The sight of faded wood floors can be heart-breaking, especially when a lovely hardwood has been dried and dulled. Sun can lighten wood floors quite quickly if strong enough, but often it’s so imperceptible that it’s not until a faded rug is moved that the damage is noticeable. Not all woods react the same: tropical woods change quickly and go darker, woods like oak or maple result in lighter, sun-bleached wood floors.
If you’re laying a wood floor, also consider certain finishes such as some polyurethane varnishes go yellow over time; creating that unpopular 1970s ‘wooden sauna’ look. If this is your experience, a sun-bleached stain on the floor or unwanted orange hue to wood, there are some things you can do. Firstly sand back and re-stain the floor using a pigment stain rather than a dye stain; they will resist fading longer.
Then use a finish or varnish with a built-in UV inhibitor which will also slow fading down. Other than that, make sure you move furniture and rugs occasionally to stop one area from getting too much pressure. And if you can no longer bear the battle, consider the fresh appeal white washed wood floors. Making the best of a difficult situation; the ultimate sunny disposition.
If you want to bring more of the suns bright inspiration into your home, take a look at inspiration gallery.