The Luxury of Tiger Wood Flooring

Installing solid hardwood flooring in your home adds beauty and warmth to any room and, when properly looked after, will last for a lifetime and increase the value of your house. However, to go a bit further and really make a statement while giving a luxurious, exotic appearance to your home you could install tiger wood flooring.

Made from the wood of the Goncalo Alves tree which is found in the rainforests of South America, and particularly in Brazil, tiger wood has a distinctive burnt orange to brown colouring streaked with stripes of dark brown to black, hence its common name.

Tiger wood flooring creates a dramatic effect in any room and, as it ages, the colour deepens giving it a timeless beauty, although you need to be aware that areas exposed to prolonged sunlight will change colour and become a lighter shade than the surrounding floor. It may be worth considering light filtering treatment on the windows that let in direct sunlight.

Aside from its stunning appearance, tiger wood has other advantages. It is a very hard wood that is rated much harder than oak or teak, giving it extremely good durability. It is resistant to beetles and termites, which is an important factor in natural wood flooring, there is only minimal shrinkage when it dries out and little warping in extreme heat. It is also very resistant to decay.

It should also be pointed out that there are some disadvantages compared to other real wood flooring. Tiger wood flooring can be quite hard to work with and, where cutting is necessary, it is recommended that cutting blades should be carbide tipped to preserve the strength of the wood. It is advisable to pre-bore holes prior to nailing. Tiger wood is notoriously difficult to sand and this should be done by a professional with the correct equipment as getting it wrong can result in permanent damage, a very costly mistake.

But once installed tiger wood has a slightly oily surface which gives it a polished appearance and is one of the easiest types of wood to polish to a high lustre giving the finish its amazing, exotic look which will make any visitor envious.

There are some ways in which to care for your tiger wood flooring to preserve its natural beauty, as well as the previously mentioned protection from direct sunlight. You can use rugs in high traffic areas, although rubber backed rugs and carpets are not recommended as they may discolour the flooring, and these should be moved on a regular basis. Put felt protectors on the feet of your furniture and rearrange the furniture periodically. These measures will help the tiger wood flooring to age more uniformly.

As with any other real wood floors, cleaning is important. The floor should be vacuumed and swept regularly to prevent dust and small stones from damaging the surface and any spillages should be cleaned up immediately. For the highly polished surface of your tiger

wood flooring you can use a mixture of water and a window cleaner which will maintain the lustre.

Tiger wood flooring is more expensive than other hardwood flooring but the beautiful effect that it will create in your home will last for many years to come.