Hickory

Appearance: Hickory has an eye-catching grain and is a very durable wood.  Its color, which varies from cream colors to brown, turns more amber over time. Hickory is one of the  heaviest of American hardwoods. 
Grain: High in character, with ingrown bark and mineral streaks. Most commonly used in flooring as end-grain block, which has small irregular cracks radiating across the grain.
Hardness: Janka: 2345; (82% HARDER than Northern red oak).
Finish: Takes most finish well. Staining – yes, but it doesn’t stain evenly, so we don’t recommend.