Hickory hardwood comes from a tree native to North America with the botanical name of Juglandaceae. In the trade it is better known as Hickory or Pecan. Hickory is the anglicized version of the Native American word "powcohicora." Hickory wood was used to fashion wagon–wheels by the original settlers. It was also used by the Wright brothers in their first plane. Before switching to steel, Hickory was also used for years in golf club shafts.

Sapwood of hickory ranges from white to cream in color with heartwood in shades of tan or reddish–brown. With a Janka hardness of 1820, hickory is one of the hardest, strongest and densest of indigenous domestic hardwoods. It is also believed to be the oldest hardwood species in the country. Hickory hardwood floors are typically fine–grained and coarse–textured. Its grainy pattern accepts the full range of flooring stains and finishes.

Some hickory floors can result in a varied appearance depending on the grade. The color, knotty characteristics and sap pockets gives hickory flooring a decidedly rustic appearance. Special "country" and "rustic" grades are available with natural worm holes and added distress marks for those with a preference for the pioneer rustic look.

Because of its hardness, hickory flooring can sometimes be difficult to handle and can be inclined to "fuzz" with sanding. Solid hickory flooring tends to shrink significantly more than most domestic hardwoods. Improperly dried solid hickory hardwood floors could give rise to problems in the future. It is important to purchase hickory hardwood floors from a reputable manufacturer where the drying has been done under closely controlled conditions.