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The visual characteristics of hickory are extremely variable. Botanically, there are two groups of hickory species, one of which contains pecan. Pecan and the other tight barked hickories tend to be lighter in weight. However, pecan is not separated from the other species in the hardwood lumber grading rules.
Board 1 shows a beautiful light reddish brown heartwood color and a white band of sapwood on the left. The growth rings are not as distinct as oak and ash, but are characteristic of the semi-diffuse porous wood such as walnut. Very little defect-free,all-heartwood hickory such as this is available. When the light, reddish, brown clear heartwood is sorted, the wood almost appears as a different species, and it is truly unique.
Board 2 is all white sapwood. Some hickory, particularly bottomland species will have a very wide sapwood while others will have a relatively narrow sapwood. The white sapwood when mixed with the reddish heartwood results in substantial contrast.The sapwood in hickory can easily stain to a dirtygrey color and sticker marks are also hard to control.
Board 3 is quartered and mostly sapwood. A small ray fleck will be evident.
Board 4 shows characteristic knots and bird peck while
Board 5 shows more bird peck and resulting dark stain. Heavy bird peck is very common in hickory. Hickory with mixed sapwood and heartwood, small knots, bird peck, and other abnormalities is often used for a rustic type of kitchen cabinet. |