Pecan vs Hickory
Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) and Hickory (Carya spp.) are two woods people often weigh against each other. Both sit at 1820 lbf on the Janka scale, so they wear and dent similarly.
| Property | Pecan Carya illinoinensis | Hickory Carya spp. |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Hardwood | Hardwood |
| Cost | $$ · Moderate | $$ · Moderate |
| Hardness | 1820 lbf | 1820 lbf |
| Workability | Fair | Fair |
| Seasonal movement | Medium | Medium |
| Outdoor-friendly | No | No |
| Origin | Domestic (North America) | Domestic (North America) |
| Commonly built | Flooring, Rustic furniture, Cabinets | Axe and hammer handles, Rustic kitchen cabinets, Flooring, Chairs |
| Overview | A member of the hickory family with the same toughness but often a warmer, more reddish tone. Hard-wearing and handsome. | One of the toughest, hardest domestic woods. Incredible shock resistance, the classic choice for tool handles and rustic, hard-wearing furniture. |
Finishing
Pecan
Finishes like hickory (its close relative): takes stain fairly evenly, shows sapwood/heartwood contrast, dense enough that penetration is slow. Fill the open grain for a smooth film finish or leave it for a rustic look.
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.
Want to weigh these against a third wood, or compare different species? Use the interactive comparison tool.