What Causes Wood Floors To Fade?
Hardwood floors are the base of your Denver home’s overall aesthetics. When you have lovely hardwood to ground the decor–you are almost guaranteed to have a gorgeous home. Most people put a lot of time, thought, energy and money into them too. This is why the fear of them fading is very real to most homeowners. To stop this from happening it is important to first know why they fade/
The Science Behind Hardwood Floors Fading
Wood, like most materials, is very photosensitive– meaning it reacts and deteriorates under the rays of the sun. What type of wood you have will dictate what the reaction is. So, while a cherry wood floor will likely darken with age, a walnut floor will get lighter. The glass on your Denver home windows will block about one-quarter of the UV rays that will harm your floor. So, while nothing will completely stop your floor from fading, there are various methods you can employ to slow the process and even it out.
Best Steps to Take to Keep Hardwood Floors From Fading
Since you can’t stop wood from fading over time–you can make sure it fades very slowly and evenly instead. There are many ways to do this and you can use all or some of them depending on your desired results.
Move rugs and furniture
Every once in a while rearrange your furnishings to expose different areas of the wood to the sun–rugs especially. This will allow you to get a consistent color throughout the room.
Buy Window Coverings
Things like drapes, curtains, shutters, or blinds offer limited protection against UV light–but used in congress with other methods are a great way to slow hardwood floor fading.
Have UV Inhibiting Finishes Applied to the Wood
While there are no finishes that will totally stop fading, there are some on the market that can slow down fading. Look for high-end water-based systems that reduce ambering and fading and are also very durable.
UV Blocking Window films
By far the most effective way to reduce fading of hardwood floors and furnishings is UV blocking window film. It stops the harmful rays at the glass. Therefore, it is both a way to even out the fading process and retard it! Film technology blocks 99.9% of harmful rays coming into your home and is relatively inexpensive. Considering how much your hardwood floors cost to install and/or refinish–window tinting is well worth the cost!
To learn more about a window film option to stop hardwood floors and furnishings from fading, reach out to us today for information on UV blocking window film for your Denver home and pricing!
