Sun-Faded Hardwood Floors: Tips & Solutions
The sun is a life-giver. It gives energy to everything but can also take energy away – a blessing and a curse. Natural sunlight can add warmth to your home but can also cause discoloration and bleaching of wooden floors. You must understand how the sun affects wood flooring to protect your floors and other components from damage.
There are ways to minimize the effects of the sun, whose UV rays ruin the coating and cause discoloring. It happens with time, so taking preventive measures from the beginning is necessary. Spend money on window blinds to block out direct sunlight.
Another technique is to perform sanding to maintain your hardwood floor’s appearance. It helps remove any damage caused by UV rays. Now, let’s discuss the matter at hand.
Signs of Sun Damage on Your Hardwood Floors
Identify early signs of sun damage to your wood floors to take preventive measures and avoid unnecessary expenses. Learn about potential issues that may require professional wood floor repair and refinishing services.
A Fading Floor
The first sign is your wood flooring bleaching. You will notice the color fading and looking lighter in sun-exposed areas. The stained color will not look vibrant like before. You need not confuse it with your floor’s original color because it usually appears in irregular shapes or patterns.
A Discoloring Floor
Sunlight can discolor wood floors. It is common for areas exposed to liquids and sunlight. You can identify it through the oddly shaped dark spots or stains on the surface.
Cracks in the Floor
Exposure to sunlight can cause hardwood floors to dry out and contract, which results in separation between boards and small cracks in the planks. You will notice noises or movement when walking on your floor. That’s when you will know that your floor is damaged.
Change in Texture
Prolonged sunlight exposure dries out the weed, roughening the texture and causing splintering and sometimes even breaking. Just like a cracked floor, it will make creaking noises upon walking.
How to Prevent Sun Damage to Your Floors?
Sunlight exposure can cause a wood floor to bleach and fade, which can cause permanent damage over time. However, there are a few steps you can take to prevent this. Check them out.
Use UV-Resistant Film
You can install UV-resistant film on your windows to block UV rays from getting in. It is transparent and allows light to pass through while blocking up to 99% of UV rays.
Install Window Treatments
The best way to prevent sunlight damage to hardwood floors is to barricade sunlight from entering. Use shades, blinds, or curtains to do this. Close window treatments during the day because the sun is at its most powerful level. It will reduce the amount of direct sunlight reaching your floors.
Apply Protective Coating
Ask your hardwood flooring installer to apply a clear UV coating to your floors to protect them from sun damage. UV-protective coating protects the wood from bleaching effects. So, prevention from color fading is possible without losing the natural aesthetics.
Use Window Tinting
Install tinted windows to absorb the UV rays and reduce the light penetrating the window. It lessens the effect on your flooring, decreases room glare, boosts energy efficiency, and gives you increased privacy.
Rotate Furniture and Rugs
If you haven’t done it in a long time, you should. Rearrange the furniture and area rugs to avoid uneven fading of your floor. Rugs block light and reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the floors. Rearranging them can prevent sun damage.
The Bottomline
Hardwood flooring is a viable choice for homes in less humid areas. However, as luxurious as you want your home to look, you must invest time and money to keep it looking beautiful and performing at its best. Run regular maintenance from a professional to avoid spending unnecessary money. Talk to Almahdi if you have any questions.