January 24, 2022 2 min read

Hardwood flooring comes in countless shades, from bright washes to deep, rich mahoganies, all of which have their own unique beauty to them. One thing that’s certainly not beautiful, though: stains on your solid hardwood flooring! It ruins the unspoiled splendor of the material, and discoloration of any sort can signal the deterioration of your flooring.

But why does hardwood flooring become off-color in the first place? E Hardwoods & Flooring, where you can buy hardwood flooring online, is here with the answers. No matter if you have Paramount, Somerset, or any other brand, you’ll learn the ins and outs of what causes stains and unwanted marks below.

Reason One: Sunlight

While we tend to tan in the sunlight, your standard or engineered hardwood flooring does the opposite: it lightens! Because you probably have furniture or rugs that block that sunlight, if you don’t rearrange the room regularly, you’re bound to end up with hardwood that looks a bit more like a mosaic than solid planks.

While it’s not necessary to treat this type of flooring with kid gloves, a little forethought goes a long way towards keeping your floors fading evenly, as all materials will lighten a bit over time. Check out our blog on the subject for tips: “Preventing Sun Damage to Your Flooring.”

Reason Two: Water Damage

Engineered and prefinished hardwood flooring, no matter if it’s Hallmark, Kährs, or any other brand, doesn’t mix well with water. In fact, in an emergency, it can seriously damage it if you’re caught off guard, as we covered in our blog “How to Minimize Flooring Damage in a Water Emergency.”

Indeed, moisture, even a spill left on the flooring a little too long or the leakage from a flowerpot, can rapidly discolor your hardwood. This sort of stain is blotchy and darker than the aforementioned sun-lightening, and you’ll generally figure out the cause pretty quickly.

Reason Three: Scratches

This is why it’s important to keep your hardwood flooring on a tight refinishing schedule! If a scratch breaks through its protective finishing, the wood below is exposed to the elements, which promotes faster degradation than the surrounding flooring and thus discoloration. Frequently, this staining due to poorly cared-for flooring is grey or black in color, and it tends to occur in long lines.

E Hardwoods & Flooring: All Your Favorite Hardwood Flooring Brands

Mannington, Somerset, and more—you’ll find all the top brands in our massive online selection, so shop today and discover your perfect flooring fit.


Subscribe