Mockernut Hickory
Carya tomentosa · Hardwood · North America
Properties
| Janka hardness | 1,970 lbf (8,763 N) |
|---|---|
| Average dried weight (est.) | 45 lb/ft³ (720 kg/m³) |
| Specific gravity | 0.72 |
| Modulus of rupture | 19,200 psi (132.4 MPa) |
| Modulus of elasticity | 2.22 million psi (15.31 GPa) |
| Crushing strength | 8,940 psi (61.6 MPa) |
| Shrinkage — radial | 7.7% |
| Shrinkage — tangential | 11.0% |
| Shrinkage — volumetric | 17.8% |
| Shrinkage T/R ratio | 1.4 |
Values at 12% moisture content, clear-wood averages. Source: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021), Table 5–3b p. 5–10; shrinkage Table 4–3 p. 4–8.
Mockernut hickory belongs to the true hickory group, eastern hardwoods that are exceptionally tough, heavy, hard, and strong. Top-grade stock goes into tool handles and other uses that demand high shock resistance, while lower grades go to pallets.
Appearance & grain
The true hickories have white sapwood, usually quite wide except in old, slow-grown trees, and reddish heartwood.
Workability
Hickory shrinks considerably in drying. For some purposes the wood's weight and the number of growth rings per unit of width are limiting factors in how it can be used.
Common uses
- Tool handles
- Ladder rungs
- Athletic goods
- Agricultural implements
- Dowels
- Gymnasium equipment
- Poles
- Furniture
- Pallets
- Meat smoking (chips and sawdust)
Conservation: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (checked 2026-10-24).
Work with Mockernut Hickory
Similar woods
Photo: Chhe (talk) · Public domain (source)
Property data: USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material, FPL-GTR-282 (2021).