Canada Hardwood Flooring: How to Protect It from the Sun
Summer is upon us! Unfortunately, you cannot use sunscreen on your hardwood flooring to protect it against harmful UV damage.
Remember that exposure to direct sunlight can result in wood floors becoming bleached or faded over time and cause them to lose their colour and beauty. Along with making the floors unsightly, hardwood flooring is time-consuming and costly to replace.
Alternatively, you can Google ‘hardwood floor refinishing near me’, but there is no guarantee that refinishing your flooring will restore its former glory.
Luckily, there are measures you can take to protect your Canadian hardwood flooring and ensure it looks great for years to come.
Let’s look at some useful tips.
Hardwood Flooring in Canada: Tips to Protect Your Floors in Summer
Do you know how to protect your hardwood flooring in Canada when the temperatures rise? Here are some simple tips to follow.
- Minimize Exposure to Direct Sunlight
Just as it is important to protect your skin against summer sun, it’s also important to protect your flooring. Remember, exposure to direct sunlight will affect polyurethane finishes, which are common on hardwood flooring in Canada. Indeed, over time, you may notice your flooring taking on an amber tone or becoming darker. This happens when infrared light combines with visible and UV light to react with the finish; this results in it losing its colour.
Furthermore, exposure to direct sunlight can discolour certain wood species. For instance, American cherry can darken over time, while species like walnut may become lighter.
A great way to limit direct sunlight exposure is to keep your window treatments closed. Or, you adjust them during the day to prevent sun from dulling them hours at a time. You can also consider investing in area rugs.
- Adjust Indoor Humidity
Central Canada is particularly humid in summer compared to the coasts and prairies, and humidity can wreak havoc on Canadian hardwood floors. This is because hardwood is a natural product that expands and contracts with changes in humidity.
This makes it important to measure the relative humidity in your home throughout the summer. A good rule of thumb is to maintain 35% to 55% humidity. However, if the humidity exceeds 55%, there’s a good chance that moisture will seep into your floors, causing them to cup and swell. You may also use your air conditioner, or consider investing in a dehumidifier for best results.
- Use the Right Window Coverings
To reduce the impact of harmful UV rays, consider purchasing appropriate window treatments. These will go a long way towards protecting your hardwood flooring in Canada.
But you must make sure that your window coverings are drawn closed during the day to minimize damage. If you have blinds, angle the slats to direct the sunlight onto your walls instead of your floor.
For added protection, use UV protection film over windows that receive the most sunlight. This preventative barrier protects hardwood flooring, no matter in which part of the house it is installed.
There’s a possibility that summer humidity, heat, and sunlight will damage your hardwood flooring in Canada, but don’t panic. Instead, shield it by following these common sense steps. They will help ensure a more worry-free summer.
