Pictures and materials vulnerable to sun fading

Tag : Coated Fabric

A: This is a problem most homeowners will find if they look closely— and sometimes you don't have to look very closely at all— at the furniture, art objects and other home materials infront of large windows and sliding doors, on an uncovered patio,and even under skylights.

While fading of fabrics and photos and other objects can beannoying, you might also find weakened structural components andgeneral deterioration of some materials like plastics. And ashomeowners ask more and more for large window openings andskylights to enjoy the natural daylight and the great views,problems of sun pouring into the house increase, including glare,overheating and damage to various home materials.

Stop by an art gallery or do-it-yourself store in your neighborhoodand you'll find a wide variety of non-glare glass and evenmuseum-quality glass for use in artwork. While they can be pricey,it is difficult to put a value on precious family treasures likephotos or artwork that will be well-protected by the high-qualityglass. You can do some other things to keep the sun from hittingfurniture and home objects, ranging from specially coated glass inwindows, insulated windows and a variety of operable window shades.To really do it right, you need to spend some money on high-qualityglass, since even though conventional windows will absorb a greatdeal of the ultraviolet light reaching your home, the small amountthat passes through can cause damage to textiles and othermaterials.

I've seen a variety of studies conducted over the years ondifferent types of materials, with the typical result thatmaterials vary widely in terms of how much the sun damages them andhow much time it takes for problems to become visible. Factorsaffecting this include their fiber content, yarn, fabricconstruction, finish and dye methods.

Products exposed to strong sunlight can, over time, visibly warp,fade unevenly in color and suffer other problems. Sometimes thereare no visible problems but the material's strength and abrasionresistance have been greatly weakened.

The best way to deal with this problem is to choose fabrics foryour home based on their intended use. If we're talking about anobject where appearance is important, make sure you choose fabricsthat will hold their color. If you're buying furniture anddurability is the prime need, then ask for materials that will staystrong and abrasion-resistant rather than just focusing on thecolors. Finally, note that it's not just the sun itself that cancause damage to your artwork and fabrics, but also such factors asindoor humidity, fumes and all types of airborne contaminants thatcan get indoors.

Think about where the material will be used and what you want fromit, and choose wisely.