Tigerwood Guide: Uses, Colour, Grain, Janka Hardness, Finishing & Project Ideas
Tigerwood, also known as Brazilian Tigerwood or Goncalo Alves, is a dense exotic hardwood known for its reddish-brown colour, dark brown to black streaking, high hardness, strong durability, and bold striped appearance. It is popular for cutting boards, charcuterie boards, serving boards, furniture accents, drawer fronts, boxes, signs, handles, epoxy projects, and decorative woodworking where strength and natural contrast are important.
This guide explains what Tigerwood is, why it has dark streaks, how hard it is, how it works, how to finish it, what projects it is best for, and how to choose the right Tigerwood boards for your next build.
Add a high-quality Tigerwood image here. Ideal image: close-up of Tigerwood grain, finished Tigerwood board, Tigerwood cutting board accent, or Tigerwood boards from Jeff Mack Supply.
Suggested alt text: Tigerwood grain close up showing reddish brown colour with dark brown and black streaks.
What Is Tigerwood?
Tigerwood is a common trade name for Goncalo Alves, a dense tropical hardwood often associated with the Astronium genus. It is known for its medium reddish-brown colour and irregular dark brown to black streaks that can create a striped, tiger-like appearance.
Not every Tigerwood board has the same amount of striping. Some boards show dramatic dark lines and high contrast, while others are more uniform reddish brown. Because the visual pattern can vary, board selection is important when the striped look is the main reason you are choosing the wood.
Tigerwood Quick Specs
| Property | Tigerwood Details |
|---|---|
| Common Names | Tigerwood, Brazilian Tigerwood, Goncalo Alves, Jobillo |
| Scientific Name | Astronium spp. |
| Wood Type | Exotic tropical hardwood |
| Typical Colour | Medium reddish brown with irregular dark brown to black streaks; some boards may be more uniform |
| Grain | Can be straight, but is often wavy, irregular, or interlocked |
| Texture | Fine and uniform texture with good natural luster |
| Janka Hardness | Approximately 2,170 lbf |
| Average Dried Weight | Approximately 57 lbs/ft³ |
| Workability | Generally workable for a dense exotic hardwood, but figured or irregular grain may require sharper tools and lighter passes |
| Best Uses | Cutting board accents, charcuterie boards, serving boards, furniture accents, drawer fronts, boxes, signs, handles, epoxy projects, and decorative woodworking |
| Beginner Friendly? | Good for careful beginners on small projects, but it is harder and denser than many domestic woods |
| Outdoor Use? | Tigerwood is naturally durable, but most Jeff Mack Supply project uses are indoor boards, accents, furniture details, and decorative pieces |
| Best Finish | Clear oil, hardwax oil, water-based finish, lacquer, or food-safe board oil depending on the project |
Why Does Tigerwood Have Stripes?
Tigerwood gets its striped appearance from natural colour variation in the heartwood. The base colour is usually reddish brown, while the darker streaks can range from dark brown to nearly black. These irregular dark lines are what give Tigerwood its name.
The striping is not always perfectly even. Some boards have dramatic tiger-like contrast, while others are more subtle. If you want a bold striped look, choose pieces where the dark streaks are visible on the face of the board before cutting.
What Is Tigerwood Best Used For?
Tigerwood is best used in projects where hardness, durability, and natural colour contrast matter. It can be used as a feature wood or as an accent beside lighter, darker, or more colourful species.
| Project Type | Is Tigerwood a Good Choice? | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting Boards | Excellent as an accent | Tigerwood is hard, dense, and adds warm striped contrast beside maple, walnut, cherry, Purpleheart, Padauk, Wenge, and other hardwoods. |
| Charcuterie Boards | Excellent | The reddish-brown colour and dark streaking make serving boards look rich and unique without stain. |
| Serving Boards | Excellent | Tigerwood’s natural contrast works well for gift boards, decorative boards, and one-of-a-kind pieces. |
| Furniture Accents | Very Good | Tigerwood works well for drawer fronts, handles, panels, trim, edge details, legs, and accent parts. |
| Boxes and Small Projects | Excellent | Small projects are a great way to show off the streaked grain without needing a large amount of material. |
| Inlays and Contrast Details | Very Good | The dark streaks and warm base colour create strong visual interest beside both light and dark woods. |
| Epoxy Projects | Very Good | Tigerwood pairs well with clear, black, white, gold, bronze, copper, pearl, smoky grey, blue, and metallic resin colours. |
| Large Furniture Builds | Possible, but board matching matters | Tigerwood can be used for furniture parts, but colour and streaking can vary, so layout and matching are important. |
Tigerwood Colour, Grain & Appearance
Tigerwood is usually medium reddish brown, orange-brown, or warm brown with irregular dark brown to black streaks. The streaking may look like stripes, waves, ribbons, or bold dark lines depending on the board.
The grain can be straight, wavy, or interlocked. The texture is generally fine and uniform, and the wood can have a strong natural luster when surfaced and finished well.
Tigerwood pairs well with maple, walnut, cherry, white oak, Wenge, Zebrawood, Leopardwood, Purpleheart, Padauk, Canarywood, clear epoxy, black epoxy, gold pigments, bronze pigments, pearl pigments, and smoky grey resin.
Is Tigerwood a Hardwood?
Yes. Tigerwood is a hardwood, and it is much harder than many common woodworking species. With a Janka hardness of approximately 2,170 lbf, Tigerwood is harder than walnut, cherry, white oak, hard maple, ash, Red Oak, Padauk, Zebrawood, and Wenge.
That hardness makes Tigerwood durable, but it also means sharp tools and patient machining are important. It is a strong choice for accents, serving boards, cutting board strips, furniture details, and decorative projects where durability and figure both matter.
Is Tigerwood Easy to Work With?
Tigerwood is generally workable for a dense exotic hardwood, but it is harder and heavier than many domestic species. Figured boards with wavy or interlocked grain can be more challenging during planing, routing, and machining.
| Process | Tigerwood Performance | Shop Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Sawing | Cuts well with sharp blades, but it is dense | Use a sharp blade and avoid forcing the cut. |
| Planing | Usually manageable, but figured grain may tear out | Take light passes and watch for grain direction changes. |
| Routing | Routes cleanly with sharp bits | Use multiple shallow passes to reduce burning, tearout, and edge chipping. |
| Sanding | Sands well, but density takes patience | Do not skip grits. Remove scratches before applying oil or clear finish. |
| Drilling | Drills well with sharp bits | Clear chips often and avoid overheating the bit. |
| Gluing | Can be more demanding than easier domestic hardwoods | Use clean, freshly prepared surfaces and remove dust before glue-up. |
| Finishing | Finishes beautifully | Test your finish first because oils and clear finishes can deepen the reddish-brown colour and dark streaks. |
Best Finish for Tigerwood
Tigerwood usually looks best with a clear or lightly warming finish that highlights the reddish-brown base colour and dark streaking. Heavy stain is usually unnecessary because the wood already has strong natural colour and contrast.
For cutting boards, charcuterie boards, and serving boards, use a food-safe board oil or wax. For furniture accents, boxes, drawer fronts, panels, and decorative pieces, hardwax oil, clear oil, lacquer, water-based finish, or a durable clear topcoat can all work.
| Project | Recommended Finish Type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting Boards | Food-safe cutting board oil and wax | Easy to maintain and refresh over time. |
| Charcuterie Boards | Food-safe board oil or wax | Enhances the reddish-brown colour and streaked figure while keeping the board suitable for serving use. |
| Furniture Accents | Hardwax oil, clear oil, lacquer, or durable clear finish | Protects the surface while letting the Tigerwood figure stay visible. |
| Boxes and Decorative Projects | Clear finish, hardwax oil, lacquer, shellac, or water-based finish | Small projects are a great way to show off the striped figure. |
| Drawer Fronts and Panels | Hardwax oil, clear coat, lacquer, or water-based finish | Lets the natural streaking become the main visual feature. |
| Epoxy Projects | Hardwax oil, clear oil, or polished epoxy system | The best choice depends on whether the surface is mostly wood, mostly epoxy, or both. |
Recommended Tigerwood Finishing Supplies
Is Tigerwood Good for Cutting Boards?
Tigerwood can be excellent for cutting boards, especially as an accent strip or feature wood. It is hard, dense, durable, and visually strong. It pairs well with maple, walnut, cherry, Purpleheart, Padauk, Wenge, Zebrawood, and other hardwoods.
For cutting boards, choose properly dried, stable boards, avoid defects, sand thoroughly, and finish with a food-safe board oil or wax. Because Tigerwood is dense and visually bold, many makers use it strategically as part of a layout rather than the entire cutting board.
Is Tigerwood Good for Charcuterie Boards?
Yes. Tigerwood is excellent for charcuterie boards and serving boards because the reddish-brown colour and dark streaks give each board a unique, premium look.
A clear food-safe oil or wax finish will usually make the colour richer and the dark streaking more visible. If you want a more dramatic board, pair Tigerwood with maple, walnut, cherry, Padauk, Purpleheart, or Wenge.
Is Tigerwood Good for Epoxy Projects?
Tigerwood is very good for epoxy projects when you want a warm hardwood with natural dark streaking. It pairs well with clear, black, white, gold, bronze, copper, pearl, smoky grey, blue, green, and metallic epoxy colours.
Tigerwood works well for epoxy serving boards, small river boards, decorative strips, signs, trays, wall art, and accent details. Before pouring epoxy, make sure the wood is dry, clean, sanded, and free of dust, loose fibres, and unstable material.
Helpful Epoxy Links
What Tigerwood Should I Buy?
The best Tigerwood product depends on your project. Use project-ready boards for cutting boards, charcuterie boards, serving boards, boxes, signs, accent strips, inlays, furniture details, drawer fronts, and decorative woodworking.
| Project Goal | Best Tigerwood Option | Recommended Link |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting boards, charcuterie boards, serving boards, signs, boxes, trays, and accent strips | Project-ready Tigerwood boards | Shop Tigerwood Select a Size |
| Furniture accents, drawer fronts, handles, panels, and decorative details | Tigerwood boards selected for strong colour and visible streaking | Shop All Tigerwood |
| Mixed-species cutting board layouts | Tigerwood paired with maple, walnut, cherry, Padauk, Purpleheart, Wenge, or Zebrawood | Shop Dimensional Lumber |
| Projects where you need easier machining | Consider walnut, cherry, maple, or white oak instead | View the Wood Species Guide |
| Unsure what size you need | Start with board foot calculations and project layout | Read the Board Foot Guide |
Shop Tigerwood for Your Next Project
Jeff Mack Supply carries Tigerwood boards for cutting boards, charcuterie boards, furniture accents, epoxy projects, signs, boxes, inlays, drawer fronts, handles, and decorative woodworking. Order online or visit us in-store in Mississauga.
Tigerwood vs Other Woods
Tigerwood is often compared to Leopardwood, Zebrawood, Padauk, Purpleheart, Walnut, Canarywood, and Wenge. It is usually chosen when you want a hard exotic wood with warm reddish-brown colour and irregular dark streaking.
| Comparison | Main Difference | Best Choice If... |
|---|---|---|
| Tigerwood vs Leopardwood | Tigerwood has reddish-brown colour with dark streaks. Leopardwood has a spotted ray-fleck pattern. | Choose Tigerwood for streaks and stripes. Choose Leopardwood for spotted figure and flecking. |
| Tigerwood vs Zebrawood | Tigerwood is warmer and reddish brown with irregular streaks. Zebrawood is lighter with stronger dark stripe contrast. | Choose Tigerwood for warm dark streaking. Choose Zebrawood for bold stripe patterns. |
| Tigerwood vs Padauk | Tigerwood is reddish brown with dark streaks. Padauk is brighter orange-red and more colour-forward. | Choose Tigerwood for dark natural streaks. Choose Padauk for bright orange-red contrast. |
| Tigerwood vs Purpleheart | Tigerwood is warm reddish brown. Purpleheart is naturally purple and slightly harder. | Choose Tigerwood for warm striped grain. Choose Purpleheart for bold purple accents. |
| Tigerwood vs Walnut | Tigerwood is harder, denser, and more streaked. Walnut is darker brown, smoother-looking, and easier to work. | Choose Tigerwood for small decorative accents and high hardness. Choose walnut for dark premium furniture and easier machining. |
Common Mistakes When Working With Tigerwood
Expecting Every Board to Be Striped
Some Tigerwood boards have bold dark streaks, while others are more uniform. Choose your boards based on the actual figure you want.
Ignoring Board Layout
The streaking is the main visual feature. Lay out your parts before cutting so the best grain lands where it will be seen.
Using Dull Tools
Tigerwood is hard and dense. Sharp blades and bits reduce burning, tearout, and rough edges.
Skipping a Finish Test
Clear finishes and oils can deepen the reddish-brown colour and make the dark streaks more dramatic. Always test on an offcut first.
Overusing It in a Design
Tigerwood is visually bold. It often works best as an accent, feature strip, box lid, drawer front, or decorative detail.
Rushing Sanding
The figure looks best when the surface is sanded evenly. Do not skip grits, and inspect scratches before finishing.
Tigerwood FAQs
Is Tigerwood real wood?
Yes. Tigerwood is a real exotic hardwood commonly associated with Goncalo Alves or Brazilian Tigerwood. It is known for reddish-brown colour and dark streaked grain.
Is Tigerwood the same as Goncalo Alves?
In many woodworking and flooring markets, Tigerwood is a common trade name for Goncalo Alves. The name can sometimes be used loosely, so it is always best to buy based on the actual board, grain, and supplier description.
What colour is Tigerwood?
Tigerwood is usually medium reddish brown, orange-brown, or warm brown with irregular dark brown to black streaks. Some boards may be more uniform and less striped.
Why does Tigerwood have stripes?
The striped look comes from natural dark streaks in the heartwood. The amount of striping varies from board to board.
Is Tigerwood hard?
Yes. Tigerwood is hard and dense, with a Janka hardness of approximately 2,170 lbf.
Is Tigerwood harder than maple?
Yes. Tigerwood is harder than hard maple. Tigerwood is approximately 2,170 lbf, while hard maple is approximately 1,450 lbf.
Is Tigerwood harder than walnut?
Yes. Tigerwood is much harder than black walnut. Tigerwood is approximately 2,170 lbf, while black walnut is approximately 1,010 lbf.
Is Tigerwood good for cutting boards?
Yes. Tigerwood can be excellent for cutting boards, especially as an accent strip or feature wood. It is hard, durable, and visually unique.
Is Tigerwood good for epoxy projects?
Yes. Tigerwood is very good for epoxy projects because its reddish-brown colour and dark streaking pair well with clear, black, white, gold, bronze, copper, pearl, smoky grey, blue, green, and metallic resin colours.
Where can I buy Tigerwood in Canada?
You can shop Tigerwood online at Jeff Mack Supply or visit our store in Mississauga. We carry Tigerwood boards for cutting boards, charcuterie boards, furniture accents, epoxy projects, signs, boxes, inlays, drawer fronts, handles, and decorative woodworking.
