Hardwood floors are a pretty big and important investment. The wood type, color, sheen, and design at installation are all key factors in the look of the final product. Over time, these floors may fade, become discolored, or warp. What causes this? Sunlight—just like the sun can burn your body if you expose it for too long, the sun can affect your wood floors.
Protect Your Floors from Fading and Sun Damage
1. Rearrange your furniture.
Every few months, consider changing up the layout of a room. Move a rug or reposition some furniture. It doesn’t take drastic changes—just enough so that different areas of the floor get different levels of sun exposure.
2. Create some shade.
Drapes or curtains help keep the sun out, but adding some plants to the landscaping in front of windows could be even more effective. Plants will help counteract the sun’s searing effects (not to mention, your yard will look fantastic!).
3. Refinish regularly.
Don’t wait until the damage is done. By refinishing wood floors regularly, you can prevent sun damage before it becomes permanent. Floors looking discolored, scratched, or extremely worn? It may be time to call a contractor to refinish.
4. Connect with the experts.
Think your floors are over-exposed to sunlight, but not sure what you can do? Don’t fret. Call a contractor in your area to come out and take a look at your floor. Their wood flooring expertise and knowledge of products will help you find a solution that works for you.
Quick tip: Basic Coatings’ StreetShoe® NXT is a waterbased wood floor finish that was specifically made with a UV Inhibitor to minimize sunlight-related color changes for high traffic wood floors. Click here to learn more.