Red Oak vs Hickory
Red Oak (Quercus rubra) and Hickory (Carya spp.) are two woods people often weigh against each other. Hickory is the harder of the two at 1820 lbf on the Janka scale, versus 1220 lbf for Red Oak, which affects how each handles wear, tools, and denting.
| Property | Red Oak Quercus rubra | Hickory Carya spp. |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Hardwood | Hardwood |
| Cost | $$ · Moderate | $$ · Moderate |
| Hardness | 1220 lbf | 1820 lbf |
| Workability | Good | Fair |
| Seasonal movement | Medium | Medium |
| Outdoor-friendly | No | No |
| Origin | Domestic (North America) | Domestic (North America) |
| Commonly built | Shaker-style cabinets, Hardwood flooring, Dining tables, Bookcases, Interior trim | Axe and hammer handles, Rustic kitchen cabinets, Flooring, Chairs |
| Overview | The workhorse American hardwood, strong, affordable, everywhere. Coarse open grain takes stain readily but reads busy. | One of the toughest, hardest domestic woods. Incredible shock resistance, the classic choice for tool handles and rustic, hard-wearing furniture. |
Finishing
Red Oak
Takes stain readily and evenly, one of the most forgiving woods to color. The very open, porous grain shows through most finishes, so fill the grain with a paste wood filler first if you want a glass-smooth surface. Its high tannin content can react with water-based finishes and iron (steel wool, some fasteners) to cause dark spots, so favor oil-based finishes or seal first. Not suited to outdoor use even when finished; the open pores wick water.
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.