Hickory wood floors are known for their toughness and natural beauty, but many homeowners wonder how they react to changes in humidity and temperature. One common concern is whether hickory flooring shrinks over time. The short answer is yes—like all hardwoods, hickory does shrink, but how much it shrinks and how it affects your floors depends on a few key factors. This article walks you through what to expect and how to manage shrinkage in hickory wood flooring.
Why Hickory Shrinks
All natural wood expands and contracts as the environment changes. Hickory, being a dense hardwood, is particularly reactive to moisture and humidity levels. When the air is dry, especially during winter with indoor heating, hickory tends to lose moisture and shrink slightly. This can cause small gaps between planks or minor changes in how the boards sit against each other. These changes are completely normal and usually temporary.
The Role of Humidity
Humidity plays a big part in whether or not your hickory floor shrinks. In areas with big seasonal changes—hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters—you’ll notice the wood moving more than in mild climates. Keeping your home’s indoor humidity stable (ideally between 35% and 55%) can help reduce the amount of shrinking and swelling your floors go through. Using a humidifier in winter and a dehumidifier in summer can make a big difference.
Engineered vs. Solid Hickory
Solid hickory wood flooring is more likely to shrink because it’s made from one solid piece of wood. Engineered hickory, on the other hand, is made with layers of wood pressed together, which helps reduce movement from moisture. If you live in a place with extreme seasonal changes, engineered hickory may be a better option to avoid visible shrinkage or gaps between boards.
Proper Installation Matters
How your hickory flooring is installed plays a big role in how it handles shrinking. Professional installers usually leave small expansion gaps around the edges of the floor to give the wood room to move. If those gaps aren’t there, or if the boards are installed too tightly, shrinking can lead to warping or buckling. Nail-down and glue-down methods also react differently to moisture, so choosing the right installation technique is important based on your home’s environment.
How to Prevent Issues
While you can’t stop hickory from reacting to the seasons, you can manage the environment to keep your floor in good shape. Maintain steady indoor humidity, don’t expose the floor to standing water, and clean up spills quickly. Avoid leaving windows open on humid or rainy days. These simple steps will help your hickory floor last longer and shrink less over time.
What to Expect Over Time
Minor shrinkage is normal with hickory floors and typically not a sign of a problem. Over the years, you might see small seasonal changes, but they usually don’t affect performance or appearance much. If you start noticing wide gaps, lifting boards, or cracking, it’s worth calling in a flooring professional to check for underlying issues like poor installation or severe humidity imbalances.
