Everything You Need to Know about Tiger Wood

When you hear the name tiger wood, you probably have a few things that come to mind almost right away. For one thing, you might already know that it’s a particular type of wood used for decking and other projects. However, there might be a lot about this wood that is both durable and beautiful that you don’t know.

Truth be told, there is a big difference in the types of wood that you can purchase and that fact is never exemplified better than in the case of tiger wood. One thing is certain, all types of wood are not created equally.

If you really want something that will stand up to the test of time and look beautiful while doing it, you have to choose the right type of wood for the project that you’re working on and the area in which you live. In short, it has to fit your particular lifestyle. Otherwise, you’re probably going to end up tearing it all down and doing the project again in two or three years.

About Tiger Wood

When it comes to tiger wood, the thing that is most obvious is how striking it is in appearance. In fact, that’s how it got its name. It is called tiger wood because it has a relatively dark finish as a base, almost like cherry wood, coupled with extremely dark brown or even black stripes that run right the way through the wood.

It’s truly one of the most striking things that you’re ever likely to see. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see it for yourself, you don’t know what you’re missing. There are few other types of wood in existence that even come close to the dramatic appearance that this particular type of wood is capable of producing.

It’s actually known by several different names, including Congo wood and Zorro wood. In reality, it is a Brazilian wood that is extremely durable in nature. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the hardest woods available and it is capable of standing up to a lot of punishment that other types of wood would probably crumble under.

What makes it Special?

There are actually a lot of things that make tiger wood special when compared to other types of wood that are available. For starters, it always has the striped pattern in the wood grain, no matter what region it is sourced from.

It is interesting to note that depending on the region from which it was sourced, it may have a darker appearance such as the aforementioned cherry red color, or it might be lighter in appearance so that it appears to have an orange tint with just a hint of pink to it. The stripes which are always present may be very fine or they may be much bolder in appearance.

One other thing that makes this wood stand out from virtually everything else is the fact that it has a naturally shiny appearance to it, making it look like it has just been cleaned and waxed at all times, even when it’s used for outside applications. In short, it often ends up looking like some of the most luxurious hardwood flooring that you could ever begin to imagine, and in large part it looks like that without you having to do anything to bring that appearance out.

Most people who have taken care of traditional hardwood floors in the past know that it’s not always easy to keep them looking great, especially once they have aged and been subjected to a great deal of traffic. Having a wood that remains in good condition and even looks like it’s just been waxed is of paramount importance.

As a result, a lot of people use it for hardwood flooring inside their homes. By the same token, it can also be used for outside decking and even other products such as furniture.

It Holds Its Shape

Another reason that people enjoy using this wood is because it has a tendency to hold its shape very well, even under conditions that some might consider rather extreme. Wood that is of lesser quality has a tendency to warp after it has been exposed to the weather.

This is especially true in areas where the moisture content is high and temperatures fluctuate a great deal. Most people have seen a wooden deck that was made from typical lumber which has warped, often to the point of practically pulling the nails out of the wood itself. In some cases, the warping can become so severe that the deck is a hazard to walk on because it’s easy to trip. Fortunately, none of that is really a concern with tiger wood.

Even when it gets wet, it has a tendency to dry out very well and hold up to the conditions that are in that particular environment. Furthermore, the wood doesn’t tend to mildew and it’s resistant to pests. When all things are considered, it’s very difficult to find anything else that is as rugged as this particular type of wood is. It’s practically impossible to find something that will stand up to the test of time and to the surrounding environment as well as this does and you certainly aren’t likely to find anything that can do all of that and maintain its appearance the way that this type of wood can.

When you put all of that together, it’s easy to understand why so many people are interested in purchasing tiger wood for various types of projects around their home.

Uses

As luck would have it, tiger wood has a lot of different uses. You’ve probably already guessed that fact by now, especially considering how you now know that it’s capable of standing up to just about anything that you can throw at it and it’s stunningly beautiful to boot.

However, there are still some things about it that you might not know. For example, you know that it can be used for hardwood floors inside your home as well as outdoor decking, but did you know that it can also be used on boats as well? Remember, it’s highly resistant to water damage. That makes it almost perfect for any type of situation where you need to use wood on watercraft or even something near the water, because you won’t have to worry about it warping, cracking and becoming rotted with mildew after only a few years.

Even when it’s exposed to water on an almost continuous basis, it holds its shape and doesn’t mildew. In fact, it dries out rather quickly, even after repeated exposure to water. In addition, the wood can also be used to make all types of furniture, both indoor and outdoor. It’s even possible to use it to make musical instruments. In fact, it’s frequently used to make different types of woodwind instruments such as clarinets.

It can be used to manufacture guitars, fiddles and other types of instruments that require the use of wood in order to complete the manufacturing process. In reality, there are very few situations where this wood is not suitable. It’s versatile and durable enough to stand up to practically anything , it’s high in quality, and it looks beautiful regardless of what you’re using it for. In short, it’s very hard to beat this type of wood with virtually anything else in existence.

It’s Easy to Work With

As previously mentioned, this is a Brazilian hardwood. In fact, it’s almost 70% harder than red wood, making it one of the most durable woods in existence. A lot of people would understandably think that this also means it’s incredibly difficult to work with. However, that isn’t necessarily the case.

In reality, it’s actually relatively easy to work with, with one caveat. Whenever you’re cutting it, you really need to use carbide tips because it has a tendency to wear virtually everything else down to nothing in a very short time span. Aside from that, it’s almost as easy to work with as other woods that are much softer. That’s precisely why it can be used for so many different things such as musical instruments and furniture.

It offers the very rare juxtaposition of being hard enough to be virtually impenetrable to the environment around it, yet being easy enough to work with that you can not only cut it, but shape it into virtually anything you choose.

Caring for the Wood

Any time you use wood for anything, you have to stop and think about what it might be like to care for that type of wood in the long-term. Some stand the test of time better than others but all wood has to be cared for on some level. Fortunately, tiger wood is very easy to care for as well.

In fact, you can probably do the bare minimum with it and have it stand up to the elements better than some other forms of wood, even when they are given the utmost level of care on a daily basis. This is definitely good news for anyone who is trying to care for the wood, as it can easily become a full-time job to keep everything around your home looking beautiful unless you use the right products from the beginning.

That makes tiger wood a good option for you if you don’t want to end up spending every single weekend working on the deck or something similar.

It Changes Color Over Time

One of the truly unique things about this wood is that it has a tendency to change color over time. Whether the particular color you have selected is a deep cherry red or something that is closer to an orange tint, it will eventually change color over the course of several years.

As a matter of fact, tiger wood has a tendency to gradually change color until it becomes a light grey with black stripes. If that scares you, there’s no need to panic. It has a tendency to look just as beautiful as it did when it was newer. Some people would even argue that it becomes even more beautiful as it ages. If you’re against the idea of the color changing, then you can use certain products on it to not only seal it, but also to help preserve its color.

These products won’t necessarily prevent the color from changing entirely, but they definitely do slow down the process. In addition, you can use sealant that is colored. For example, if your tiger wood was a deep red when it was brand new and it has started to fade, you can use red sealant that will not only protect it, but also help bring back that original color that you fell in love with.

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons to fall in love with tiger wood. If you’re still not quite sold on the idea, consider this fact. It doesn’t cost a lot to purchase it. In fact, it’s in line with a lot of other types of wood that are definitely not considered exotic.

Reasonable in Price

As a matter of fact, it is practically the only exotic wood that you can purchase without going broke in the process. At the moment, lumber is at an all-time high. The price goes up even more when you’re talking about buying something that is exotic. It all comes back to the idea of supply and demand.

Something that is considered exotic is naturally considered to be rare. That means that the price often gets driven up by quite a lot because there’s not as much of it to go around in the first place. That may be all well and good, but it’s not so good for your bank account when you get stuck with the bill.

Fortunately, tiger wood hasn’t really fallen into this trap of costing so much money, at least not yet. Compared to virtually everything else available for sale, it’s actually quite affordable. When you consider this fact, coupled with its durability and stunning beauty, it’s hard to imagine why you would want anything else.

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