair | Good |
| Seasonal movement | Medium | Medium |
| Outdoor-friendly | No | Yes |
| Origin | Domestic (North America) | Domestic (North America) |
| Commonly built | Axe and hammer handles, Rustic kitchen cabinets, Flooring, Chairs | Whiskey & wine barrels, Adirondack chairs, Mission-style furniture, Boat decks, Farmhouse tables |
| Overview | One of the toughest, hardest domestic woods. Incredible shock resistance, the classic choice for tool handles and rustic, hard-wearing furniture. | Red oak's tougher, water-resistant cousin. Closed cellular structure makes it the classic choice for anything that gets wet. |
Finishing
Hickory
Takes stain reasonably evenly but the strong contrast between pale sapwood and darker heartwood is hard to fully hide, so many finishers embrace the two-tone look under a clear finish. Dense and hard, so finish penetrates slowly. Open grain can be filled. Clear film finishes show off its rustic character.
White Oak
Accepts stain and most finishes very well and its closed, tyloses-filled pores make it far more water-resistant than red oak. Open grain still benefits from grain filler for a smooth film finish. High tannin content reacts strongly with water and iron, which is exactly why it fumes beautifully with ammonia (traditional Arts-and-Crafts finish) and why you should avoid steel wool and use non-reactive fasteners. Excellent under oil, and a good candidate for exterior spar varnish on outdoor pieces.
Want to weigh these against a third wood, or compare different species? Use the interactive comparison tool.