Hardwood floors have an elegant charm of their own. They add to the character of the room look inviting, warm and cozy and can be successfully used with any theme, style, and décor of the room. Hardwood floors can also be retained for generations to come if maintained in the proper manner. In fact, hardwood floors are extremely low maintenance and need only sweeping or vacuuming on a daily basis to keep them looking clean.
However, the shine of the hardwood floor tends to fade over time with use. This natural
process or phenomenon of fading is known as patina. While it does add character to the
hardwood floor over time, care should be taken to ensure that this process gets delayed and occurs slowly so that the floors keep looking new.
Factors which affect hardwood floor fading
Fading of hardwood floors can be attributed to two very important factors:
- Exposure to sunlight which tends to make the floor look discolored from prolonged
exposure to the UV rays present in the sunlight and - The type of wood species and finishing of the wood
- For example, species like Hickory and Oak tend to fade very slightly over time
while for other species like which are less common, the intensity of fading is
more. - Also for oil-based finish, the fading or tinting or color change is much more
than those finishes which are water based since water experiences no
discoloration over time.
- For example, species like Hickory and Oak tend to fade very slightly over time
Ways to prevent fading
Hardwoods are absolutely natural and so is their fading over a period of time. Hence, this fading cannot be removed by the use of chemicals. The fading has to be prevented from happening using techniques which are also natural like:
- Furniture re-arrangement: It is necessary for homeowners to move their furniture
from their current arrangement and place them in a new arrangement. This ensures that even though different parts of the floor are getting exposed to the sunlight differently, over a period of time the exposure evens out over the whole area of the floor. This will help prevent any discoloration from taking place in patches. Whatever little fading which might occur will be spread over the whole floor making it look absolutely normal and natural. - Using floor coverings: While carpeting a hardwood floor can save it absolutely from
fading, it will also hide the inherent beauty and stylish look of a hardwood floor.
Hence instead of carpeting, options that can be used are:- Small rugs which can be strategically placed so that places which suffer the
maximum exposure can be protected,
o Drapes and curtains can be hung on the windows to prevent too much sunlight and UV rays from entering the room thereby preventing fading,
o Using colored or tinted glass also helps to control the amount of sunlight
entering the room,
o Planting bushes just outside the window, if possible, also helps to negate the
searing effect of the sun rays, thus reducing the intensity of heat which enters a room through the windows.
- Small rugs which can be strategically placed so that places which suffer the
- Proper timely maintenance: This primarily includes refinishing the hardwood floor
on a regular basis so as to prevent instances of fading from increasing in intensity.
Refinishing also helps to keep the floor looking as good as new. - Changing the lighting scheme: Since fading primarily happens from overexposure
to the sun, changing the direction of sunlight can help to reduce the intensity with
which it falls on the hardwood floor. This can be done by:- Installing windows with UV shielding,
- Using permanent shades on windows,
- Installing skylights to naturally brighten the room.
- Getting in touch with a professional: In instances where the fading has already set
in and is clearly visible so as to become an eyesore, the best solution is to get in touch with a floor restoration company specializing in hardwood flooring and getting them sanded and refinished.
Refinishing a floor is a great DIY project that adds value and beauty. Approach it with patience as you will need to allow drying time.
Hardwood floors are expensive yet people have an inclination towards them because of their longevity and resistance to stains, marks, and scratches. But good care needs to be taken so that its beauty only increases with time. And prevention of fading is one crucial factor which ensures hardwood floors keep looking shiny and beautiful for generations to come.
Author Bio: The author is a well-known hardwood expert with homefloors.ca. He has been providing simple solutions to problems faced by people with hardwood floors for quite some time. His articles and blogs on hardwood floors are quite popular and he has a loyal fan following.