Hickory can make a good cutting board. It is among the hardest and strongest woods native to the United States, and although it has large pores, they are commonly plugged with tyloses, the natural bubble-like growths that also fill the pores of white oak. The trade-offs are practical: hickory is very hard, heavy, difficult to work, and its heartwood does not resist decay, so a hickory board needs to dry fully every time.

Most cooks know hickory as smoke rather than as a board. Here is what the wood is like on the counter, and how it compares with the more common board woods.

What hickory is

Hickory is the common name for trees in the genus Carya. Shagbark hickory, Carya ovata, is one of the true hickories. Pecan, Carya illinoinensis, belongs to the same genus, and The Wood Database notes that hickory and pecan species are often sold together as “hickory.”

The Wood Database describes hickory as among the hardest and strongest of woods native to the United States, and says it is commonly used where strength or shock resistance is important. Its common uses are tool handles, ladder rungs, wheel spokes and flooring. Hickory is also used as charcoal for cooking meat, with the smoke adding flavor, which is where most kitchens meet it.

Hardness: near the top of the board range

On the Janka scale, which measures resistance to denting and wear, hickory is listed at about 1,820 lbf in the Wikipedia table. The Wood Database gives shagbark hickory 1,880 lbf.

For comparison, hard maple, the classic cutting board wood, is about 1,450. White oak is 1,360. Hickory is harder than both.

A harder surface resists dents and knife scoring better. It also gives less under the edge, so a hickory board suits cooks who keep their knives honed and do not mind a firm feel. The Janka scale for cutting boards explains what the number does and does not tell you.

Pores: large, but often plugged

Hickory is ring-porous, like oak and ash. Each growth ring starts with a row of large to very large pores. On its own, that would be a warning sign, because open pores are what make red oak a poor board wood.

The difference is that The Wood Database lists tyloses as common in hickory. These bubble-like growths fill the vessels in the heartwood, as they do in white oak, and they slow the path liquid can take into the wood.

Hickory’s texture is medium, and its grain is usually straight. Sanded through the fine grits and oiled, a hickory board feels smooth under the hand. What wood should never be used for a cutting board explains why pore structure matters as much as hardness.

The trade-offs

It is heavy. Shagbark hickory averages about 50 pounds per cubic foot when dried, against about 44 for red oak. A large hickory board stays put on the counter and takes effort to lift into the sink.

It is hard to work. The Wood Database calls hickory difficult to work, with tearout common during machining, and notes that the wood tends to blunt cutting edges. That refers to saws and planer blades in the workshop. It makes hickory a demanding wood to build a board from, and a smooth, flat hickory board reflects real effort from its maker.

Its heartwood does not resist decay. The Wood Database rates hickory non-durable to perishable for heartwood decay, and very susceptible to insects. On a cutting board, that means drying matters. A hickory board left wet, or stored flat on a damp counter, has no natural defense against rot.

It has no strong scent. The Wood Database lists no characteristic odor, and no health reactions beyond the general risks of wood dust. Whatever smoky flavor hickory gives food comes from burning it, not from cutting on it.

Who a hickory board suits

A hickory board suits a cook who wants a heavy, hard surface for daily chopping and is willing to dry it with care. It is a fine wood for a board you make yourself, if your tools are sharp and your patience holds.

It is less suited to a cook who wants a light board to carry to the table, or one who tends to leave the board in the dish rack overnight.

Care for a hickory board

  • Wash by hand with warm water and dish soap after each use.
  • Towel dry at once, then stand it on edge so air reaches both faces.
  • Oil it with food-grade mineral oil when the surface looks dry or water stops beading.
  • Never soak it and never put it in the dishwasher.

What oil to use on a cutting board covers the choice of oil.

Hickory or acacia

If you like the idea of a heavy, hard board with character in the grain but would rather buy one than build it, acacia is a common choice. It is a true hardwood, denser and heavier than bamboo, with warm, varied grain, and it is naturally water-resistant when oiled. Despite its hardness, its grain has some elasticity, so it can treat a knife edge more gently than the raw number suggests.

The WONAMU. acacia cutting board is 12 by 9 inches with a perimeter juice groove, and it ships with a cotton care cloth in a gift-ready box. How to care for an acacia cutting board walks through the routine, and acacia vs. maple compares it with the classic board wood.

The short version

Hickory can make a good cutting board: it is very hard, about 1,820 to 1,880 lbf on the Janka scale, tough, and its large pores are commonly plugged with tyloses. It is also heavy, difficult to work and does not resist decay, so it needs drying on edge after every wash. If you want a heavy board with warm grain that is easy to find, acacia is a common alternative.

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WONAMU. makes an acacia cutting board designed for daily prep, 12 × 9 inches, acacia, with a perimeter juice groove. Available on Amazon.

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