Hardwood floors are beautiful, elegant to walk upon and make any room they’re installed in look elegant. Many even smell good. If they’re installed correctly and well cared for, these floors can last as long or longer than the house.
One thing that homeowners worry about is how to protect their hardwood floors from sun damage. Sun, or specifically its ultraviolet rays can not only cause the color of the wood to fade but can cause the wood to warp. Infrared and visible light are also culprits, but less so.
Light damage creates situations where a shady corner of a room has held on to its initial beauty and suppleness, while there’s a patch that lies in the path of a window that’s three shades lighter and dried out, or an area rug is removed to reveal an area darker and more “youthful” looking than the surrounding wood. Here are some tips to protect your flooring from the sun:
The best way to protect a floor made of hardwood tiles or planks is to install it in a room that does not get direct sun. This is a room with a northern exposure. Hardwood is also good for hallways.
A homeowner who wants their hardwood floor and lots of natural light in the room has the option of moving chairs, tables and rugs around every three months or so. A good way to remember this is to just move everything around with the change of seasons.
Shades, blinds, shutters, curtains and drapes cut down on the amount of light that pours into a room and protects the floor. Window panes that shield the interior against ultraviolet light can also be placed in the windows.
Regular sanding and refinishing of the floors can hide damage done by the sun. The homeowner should check with their floor company to learn how many times their floor can be refinished. Solid wood floors, for example, can be refinished more times than engineered wood floors.
Though these finishes can’t completely prevent fading if the floor is in the path of intense sunlight, they can slow it down.
Some fading over the years is inevitable, but a homeowner who follows these tips can make it less noticeable. The overall beauty, warmth and feel of a floor made from hardwood should last for decades.
