Hi,

I'm looking to install hardwood in place of my carpet in the second floor of my house. My Wife and I both like the look of natural hickory, but I'm seeing that it is less stable than oak, and movement may be an issue.

We are planning on using 3 1/4" wide planks. The house is air conditioned and heated. We have a humidifier on the first floor, but not the second. We do like to have the windows open when we can. We live in Southern New Jersey, outside Philly; not the highest humidity area, but we do get some swings. Also, we have solid hardwood floors on our first floor, I believe they are maple (definitely not oak) and have had no issues with them moving.

So, can anyone recommend using, or not using, solid 3/4" hickory? Would I be better off going with an engineered product? If I go engineered I would probably lean toward something like the Muskoka, which has a 5mm wear layer, or the Owens plank with a 4.7mm wear layer.

Thanks

John

John,

From the sounds of it you will be fine to go with the solid. Maybe if you were talking 4" or 5" I would go with the engineered. We are located in Ontario straight north of Philly and we get quite the temperature/ humidity swings and we do 3 1/4" Hickory all the time without issues. We actually don't do hickory in the engineered until 5".

Dave.