Does Wood Lighten Over Time? - Home Decor Bliss (2024)

FAQs

Does wood get lighter over time? ›

Hardwood Color Changes Over Time

All hardwoods will undergo the natural aging process and change color overtime with exposure to UV light and oxygen. In general, while lighter woods tend to become a bit darker and richer, woods that begin dark will lighten up.

As wood dries, it loses its moisture content and becomes lighter. Softwoods have a very high moisture content when they are green, so the weight difference will be more noticeable than hardwood varieties.

The only effective way to lighten the color of wood after it has been stripped of all surface coatings is to use a wood bleach. Sanding does help to lighten wood in many cases, but this only applies to surface soil or grime, and even then only if the discoloration has not penetrated very deeply.

Unlike painted wood, stained wood will fade over time rather than peeling and, in some cases, you may be able to simply scuff sand the wood before recoating it.

Exposure to the sun can cause fading, bleaching and darkening of the wood in your flooring.

Dark wood is less susceptible to fading because it absorbs light. This means you won't have to refinish it as frequently as you would a lighter floor. Dark wood shows the grain of the wood better than a lighter color. It can be a dramatic statement in any home, increasing the value of the home and the visual appeal.

Dry seasoned wood is lighter in weight than wet wood and makes a hollow sound when hitting two pieces together. If there is any green colour visible or bark is hard to peel, the log is not yet dry.

Stains lighten as they dry, then return to their damp color when a finish is applied. So the quick method of seeing the color you'll get with the finish applied is to look at the stain while it is still damp. If you're using a satin or flat finish, however, you need to factor in the impact of the flatting agent.

I've found a mixture of 50:50 vinegar to water does the job. When neutralizing oxalic acid, you can use household baking soda mixed with water. Lightly sand after bleaching and neutralizing the wood.

What brings out the color in wood? ›

Seal-A-Cell Clear is a penetrating oil that will bring out the natural color. Then follow with several coats of Arm-R-Seal wipe on Urethane. Another choice is GF's Enduro-Var Waterbased finish which has been very popular among wood workers and furniture makers.

Aging wood with baking soda leaches the dark tannins away, resulting in a partially bleached, weatherworn look, similar to a barn or driftwood.

What I recommend is finishing the natural wood with a coat of stain, and then coming back after the stain is fully dry and applying a UV protectant clear coat over the top of the stain. This clear coat will provide you with an added layer of protection against the sun's mighty rays.

Many oak wood floors turn richer and take on a more golden appearance. Depending on the type of oak your flooring is, the lightening of the wood is apt to take place so that the undertone is even more noticeable, such as a white oak becoming whiter or red oak appearing redder.

Although solid stain has its benefits, paint offers better protection, durability, and a wider range of colour selection. Solid stain fades faster than paint, meaning that you will need to repaint it sooner.

Solid wood furniture lasts an average of 10 to 15 years before it starts to show signs of aging, such as fading or cracking.

But most experts agree that two main culprits speed color transformation: oxidation (exposure to air) and UV (ultraviolet light) exposure. The purpleheart plank encountered both. Over months and years, an exposed project will darken, lighten, or change colors, depending on the wood.

“Staining wood usually works between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Phillip Ash, the founder of Pro Paint Corner, “but the best temperature would be at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.” Some brands or types of stains may work outside that range, but it's the generally accepted best temperature for staining wood.

“If you are going for a timeless look, a darker wood tone will always be applicable,” says designer Kia Weatherspoon, president of D.C.-based Determined by Design. For a traditional aesthetic, consider warm colors and classic elements like wainscoting, Craftsman details, and other old-world features.

Darker floors are better suited for larger rooms and open floor plans. Another seemingly unrelated factor to consider is how often you clean your floors. Light hardwood flooring can hide small flaws, dirt, and debris, but anything larger will be very noticeable.

What color wood is in style? ›

Top 5 wood floor color categories:

Gray tones (light to dark) White-washes and tones. Honey & light brown tones. Walnut & dark brown tones.

When an object is wet, more light penetrates the object, so less light is reflected. As a result, less light reaches your eye and so the wet object looks darker.

When water spills are left on hardwood or go unnoticed for a long period, however, they can soak through the finish and into the wood's pores, leaving dark marks.

Exposure to water

The water, as it is evaporated, can move water soluble chemicals in the wood up to the evaporating surface, leaving these chemicals and, as a result, discoloration.

Yes, each layer will darken your project even more. You can also start with a lighter color Gel Stain and layer on darker colors.

Leave a dampness of stain on the wood that dries to a darker coloring. This will take practice to get the coloring even, especially on large and multiple surfaces.

You can use a gel stain to restore the colour. Gel stains are great for antique furniture restoration. The best part is that you don't need to strip off the original old colour of your furniture. Gel stains can easily restore the faded and worn colour of wood furniture.

As discussed, sun exposure can be one of the most damaging elements on wood, causing permanent discoloration. Wood can fade as well as darken, depending on the type.

Varnishes and oils offer a natural-looking wood finish. Varnish, shellac, and lacquer are not easy to apply, but they do offer a deep and rich look. They will also deepen and darken over time. Varnishes are the best choice for high-gloss surfaces.

Can you make dark wood look lighter? ›

To change dark wood to white, you have to use bleach. Bleaching is one of the most effective ways to remove the dark color and make it lighter but you have to do other processes after. Once bleached, continue to strip it down and add a lighter color.

White washing is simply mixing white paint and water to lighten wood. The more paint you add to your mixture, the less opaque the finished look will be. So, if you're looking to just lighten your wood without covering the wood grain, then use mostly water with a few drops of paint.

Apply white paint to the doors, window frames, baseboards, molding and other trim pieces. White paint provides a light, modern contrast against dark-toned paneling. Decorate the area with white accessories such as wood blinds, area rugs, wall hangings and table lamps.

Radiation from the sun's ultraviolet rays breaks down the lignin in the cellulose causing photo chemical degradation, and it occurs in any wood exposed to sunlight. The result is a change in the wood's appearance from it's original color to a gradual silvery gray sheen.

Many wood species experience discoloration. With constant exposure to water, sun, dirt and other elements, lumber will naturally fade to a gray tone if not treated and coated with a waterproof sealer. Sealers also lose effectiveness over time; without annual to biannual sealing, your lumber will likely fade.

A wood's colour is achieved due to the infiltrates, sometimes referred to as the extractives, that the tree draws from the soil where it grows. This is the primary reason why there can be so much variation in colour across the same species of wood.

Surfaces that Should Not Be Cleaned with Vinegar

hardwood floors, wood furniture, and other word surfaces – due to its acidic nature, vinegar can damage hardwood floor finishes, causing them to look dingy. Use either a cleaner specifically made for hardwood floors or a mix of soap and water.

How does vinegar darken wood? Vinegar causes steel wool to oxidize, or basically rust. That rust “dyes” the vinegar. Then, that vinegar reacts with the color of the wood that you apply it to, giving it a new, deeper color.

Now here's the secret to protecting and finishing raw wood while also protecting the raw wood look. Modern Masters Exterior Dead Flat Varnish. This is a water-based sealant that brushes on easily and never leaves streaks. Since it's water-based, it needs to be applied over raw wood or other water-based products.

Although you can refinish just the sun-faded sections of the floor, it's best to do the whole room at the same time if you want an even color and finish. This also gives you an opportunity to replace seriously damaged boards and repair deep gouges and scratches.

How do you keep oak looking light? ›

The oil also repels water, thus preventing it from going black. If the requirement is to protect the oak whilst keeping the silvery appearance then the following is the best: 1 coat of clear wood preservative. Followed by 3-5 coats of high quality Tung Oil such as Morrells Tung Oil.

Walnut. New walnut has a consistent dark brown color but as it gets older it does two things: 1: Unlike maple and cherry, it gets lighter, and 2: a rich honey color starts to come through the grain.

Oil-Based Stains

These are easy to apply and maintenance coat applications are relatively simple. Over time, the oil-based stain fades away, and it has to be reapplied every year. Here are some of the key benefits: Oil-based stains deliver a uniform finish and do not leave any lap marks behind.

Many people like using a semi-transparent wood stain better than a solid one—even if it might not last as long—because it allows for more of the natural wood grain to come through. (Solid stain covers like paint.)

In short, the aging of wood, unlike that of cheese, does not make it better. Nor does it improve its strength. It is still possible that old wood joists may in fact be significantly stronger than they were on the day they were installed, because wood does gain strength as it dries.

Even after wood is harvested and turned into furniture, it continues to be a living, breathing material that responds to its environment just like a tree would in the forest. It expands and contracts with changes in humidity, and changes color over time as it's exposed to air and sunlight.

How does oak age? Cindy says, "White oak will turn golden, whereas red oak has a more red tone in the beginning and over time becomes richer and warmer."

After about 1 year an OrganoWood® modified timber that is placed outdoors in direct sunlight will have taken on an even grey finish. In shadow this may take longer, but the end result is the same.

What causes wood to darken? ›

Darkening of wood is caused by ultraviolet radiation. This can take place on wood that has never been coated with a protective coating (e.g. primer, paint or stain). It also can occur under clear varnishes and lightly pigmented stains. Different degrees of darkening can occur on different woods.

Oak wood may darken slightly over time, taking on more amber tones. This happens due to exposure to oxygen and UV light, making it a largely unavoidable process. When it comes to oak furniture, most people won't even realize the change is happening, as the color change is fairly subt.

Adding stains with blue undertones is one of the best methods to neutralize orange tones in wood. mixing blue stains with wood tones down the orange color of the wood and lightens the wood color. I know you've wondered why you have to use the color blue color especially to neutralize orange.

Oak flooring is naturally light in colour with golden, honey tones. Although oak will mellow and darken a little over time, it takes hundreds of years to develop the rich dark patina of aged oak.