As far as design is concerned, hardwood floors can make or break the aesthetic of your Denver home. When they look good, everything else in your house looks good. And who among us doesn’t want a gorgeous home. This is why most people fret over the care of their lovely hardwood and one of the biggest fears is fading or sun bleaching. Truth be told, there is no way to completely stop floors from fading and/or darkening over time due to sun exposure. However, you can slow down the process to a point you may not even notice it during your tenure in your Denver home. Read some tips to stop hardwood floors from fading below.
The Science Behind Hardwood Floors Fading
Wood is very photosensitive–even more so than many materials. This means it reacts and deteriorates under the rays of the sun. Just like your skin gets darker in the sun, so too do UV rays break down wood on a cellular level. Different woods react differently and some can withstand more UV exposure than others. So what species of wood you have will dictate its reaction. Cherry wood floors start out a light to mid-range salmon and will turn a deep umber whereas walnut floors will get lighter. Regular glass windows will block about one-quarter of the UV rays that will fade floors. As mentioned, nothing will completely stop your floor from fading. However, the tips below should help slow the process of your Denver floors fading and even it out.
Best Steps to Take to Keep Hardwood Floors From Fading
Now that you know you can’t stop your floors from fading, here are some tips to help you make sure they fade very slowly. You can use all or some of these depending on your desired result.
Move rugs and furniture
It is critical to rearrange your furnishings from time to time to expose different areas of the wood to the sun. Rugs are especially important to rotate around the room. This will expose the entire floor to the sun over time to even out fading.
Buy Window Coverings
Drapes, curtains, shutters, or blinds offer limited protection against UV rays detrimental to wood–but when combined with other methods are a great way to slow hardwood floor fading.
Have UV Inhibiting Finishes Applied to the Wood
There are no wood finishes that will totally stop fading (although many claim to). But some products on the market can slow down the fading process in your Denver home. Look for high-end water-based systems. These finishes reduce ambering and fading and are also really durable.
UV Blocking Window Films
As we know from the experience in our line of work–the most effective way to reduce fading of hardwood floors and furnishings is UV blocking window tint. It keeps the harmful rays from penetrating through glass, so it is both a way to even out the fading process and slow it way down. Window films are engineered to block 99.9% of harmful rays coming into your home and are relatively inexpensive. Since we all know how expensive hardwood floors cost to install and/or refinish–window tinting is surely worth a fraction of that to keep them looking lovely!
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!