Hey mikeyvon,

You might also run this by the flooring forum. We are going with 3-1/4" oak.

We also plan to install solid hickory and love the wide planks, too. We will probably go with 4-1/4" to be safer from the cupping but haven't completely ruled out random widths that include 4-1/4", 5-1/4" and either one size larger or smaller than them.

Someone here (can't remember who, sorry) posted picks of her beautiful hickory floors a while back. She said she got them from Baird Brothers in Ohio.

Here is a link that might be useful: Baird Brothers

If you go with the wider planks, you should consider having them pegged.

Also, make sure that whatever flooring boards you buy are thoroughly dried. I know people who had a beautiful (unpegged) hickory plank floor installed and it started cupping within a few weeks. The owners had bought direct from a mill because it was cheaper, but the planks (unbeknownst to them) hadn't been thoroughly dried.

Hi Mike

I am the one with the Baird Bros Hickory. Ours is prefinished character hickory.

I can't say enough about Baird Bros. They can help you with whatever hardwood questions you have.

Ponydoc - I thought it was you that posted about Baird Brothers but wasn't positive. Would you, please remind us of the width that you have. I really LOVE the look of that.

They are 4 inch. We got the prefinished. It went in really quickly and I thought the price was pretty darn reasonable too. We did almost our whole first floor, up ( and down) the steps and the upstairs hallways. Probably about 2000 sq ft.

They have been pretty easy to care for so far. You can use the swiffer wet- and it works great. We also have a central vac.

I must admit though..... I just spot clean from time to time. I have a housekeeper once a week....... I work a lot.... I stink at housecleaning.

PD

The wider the boards the more they WILL move.
No fastening method can stop the movement of wood as the moisture content changes.
Double fastening of wide boards often leads to splitting if they dry out further after installation.

Chapter 3 of the Wood Engineering Handbook provides a lot of data on how wood changes dimension and shape with moisture.
Figure 3.3 shows how cupping occurs, along with other shape changes with moisture content.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wood Engineering Handbook, Chapter 3

project at my own house. unfinished hickory flooring. going to use tong oil as a finish. This forum is makeing me nervus!!!! Going to use 8" boards is there a problem with after all this work that the board will cup and ruin the floor??Buying wood from Hurst hardwoods.Going to staple floor, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
LEW

Hi! This is my first post:)! I was doing an online search for Baird Brothers character grade hickory hardwood flooring since I think (at this point) this is what my husband and I plan to install this spring on the first level of our house, and I came across this forum and saw ponydoc's beautiful flooring... also character grade and from Baird Brother's. I am hoping to ask ponydoc a few questions. How have the floors held up? (we have a very active household with 4 young kids) What kind of coating did you get- satin or semi-gloss? (baird brothers sent me samples of both). Not sure if you will receive this as I am new to this forum and this is my first post. Hope to hear from you. By the way, your floors are gorgeous!

I am using hickory with gunstock stain...I did not want such a drastic color change.