ᐅ Strong sunlight causes discoloration on Kallax shelving units – any experiences?

Hello everyone,

I have a Kallax shelf from Ikea in my apartment, positioned right next to a window that receives a lot of sunlight from morning until afternoon. I’ve noticed that the surface of the shelf in those areas gradually discolors over time, appearing significantly lighter than the rest – typical of UV-related fading.

My question for you is: Have you experienced similar effects of strong sunlight on Kallax shelves? How does it show on your furniture, and what steps have you taken to prevent or fix these discolorations? Are special UV-protection films or wood care products effective?

I would really appreciate it if you could share your experiences, as I don’t want to just wait until the shelf looks completely worn out. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

I can completely understand how frustrating such discoloration can be, especially when the piece of furniture is still relatively new. I had a similar Kallax shelf standing in sunlight for most of the day for years, and yes – after a few months, the exposed surfaces became noticeably faded.

What I did was regularly rotate the furniture so that the same side wasn’t always exposed to the sun. This only helps to a certain extent but does reduce the discoloration somewhat.

I’m also curious: does anyone here use glass doors or covers for the cabinet frame to protect the wood? I think that’s an interesting option as well.

Basically, veneered or melamine-coated furniture surfaces are more sensitive to UV radiation than solid wood. This also applies to Kallax, which has a surface made of melamine or laminated particleboard.

An effective protection method is to apply UV protection films to the windows. These filter out a large portion of UV rays without blocking all the sunlight.

Additionally, regular cleaning is important—dirt on the shelf can alter light reflection and make discoloration appear more pronounced.

If the shelf is already discolored, unfortunately there are no treatments available to restore its original color. In that case, replacement or covering is the only option.

I would like to share a brief step-by-step guide on how to deal with UV damage to Kallax units:

1. Condition check: First, determine whether the discoloration is just superficial (pigment fading) or if the surface has also warped or become brittle due to sun exposure.

2. Protective measures: UV protection films are the best preventive option; thin curtains that filter sunlight can also be used.

3. Surface care: Regular furniture cleaning products do little to reduce discoloration. Special repair kits for melamine surfaces can mask minor scratches but cannot reverse fading.

4. Repositioning: If possible, rotate the shelf or move it to a location without direct sunlight.

5. Touch-up: Alternatively, you can try to visually conceal the discoloration with decorative elements such as plants or fabric accents.

My experience: Prevention works better than repair.

PULAU schrieb:
An effective protection is applying UV protection films to the windows.

I find the idea of UV protection films interesting and probably sensible. How durable and visible are these films? I don’t want to have dark windows all day, but would prefer them to remain as transparent as possible.

miAlessio schrieb:
Prevention works better than repair.

That makes sense to me. I’m also curious if anyone has lightly sanded or treated the shelf surface to cover up the discoloration?

I had the same issue with my last Kallax unit! At first, I was really disappointed because there are so many spots in my apartment where the sun shines directly. But then I applied a window protection film – not completely dark, more like a light UV filter.

Since then: no more significant discoloration! And I’m really happy that I don’t have to constantly worry about the shelf 🙂

So, folks, I can only recommend something like this! You’ve got to take good care of your furniture too ;-)