Wood Floors That Change Color

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All natural hardwood floors will change colour slightly over time. Some woods will change significantly based on that species photosensitivity. 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.

Most exotic floors will change color 

Most exotic wood species like Jatoba, Tigerwood, and Cumaru will darken over time. This also occurs in North American Cherry. When selecting one of these floors you must make sure you are choosing it based on the mature colour and not the colour it is when it comes out of the box. When these floors are first installed, they are much lighter but it will deepen over time to the rich colour you based your selections on. 

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Wood flooring changes color depending on the light exposure

Depending on the amount of light the hardwood floor is exposed to, all natural wood floors will change colour. Even though manufacturers use UV cured finishes that reduce amount of discolouration and yellowing, the wood itself will still change. Natural maple, ash, and hickory will typically lose their snowy white colour and begin to yellow with exposure to light. North American walnut is unique, because it is one of the only wood species that will become lighter with exposure to natural and artificial light.

All of these colour changes are normal and to be expected. We recommend not using area rugs, or moving them around periodically in the first two years. This allows the flooring to mature in colour evenly throughout the entire space.

For more information on which wood species change colour and how, feel free to contact us at info@gaylordhardwoodflooring.com or 877-333-0433