I am having a large barn taken down and in exchange the company taking down the barn will give me hickory or white oak tongue & groove flooring. I am familiar with white oak a little, but I've never worked with hickory. I only know it's very hard, which is what I want for a floor, but white oak is right up there as far as I know.
I did get a small piece of hickory to experiment with today. I planed it, sanded it with 80, 120 and 220 grit. Stained a small section and saw what looked like some open grain areas. Is that normal? Let me know what you think is the best looking, most durable and easiest to maintain.
Thanks!