Finishing Hickory

I’ve never used hickory so it will be interesting to see the answers you get.

-- "Checking for square? what madness is this! The cabinet is square because I will it to be so!" Jeremy Greiner LJ Topic#20953 2011 Feb 2

I’ve worked with pecan, which is very similar. As you may already know, it’s extremely heavy. We had some trouble with the pecan not wanting to roundover very easily on the router table. We made a crib, and it’s solid as a rock, so I think it’d be a great choice for a durable table top. We just finished it with a few coats of tung oil, which went on easily and needed minimal sanding.

I work with hickory all the time – both select and rustic. I use Daley’s oil based stains and it goes on really well. I have used shellac and dyes to tone hickory with excellent results too.

I’ve used Arm-R-Seal, lacquer and conversion varnish and all three create a wondering sheen on the wood.

If staining, sand to 150 grit. Apply your stain. rub it out and apply top coat. If clear coating with no stain, sand to 220 grit and apply 2 coats of finish. If using lacquer or conversion varnish, let if dry for about 3 hours, sand with 320 grit and then apply a final coat. If finishing with a urethane finish, apply 2 coats, let dry overnight. Sand with 320 grit, then apply a third coat.

For such an ugly wood, you can get some beautiful results when staining and clear coating hickory.

-- Don, Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks - http://www.dlwoodworks.com - "If you make something idiot proof, all they do is make a better idiot"