Is hickory an acceptable choice for timber framing?

I am a forester working for a non-profit organization that promotes good forestry on private lands and local value-added wood processing. We have recently opened our Sustainable Woods Processing Center, complete with solar dry kiln, in southwest Virginia. We have been contacted by an architect interested in certified wood for a timber frame building, who is open as to the choice of species. Some of the timbers will be for exterior use, and for this I am recommending white oak. For the interior, however, I'd like to use some lesser used species.

I've looked in some books at the library and on some websites, but discussion of the choice and characteristics of tree species for timber framing seems very limited. From what I've seen, eastern white pine and oak (without even differentiating among species) are the two most-mentioned eastern species mentioned for timber framing. Anyone know of some good literature out there on the topic? Or personal experiences?

Thanks,

Dennis Desmond
Program Manager
Sustainable Forestry & Wood Products
Appalachian Sustainable Development
PO Box 791, Abingdon, VA 24212
T: 540-623-1121 E: sfwp_asd@naxs.net

Hi,
I have not used hickory myself, I would imagine that the joinery would be difficult to cut since the wood is so hard.

I have seen a beautiful interior hickory post in a timber frame home in Powhatan, VA. The home was built by Bob Shortridge of Dreaming Creek Timber Frames, you should be able to find his contact info in the TFG directory.

Chip