Tigerwood Decking - A Wood Suitable For Decking

Tigerwood is among the finest hardwoods that you can consider for your deck. It got its name from its distinctive appearance. It features a light golden brown to reddish brown hue with brown or black streaks, like the stripes you would see on a tiger. Tigerwood is naturally biodegradable and durable like all Brazilian hardwoods, but one of its most important qualities is that it is more cost effective than ipe. Hence, you can achieve an opulent and richer look on your deck with tigerwood without spending too much on it. Alternatively, you can use tigerwood together with ipe railing for an interesting accent.

The wood is extremely hard and features a tight grain. Tigerwood resists rotting and deters termite infestation. Because it is extremely hard, wood destroying organisms, mold, and insects, are unable to get a proper hold on the wood. Hence, they end up leaving to find a softer material like pine. This hardness helps prolong the quality and integrity of your deck so you can enjoy your outdoor living space for many more years to come, even if it is exposed to water.

Tigerwood is biodegradable, so once it reaches the end of its service life, you can easily add it to a landfill to decompose. This makes tigerwood environmentally friendly (unlike composite materials with plastic, which do not rot for thousands of years). The material is harvested in compliance with the Lacey Act, so it does not severely impact forests. Be sure to buy tigerwood decking from a supplier that sources it from sustainably managed forests. Reputable suppliers responsibly harvest tigerwood directly from those forests, and they can ship the decking materials directly to your home or job site.

The Janka rating of tigerwood is at 2016 lbf, which is much harder than oak (1360 lbf) and maple (1450 lbf). Hence, it is harder than maple baseball bats and oak floors. To preserve its beautiful color and look, apply a finisher that can reflect or block the sun's UV rays (which can turn any wood gray). There is no need to use any wood protector, stain, or colorant, so maintenance is easier with tigerwood decking.

This article is written by Bruce Master. He gained an interest in woodworking at an early age. Bruce Master started working with contractors in the 1970s as a salesman at Ace Hardware in Miami.