Wood Species Guide
Pecan
Carya illinoinensis
Also called: Pecan hickory, Sweet pecan, Nogal Pecanero, Hickory-pecan (mixed lumber)
About the name “Pecan”
Pecan is one of the hickories, and at the lumber yard it is usually graded and sold together with true hickories as "hickory/pecan." Once the boards are sawn there is no reliable way to tell the two apart by eye, so a stack sold as pecan may contain some hickory and vice versa. For furniture the difference hardly matters: both are hard, heavy and tough.
What Pecan looks like
Heartwood runs light to medium reddish brown, with wide creamy sapwood that is often mixed into the same board. That light-and-dark mix is the look most people picture when they say rustic hickory or pecan. It warms a little with age.
Grain and texture
Mostly straight grain with an occasional wave, and a medium, open texture. Pores are visible but not as bold as oak. Mineral streaks and small pin knots show up often in character grades.
Working Pecan: planing, cutting and gluing
It machines cleanly with sharp carbide, but it dulls blades faster than most domestics and it will burn if you feed slowly on the router table. Wavy or knotty spots can tear out on the planer, so take light final passes. It glues well. Pre-drill every screw hole, because it splits and snaps screws easily.
Finishing Pecan: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Takes oil, hardwax oil and film finishes well, and stains evenly for a hardwood. The heart-and-sap color mix is strong, so a clear finish keeps it rustic while a stain tones it down. For epoxy, seal the open grain with a thin coat first to keep bubbles out of a flood coat.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Not rot resistant, so keep it indoors. It moves a fair amount with humidity swings. In Florida, let boards sit in your air-conditioned space for a week or two before final milling, and finish both faces of tops and panels.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Pecan is the pick when someone wants a hard-wearing table, floor or cabinet with that two-tone rustic look. It fights you a bit at the saw, so plan on fresh blades. Edge-glued tops stay flat if you alternate growth rings and let the boards acclimate first. We don't keep pecan on the rack, but ask us and we can often source it.
Common uses for Pecan
Flooring, kitchen cabinets, tool handles, furniture, butcher blocks, and smoking wood.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List. It is widely planted for nuts across the Southeast.
Safety and toxicity
- No common reactions reported
No reactions beyond ordinary wood dust irritation are commonly reported.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + dust mask when sanding
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
No reactions beyond the normal risks of wood dust have been widely reported. Use dust collection and a mask when sanding.
Pecan in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Pecan listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
Similar woods: Hickories & Pecans
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