These hardwood floors typically take between six months to two years to reach their mature colour depending on the specie of wood and the amount of natural or artificial light the flooring is exposed to. Some wood species become darker and some become lighter over time.
Yes, all hardwood floors will slightly change colour over periods of time, especially if they are in contact with direct sunlight. The most noticeable colour change will happen in the first few months after being installed.
The short answer is yes, your hardwood floors will darken over time. This is inevitable, although there are steps you can take to slow down this process.
Once the flooring has been installed, it opens up in the room and looks lighter than what was chosen. We recommend when you are choosing flooring from a sample, especially in a room with little to no furniture, choose something a shade darker than what you think you want to avoid it looking too light.
Oak. The light brown to darker tones of White Oak undergoes a medium degree of colour change with slight ambering over time.
Wood is a photosensitive material. Depending on which wood your floors are made of, sunlight can cause them to darken or fade. You may not notice the effects from one day to the next, but over time, direct light may even change the color of your floors.
Culprit #1: Rugs
A rug blocks the UV light from hitting the floor, which can cause uneven fading of the wood. Uneven discoloration of wood flooring is sometimes caused by a rug. Rugs block UV light, which causes uneven fading.
Will dark floors make my home look smaller? Will it be too dark? Dark floors do you make your space a bit smaller and light floors make the space look a bit larger. However, it is really the combo of colors on the floors and walls that give the total impression, and there is more wall space than floor space.
A choice of timeless hardwood floor colors
Brown Maple floors have hues of rich gold, amber and brown. Cherry floors feature a burnished auburn color that will darken over time. Hickory offers hues from lighter blonde sapwood to cocoa brown and beige heartwood. Red Oak comes in deep, salmon tones.
Dirt and dust will show up more clearly on dark wood floors. A daily sweep with a dust mop can keep the floors cleaner. Have your family take off their shoes at the door so that less dirt and grime gets tracked in the house.
The simple answer to this is yes, wood flooring will change colour over the years. Wood is a natural product and changes in colour will occur due to the wood's reaction to the environment. A dark wood such as walnut will lighten and a lighter wood species like oak, will darken.
Apply a Protective Sealant
Common sealants used over wood stains include polyurethane and gel stain. You can put 3-4 coats of gel stain over the finish when it has dried if you want a very dark finish on the wood. Gel stains always make stains look darker.
Usually just called “red oak,” this domestic hardwood tends to be warm and on the lighter side. Like its name, it often has pink or red undertones. As it ages, it darkens to golden brown or even amber in color.
Most pine floors have goldish and red undertones. They tend to darken more over time (compared to oak) and many have "aged" in their Westchester homes for over 100 years.
Yes, Maple wood will darken over time. The very bright and light color of maple wood will slowly turn into dark color over the years. It turns into a deep golden honey color tone above its original bright white with reddish-brown hues with exposure to sunlight and oxygen.
Remember: Hardwood Floors are NATURAL
Anything that is natural will undergo changes as it ages over time. For hardwood floors, the changes occur in the color of the wood. Some species of woods will fade lighter and some will fade darker. This process is known as “patina”.
Dark brown hardwood floors in particular never seem to go out of fashion, they are always trendy and still in style. There's something about the contrast between dark wood floors and bright, light walls, white kitchen cabinets, furnishing etc. that epitomize a sophisticated and upmarket style.
Hardwood Flooring
It's beautiful, it's durable, and it never goes out of style. Not to mention all of your friends, family, and neighbors aspire to have it, so you'll have your entire network envying your home's flooring design.
You may be surprised to learn that dark wood flooring can help to make your room look bigger too. Darker flooring offers an inviting feel and opens up a space. Whether you choose rich colours or softer dark colours, they both have their advantages when it comes to expanding the appearance of a room.
A light-colored flooring such as light oak or a light-colored carpet will make the room appear brighter and more open. The same applies to the ceiling—use a light color or white to "open up" the space above. Increase the appearance of the size of the room by adding wall mirrors.
Light color flooring tends to brighten up a space and make it feel larger.
Over time, hardwood floors, especially those with a polyurethane finish, tend to become a shade of yellow which is not very desirable and diminishes its elegance. If your white oakwood floor is under direct sunlight, it will change color over time. This is most noticeable in the first few months post-installation.
Infrared light, combined with UV light and visible light, reacts with the finish and slowly turns the finish darker or yellowish. That's why over a long period of time certain types of hardwood floors with oil based polyurethane finish turn that orangey/yellow color that no-one likes.