Tigerwood Flooring - Pros and Cons

Tigerwood is a beautiful, exotic hardwood that will add value and beauty to your home. Tigerwood is incredibly durable and can last for generations. Tigerwood flooring will make your home feel like a luxurious oasis that you can be proud of. It is also easy to maintain and clean, making it the perfect choice for busy families. Tigerwood floors are also eco-friendly and will help you save money on your energy bills. If you're looking for a high-quality, durable, and beautiful flooring option, tigerwood is the perfect choice for you.

Tigerwood Flooring Pros

Exceptional Durability and Remarkable Coloring

The tigerwood flooring is a beautiful option for your home that has many benefits. Tigerwood is known for its remarkable colouring and exceptional durability. The tigerwood colour ranges from light orange and golden tan to a deep russet brown, varying in thickness from broad strokes to delicate lines. There are few knots to interfere with the flow of colours. Tigerwood is an excellent flooring choice for high-traffic areas because of its durability. Tigerwood is one of the hardest woods and is three times harder than oak. Tigerwood floors are also scratch and dent resistant. Tigerwood floors are easy to maintain and only require sweeping or vacuuming and occasional damp mopping with a pH-neutral cleaner.

Resistant to Water Damage 

If you're looking for a hardwood floor that is resistant to water damage, tigerwood is a great option. Tigerwood's high density and abundance of natural oils make it very resistant to water damage. Once a finish is applied, tigerwood is unlikely to warp, crack or rot, even in a relatively damp environment. Like famously weather-resistant teakwood, tigerwood is often used for decking and outdoor furniture. While wood flooring, in general, is not recommended for bathrooms, if you have your heart set on a hardwood bathroom floor, tigerwood is one of the best choices.

Easy Maintenance

Since it does not require regular treatments you can simply sweep or vacuum the floor to remove the dirt and debris. You can use a damp mop with a mild cleaning solution to clean the floor more thoroughly. When mopping the floor, make sure that you do not soak the mop head in water since this can damage the wood.

Affordability

Affordability is an important concern for many homeowners. Tigerwood is a less expensive option than some of the other exotic hardwoods, such as ipe, teak, and ebony. Tigerwood is comparable in price to mahogany and cumaru. It is an economical choice for those looking for a highly durable, moisture-resistant wood with distinct colouring. Tigerwood is an excellent investment for your home.

Tigerwood Flooring Cons

Difficult to Install and Not Suitable for Every Room

Tigerwood is a very hard wood, which makes it difficult to install. It is recommended that you hire a professional installer if you choose tigerwood flooring for your home. Tigerwood is not suitable for every room in your home. Tigerwood is not recommended for use in humid rooms such as bathrooms or laundry rooms because the wood is susceptible to warping and cupping. Tigerwood floors should also not be installed in rooms with high traffic or direct sunlight as this can cause the wood to fade over time.

If you are looking for a durable and beautiful flooring option for your home, tigerwood is a great choice. Tigerwood has many benefits including its remarkable colouring, exceptional durability, and easy maintenance. However, tigerwood can be difficult to install and is not suitable for every room in your home. You should consult with a professional installer to determine if tigerwood floors are right for your home.

Darkening Colors

The colour variations in tigerwood floors do not always stay as prominent as they are when the floor is new. The lighter colours of the sapwood tend to darken over time into a reddish or dark brown, so they contrast less with the darker heartwood. It’s a problem common to many richly hued hardwoods, but it can take the drama out of a tigerwood floor. That said, noticeable colour changes usually take at least 10 years, and you can slow the process by using UV-filtering window shades or film to limit the amount of sunlight that hits the floor.

Environmental Concerns

The tigerwood tree itself is not an endangered species, but the rainforests where it grows often are endangered by over-logging. Thanks to the growing interest in this wood, many of the African and South American countries where it grows have established export restrictions to prevent over-harvesting and resulting environmental damage. Brazil, where much of the tigerwood comes from, has particularly tight controls.

Tigerwood is a fast-growing species, making it a more sustainable alternative to the slower-growing ipe wood. If you decide you want tigerwood in your home, choose the wood that carries Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, which ensures the wood was sustainably harvested. You can also find it through online speciality retailers.

Difficult for DIY Projects

Tigerwood is a wood that's tough and difficult to work with. Its hardness makes it difficult to install without professional-grade tools. Cutting it requires carbon-tipped saw blades. To use screws or nails, you'll need to pre-drill holes, which requires a drill with a carbide bit. Glueing the wood is possible, but not easy thanks to the natural oils that inhibit the glue from setting. Sanding is a challenge too because tigerwood dust can irritate your skin and eyes.

If you're looking for a floor that will really stand out, tigerwood is a great option. Its bold, variegated colouring will add warmth to any room, and its hardness means it can withstand kids and pets. However, it can be a challenge to work with, so budget for professional installation when planning your new floor.