When you make the investment to install hardwood floors in your home, it is natural to want to protect and care for the flooring. Wood floors with the proper care can last homeowners’ decades of use. For most people it is easy enough to see the needs of wood floors. If it’s dirty, clean the floors. When scratches occur, sand and refinish the wood. If the wood appears dry, it is time to oil and refinish the wood. However, where you can visually see certain needs of your floor, it is the unseen damage that often gets neglected. Sunlight can quickly damage wood floors and often goes unnoticed until it is too late. Mike’s Custom Flooring will share how to protect your wood floor from sunlight damage.

Cover Windows to Protect Wood Flooring from Fading in Sun

Windows or skylights provide a lot of natural light inside a home. However, they also create concentrated beams of UV light to hit the floor. Within a short period of time, the heat and UV rays will damage the wood. Often the wood will discolor and/or lighten in color, or dry up and begin to split. To help protect the wood from the light coming into your home, you will want to begin by covering your home’s windows. Windows in rooms with wood floors should have good blinds. It is also recommend you have curtains over these windows as some blinds will still let in small amounts of light. Blackout curtain can completely “black out” the sun and are recommended. Skylights pose a little problem. Where you can’t always cover skylights, you can however place rugs on the wood that is being exposed by the light.

Will a Protective Coating Help Protect Wood Floors from Sun Damage?

All natural hardwood floors use some kind of sealer. Some are a stain that seals the wood while others may use a wax. It is essential to protect hardwood floors with a protective sealer to prevent water damage and light damage. Each sealer varies on how often the sealer will need to be reapplied. Know what sealer is on your wood floors and be sure to maintain the wood’s protective coat.

Should You Put Rugs on Hardwood Floors?

Another method to help protect your wood floors from sun damage is by covering up the floor. Areas where the wood is being hit with sun light can be covered with rugs or furniture. Furniture can be arranged to help soak up the light and prevent the sun from damaging the floor. However, if light exceeds the perimeter of either the rug or furniture, it still can cause the wood to lighten and create unattractive outlines of the furniture or rug. It is often recommended to rearrange the furniture to help prevent the sun from discoloring the wood if full coverage isn’t possible.

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Essentially, the best way to help protect your hardwood floors from sun damage is by covering the wood with a protective seal, rugs or furniture. Remember to cover the windows during the day unless the room is occupied. If you need further tips to help care for and protect your home’s hardwood floors, contact Mike’s Custom Flooring today.