How to Prevent Furniture Fading

For most of us, your home is the single largest investment you will ever make. And it’s not just the four walls and floors – it’s everything you put into it that makes it yours. Whether it’s a new Pottery Barn sofa or an heirloom piece from Aunt Rose, you want your investment to last and to look good doing it. To keep your hardwood floors and fine furnishings looking their best, you need to protect them from the damage of the sun. Here’s how to prevent furniture fading:

What Causes Furniture Fading

First, let’s understand what causes furniture fading to begin with.  UV light is the biggest culprit, but it only accounts for about 40% of the problem.  The rest of the cause of fading floors and furnishings is due to visible light and infrared light or solar heat energy. This means that simply blocking UV rays from entering your home won’t completely stop fading. You need to do something to reduce the heat and light entering your windows.

The miscellaneous 10% of the problem consists of things that don’t involve your windows.  For instance, light fixtures can emit heat, UV, and visible light.  Did you know that the heat from your body when you sit on your sofa can eventually cause fading as well?

And while you don’t want to stop sitting on your couch, there are some practical things you can do to reduce furniture fading:

Keep Furniture Out of Direct Sunlight

This seems like a no-brainer, right? But depending on the size of your room and the placement of the windows, it may not be possible to avoid the sun. If you can, move important pieces of furniture or art out of the direct line of the sun. This will greatly reduce the chance of fading.

Move Furniture and Rugs Around Periodically

If you can’t keep furniture out of the sun, the next best thing is to move it around periodically. This will prevent the same spots from being affected for long periods of time. If upholstered pieces are too large to realistically move around, at a minimum you should rotate the cushions on the piece. In addition, moving rugs every few months will prevent a rug outline to appear on your hardwood floors.

Avoid Dark Colored Pieces

Lighter colors reflect more light and darker ones absorb more light and heat accelerating fading. If you have a sunny room, consider designing it in a light color palette to reduce the amount of fading your furniture is susceptible to.

Condition Leather Furniture

Keeping your leather furniture in good condition is the first step in preventing fading. Leather can dry out, fade and crack when exposed to sunlight. To prevent this, apply a good leather conditioner made for furniture twice a year. Choose a conditioner that has UV protection built in for added protection.

Install Window Film

Of course, the simplest way to prevent furniture fading is to block the sun from coming in through your windows to begin with. But most of us want to live in light and bright spaces and don’t want to block the sunlight from entering our homes. Instead of blocking the light with drapes or shades, control the light that comes in with window film.

Window film will help to tame all three of the causes of furniture and floor fading: UV light, visible light and heat. All of Concord’s ComforTech™ Ceramic Series films block greater than 99% of UV light. The darker the shade you choose, the more light and heat control you will get, but all of the films have some level of solar control and can help to protect your furniture, so choose the shade that is right for you.

If you are ready to experience how window film can help you protect your investment in your home, visit www.windowfilm.com today.