Keeping Antiques Safe From Harm With Vertical Blinds And Window Coverings

Patches of sunshine in a home are often a bonus

, particularly in winter, but sunshine can cause damage to antique furniture and upholstery. Just as ultraviolet light from the sun can harm the skin, it can also cause irreparable harm to wood and fabric furnishings. Sun damage is always best prevented rather than repaired and vertical blinds are one of the ways sunlight can be blocked from your home.

Most people who own antiques value them for monetary as well as personal reasons. Sometimes antiques are heirlooms passed down through generations, collections of old photographs of family members now gone, or diamonds in the rough, bought for small change and painstakingly restored to reveal their true value. No matter how they were found, antiques need to be cared for. One of the enemies of old wood and fabric is sunlight, especially in summer. Sunshine has the power to deteriorate the woods and textiles, as well as pigments used in antique furniture and art.

Collectors of antiques should realize that their pieces require a certain amount of care to maintain their appearance. Consideration should be taken in choosing the placement of antiques in order to prevent them from losing original appearance. Sunshine can cause damage to the original materials and lacquers used to finish antique tables, chairs, sideboards or any other piece made of wood.

Even on cloudy days the ultraviolet rays from the sun can harm wood antique furnishings. Owners should be aware that keeping their antiques in direct sunlight, even for short periods of the day, may cause irreparable damage. Other sources of heat, such as heating ducts and potbelly stoves should also be avoided to maintain the integrity of wood antique furnishings.

Many of the textiles used to upholster antique furnishings were dyed with pigments that were not as resistant to wear and tear as modern fabrics. Owners of antique furnishings that still have their original upholstery must protect the fabric or leather from direct sunlight. Sun damage can not only discolor upholstery but also cause permanent and irreversible damage to leather and the threads of fabrics.

Direct ultraviolet light can cause art works, paintings, old photographs and tints to fade and may even cause the paper and canvas they were executed on to disintegrate. Much like upholstery, sunlight can damage the basic structure of old paper, card and canvases. When deciding where to hang your antique works of art it is important to factor in if and where the sun falls on walls during the day. Either placing paintings and pictures out of the path of sunlight, or blocking it with curtains or blinds will keep your precious antique art pieces safe from damage.

Wood flooring is not immune to the sun's effects, whether the boards are new or restored. Wooden floors can be bleached by ultraviolet light leaving it discolored in areas. Using screens and curtains can prevent the sun from damaging wood flooring and help maintain it's natural beauty.

A sunlit home is bright and friendly but direct sun can do major damage to your antique collection and restored wood flooring. It is best to prevent damage by shading direct ultraviolet light blinds vertical blinds or other window coverings rather than trying to repair it after it happens. Restoring old floorboards and a collection of antique furniture are a precious investment of time as well as money and preventing them from being damaged can help keep them in their optimum condition as well preserve them for the future.

by: Jesita Jerik

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