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Octagonal Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor Renovated in Milngavie

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:07:32 +0000

The pictures below are of Red and Cream Octagonal Encaustic tiled hallway floor at a Victorian property in Milngavie North of Glasgow. The tiles were in good condition but being made of encaustic cement they are porous and need to be sealed to prevent dirt from becoming ingrained in the pores. Once dirt becomes ingrained it makes it very difficult to keep it clean and in this case the sealer had worn off after years of use and the floor needed cleaning and re-sealing.

After visiting the property to take a closer look and measure up I was able to work out a plan for its renovation and craft a detailed quote for the work which would take two days, one to clean and one to seal. The quote was accepted and a date set for the work to start.

Cleaning an Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway

On the first day we set about removing years of ingrained dirt from the tiles using a specialist low moisture product called Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel. Old floors like this don’t have the benefit of a damp-proof membrane under the floor so we have learned from experience its best to keep the use of water down to a minimum. Using a lot of water to clean a floor like this can lead to long drying times and increases the chances of efflorescence appearing which results in white salt deposits.

The gel was brushed onto the tiles using a deck brush and then left for around 10-15 minutes before being scrubbed into the tiles using a 200-grit diamond pad. This proved very effective at bringing the ingrained dirt to the surface where the gel turned into a slurry that could be extracted using wet vacuum.

This process was carried out a couple of times before replacing the coarse 200-grit pad with a finer 400-grit. This pad is run across the floor using water for lubrication and further cleans the tile. After another extraction with the wet vacuum the process was repeated with an 800 then 1500-grit pad to further clean the tiles and bring up the surface.

The tiles were then given a couple of wipes over using microfibre cloths and then given an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to neutralise the floor and counter any salts in left before being left to fully dry out for a week with a fan.

Sealing an Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway

On the second day we returned to seal the tiles. This was carried out using a single coat of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a modern oil-based sealer which helps restore structure and colour to the tiles. The sealer was applied with a paint pad and left to soak in for twenty minutes before being buffed in using microfibre cloths.

The X-Tra Seal added colour and tone to the tiles, it’s also very hard wearing, fully breathable and externally rated so ideal for a hallway. Once complete the floor looked so much brighter and inviting.

For aftercare I recommended cleaning the floor with Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is mild yet effective and won’t impact the sealer

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Floor in Glasgow

The post Octagonal Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor Renovated in Milngavie appeared first on Glasgow Tile Doctor.

Edwardian Red and Black Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor Renovated in Hitchin

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:12:49 +0000

The Red and Black Quarry tiles in the hallway of this Edwardian house in Hitchin had been altered and enlarged over the years but now appeared dull, flat and in need of a serious deep clean and re-seal. I was told that sections of the hallway tiles had been lifted and relayed in the past as part of building improvements and now the owner wanted to give the hallway a lift to improve its appearance. The brief was to clean, restore and enhance the appearance of the tiles across the hallway to give a consistent look.

After surveying the floor and measuring up I tested several cleaning products on the Edwardian Quarry tiles to work out the best method to remove old coatings and general dirt. Doing this first ensures we use the most efficient way to clean the floor and we settled on a strong combination of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed with Tile Doctor Remove and Go.

I worked out a quote for the renovation which would remove old waxes and treatments along with ingrained dirt, make minor repairs and then apply a sealer across the whole floor. After discussing the quote in detail and answering all the questions a date was set for the work to start.

Cleaning an Edwardian Quarry Tiled Hallway

The mixture of Pro-Clean and Remove and Go was applied to the floor in sections and worked into the tiles using a floor buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Once the section was cleaned in this way the tiles were rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. The section was then inspected for stubborn marks and stains and then spot treated until satisfied it was as clean as could be.

During the survey several loose tiles were identified so once the cleaning had been completed, these were lifted out and re-fitted using fresh adhesive. Once all the sections of tiles had been fully cleaned and repaired where required, the floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing an Edwardian Quarry Tiled Hallway

Before starting work the next day the floor was checked for dampness using a moisture meter, this is important as applying sealer to a damp tile can result in a patchy finish.

Once happy the floor was dry, the first of two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied to the quarry tiles to not only protect the tile from ingrained dirt but also to enrich the colours. This sealer is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the tile occupying the pores and adding long lasting protection from within.

Tile Doctor Colour Grow is a matt sealer which wasn’t the overall effect the customer wanted so it was left to dry off overnight and the following day four light coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go were applied which gave the desired rich satin finish.

The work put the life back in the floor and brought a consistent finish to the different sections. For aftercare I recommended using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild pH neutral friendly cleaner.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Hallway in Hertfordshire

The post Edwardian Red and Black Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor Renovated in Hitchin appeared first on Hertfordshire Tile Doctor.

Water Damaged Victorian Tiled Village Hall Floor Fully Restored in Hebburn

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 23:48:54 +0000

I was asked to quote for restoring a heavily marked and dirty Encaustic tiled Victorian floor at a village hall outside Hebburn. I was told there had been water damage and the tiles were in a very sorry state however these old floors can take a lot of punishment, and it never fails to surprise me just how well they can be recovered.

I arranged a site visit to inspect the floor and discussed with the client the process I would use to restore it to its former glory. Having taken detailed notes and measurements, I was able to work out a plan for its restoration and from this provide a detailed quotation. The management team of the hall were keen to have the work done and I was given the go-ahead.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Having agreed a date for the work to start I began by giving the floor a good vacuum to clear any loose debris on the floor. I then applied a gel-based product called Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel to the tiles to keep moisture levels to a minimum. Old floors like these don’t have a damp proof membrane so you must take care not to exacerbate any damp issues. These tiles would be very porous after years of neglect and lack of sealer.

With the gel applied I used carbide brushes of increasing grits to start the cleaning and scrub away the worst of the stubborn dirt stuck to the tiles. This was then rinsed off and the slurry removed with a wet vacuum.

This improved the condition of the tiles, but more work was needed so another coat of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel was applied and the scrubbing repeated but this time using a coarse 200-grit diamond pad. This did the job, and you could really see the tiles coming back to life. Again, this was rinsed off and extracted as before.

The floor was then given an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which further cleans the tiles and neutralises the pH level of the floor which would have been high due to the use of Oxy-Gel which is alkaline. The gel was scrubbed in with a brush and then rinsed off and extracted as before. The acidic nature of this product also dissolves any efflorescent salts which can be a common issue with old floors like this one, especially if they have been damp in the past.

The floor was then left to dry over a two-week period; they needed that long as this work was completed in the middle of winter. As mentioned before there was no damp-proof course and the tiles had experienced previous flood damage, so they took quite a while before they were fully dry ready for sealing.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

I went back after two weeks, and after confirming the tiles were dry with a moisture meter proceeded to apply the first of what would be two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This was chosen as it contains a colour enhancer that did a lovely job of improving the colours in the tile, it’s also fully breathable which will help with any damp issues going forward.

As you can see this old Victorian tiled floor was vastly improved by the process and should keep that way for many more years to come. For aftercare I advised the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which won’t harm the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Floor in Tyneside

The post Water Damaged Victorian Tiled Village Hall Floor Fully Restored in Hebburn appeared first on Tyneside Tile Doctor.

Restoring a Carpet Glue Stained from a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Bordon

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:08:27 +0000

This report comes from the small town of Bordon when we were contacted by a homeowner with a Quarry tiled kitchen floor that was in quite a state. The Quarry tiles had previously been covered with square carpet tiles which had been stuck to the quarry tiles with adhesive. The carpet tiles were starting to look worse for wear, so they decided to remove them.

The newly revealed quarry tiles were very dirty and badly stained, especially along the edges where the carpet tiles had been glued to the floor. Realising they had bitten off a little too much they contacted Tile Doctor to see what could be done to remove the glue and restore their appearance.

Happy to assist I popped over to Bordon to take a look and came up with a plan and quotation for the floor’s restoration. It was clear a lot of scrubbing would be needed to remove the glue, and I worked out a quote accordingly. Happy with the quote and the prospect of having the old quarry tiled floor restored as an original feature I was given the go ahead.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen

The first job was to cover the tiles in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then leave it to soak in for ten minutes. The tiles were then power scrubbed with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine running on slow speed. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was also scrubbed into the grout lines to get them as clean as possible. Once the whole floor had been treated in this manner it was rinsed off with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

This first step got the tiles cleaner but struggled to remove all the glue staining, so for step 2 the process was repeated this time using Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a powerful coatings remover that can shift most issues. Again, this was scrubbed in with a black pad and then rinsed and extracted afterwards.

After another inspection, stubborn stains were spot treated with more product and hand scrubbing until we were satisfied the floor was clear of all dirt and contaminates.

After rinsing and extracting thoroughly the floor was allowed to dry for several days.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen

We returned later to seal the floor, testing first for damp to ensure the tiles were dry. All was well and we were able to move on to sealing the Quarry tiles with three coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go. This is a water-based sealer (so no smell as it dries) that adds a lovely satin sheen to the Quarry tile.

The client was very pleased and so glad that he had managed to save the original quarry tiled floor and put it back into use. For aftercare cleaning and maintenance, Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner was recommended, this is an effective but mild tile cleaner that won’t impact the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Hampshire

The post Restoring a Carpet Glue Stained from a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Bordon appeared first on Tile Doctor Hampshire.

Green Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Grappenhall

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 08:23:33 +0000

Recently I visited a farmhouse in Grappenhall to look at a kitchen floor that was laid with beautiful Green Limestone tiles. Grappenhall is a lovely Cheshire village which is better known as a period TV and film location.

The owner of the property had sent in a request to have the floor cleaned and sealed. This is quite normal for natural stone floors as the protective sealer will wear off with use and once this happens dirt become ingrained in the stone and grout making it difficult to clean.

Whilst at the property I ran a quick test clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is our go to Tile and Grout cleaner. The Limestone and Grout responded well to the cleaning and later that day I sent over a detailed quote for deep cleaning the whole floor and then sealing.

Pleased with the test clean and happy with the quote we were given the go-ahead to clean and seal the whole floor.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in Grappenhall

On the agreed date work started with clearing the room of furniture and adding protective film to the Kitchen units. Fortunately, the weather was favourable so the furniture was moved outside.

A strong dilution of Pro-Clean was sprayed onto Limestone tile and Grout and then left to soak in for ten minutes. This gives the Pro-Clean time to digest the dirt and breakdown what was left of the original sealer. All the grout lines and edges were then hand scrubbed before moving onto the main floor area. For this a buffing machine fitted with a Black scrubbing pad was run over the tiles with more water applied as required to improve lubrication. This process effectively lifted the ingrained stains and dirt from the tile and grout which was then removed using a wet vacuum.

Once done the floor was inspected and the process repeated were required to ensure the floor was as clean as possible. Finally, the floor was rinsed with more water to remove any traces of cleaning solution and then dried with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen

The floor was left to dry overnight and the following morning several moisture readings were taken with a damp meter to verify the floor had dried sufficiently for sealing. Once the readings were correct, the floor was sealed using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating colour-enhancing sealer. Floor fans were used to help dry the floor between coats.

Impregnators work by soaking into the pores of the Limestone preventing dirt from residing there and ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. The colour enhancing formula of the sealer always did a nice job of bringing out the natural green colour in the stone. The floor was then buffed with a white pad to remove any excess sealer and buff up the appearance of the stone.

The cleaning and sealing process successfully restored the appearance of the Limestone floor and the Grout looked much whiter and cleaner. We do take pride in our work and I’m please to say the customer was very happy with the result.

Before leaving I took time to provide some advice on how to maintain the tiles going forward and the importance of using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for day-to-day cleaning.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in Cheshire

The post Green Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Grappenhall appeared first on West Cheshire Tile Doctor.

Dirty Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Balham SW12

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:39:55 +0000

The photographs below show the condition of a heavily soiled Terracotta tiled kitchen floor at a residential property in Balham, SW12, which I was recently commissioned to renovate. The client had several outstanding tasks related to the renovation of the property, but the kitchen floor was the most urgent due to its significant level of soiling. The client described the condition of the floor as “VERY dirty” and in immediate need of professional attention.

During an initial site visit, I conducted a thorough inspection of the floor. It became clear that the contamination was largely the result of recent renovation work carried out by other tradespeople. A cleaning test confirmed that the floor would respond positively to deep cleaning. I also identified that a sealer had previously been applied, but to restore the floor to a satisfactory standard, a deep and intensive cleaning process would be necessary, followed by resealing.

Following this assessment, I prepared a detailed quotation for the renovation work, which was approved by the client. A suitable date was then agreed for the commencement of the job.

Deep Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

Upon returning to the property, I began the renovation by carrying out a deep cleaning of the Terracotta tiles and grout lines. For this, I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go, combined with Nanotech HBU to maximise effectiveness. The solution was agitated into the surface using a rotary floor machine fitted with a coarse carbide brush.

The floor was then rinsed thoroughly, and the resulting slurry extracted using a wet vacuum. I carefully inspected the tiles and grout after the first pass, and any areas with persistent staining were retreated using the same method. To ensure a thorough clean of the grout lines, I applied a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which I worked in manually using a hand-held scrubbing brush until the grout reached an acceptable standard.

The floor was rinsed multiple times throughout the cleaning process, with each rinse followed by slurry extraction using the wet vacuum. After the final rinse, I used the vacuum once more to remove as much residual moisture as possible.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

Before sealing, I tested the floor with a damp meter to ensure it was completely dry. Once confirmed, I applied several coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This sealer contains a colour-enhancing formula that accentuates the natural orange and red tones typical of Terracotta.

Tile Doctor Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that penetrates the surface of the tile, filling the pores to prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture. This ensures easier maintenance and provides long-term protection, while preserving the natural matte appearance of the tiles — an important requirement expressed by the client.

The transformation was remarkable. The client was extremely satisfied with the result, stating that the floor now “looks like new.”

For ongoing maintenance, I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This pH-neutral product is specially formulated to clean sealed tiles without degrading the protective sealer. I advised against using standard household cleaning agents, as many are too aggressive and can compromise the integrity of the sealer over time.

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in South London

The post Dirty Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Balham SW12 appeared first on South London Tile Doctor.

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Repair and Restored in Penarth

Fri, 30 May 2025 14:08:48 +0000

Following a recommendation, this client from Penarth contacted Tile Doctor to carry out a survey on their Victorian tiled kitchen floor and come up with a plan for its restoration. Always happy to provide advice and guidance I arranged a date to pop over and take a look.

As you can see from the photographs on this page the floor was in very poor condition with many tiles needing replacing and a section missing adjacent to the wooden floor. Many stains were visible due to years of neglect as previous builders used it to mix cement and plaster.

Undeterred I advised that the floor could be restored using replacement tiles to match the existing and then with deep cleaning and sealing it should be transformed. I worked out a quote for the restoration which they were happy with.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen

After sourcing suitable replacement tiles the first job was to remove the broken and damaged areas of tiling and clean up the base ready for tiling. This is slow and careful work as the replacements had to be cut to match the existing pattern. Once the tiles were ready, they were dry fitted into place to ensure the pattern was correct before being fixed in place with a flexible adhesive and fresh grouting.

The floor was left to set overnight, and I came back the next day to start the cleaning.
As this floor was heavily soiled with a variety of different substances, I mixed a variety of Tile Doctor products to achieve the most effective way to lift the stains. The mixture contained a litre of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, Tile Doctor Remove and Go together with Tile Doctor HBU Nanotech, all of which provide different capabilities and were combined in a container which was then shaken to mix the contents.

The cleaning progressed at 1m2 at a time scrubbing the surface with a handheld pad cut from a 17″ Tile Doctor Burnishing Pad, scrubbing the pitted areas with a scrubbing brush, rinsing with clean water and vacuuming up as I worked.

Once the floor was clean it was then given an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to help neutralise efflorescent salts and remove cement smears. Being acidic it also neutralises the floor after cleaning with the alkaline products used earlier.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen

The floor was left to dry for 2 days as it had a considerable amount of liquids applied during the cleaning process.

The chosen sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a durable tile impregnator. It also acts as a base coat for the next sealer applied which was Tile Doctor Seal & Go which provides a satin shine finish and enhances the rich colours. Both sealers allow for vapour transmission (aka breathable) which is important feature for floors laid without a damp proof membrane.

The floor looked stunning once complete and my clients was delighted with the service and finish of the floor. They have also passed on Tile Doctors contact details to family and friends.

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective tile cleaning product that safe to use on sealed surfaces.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Kitchen in Southeast Wales

The post Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Repair and Restored in Penarth appeared first on South East Wales Tile Doctor.

Maintaining Red Marble Patio Tiles Six Years After First Visit in Newbury

Tue, 27 May 2025 13:37:38 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of revisiting a property in Newbury that I first worked on around six years ago. The job stood out in my memory—not just because of the work involved, but because the property itself is truly unique. Styled like a Mediterranean villa, the home features a stunning Spanish Red Marble patio that gives it a real wow factor. In fact, we did write about at the time and if you want to visit that post please click here: Red Marble Patio Newbury

The client had spent the past few years living abroad and had rented the house out in the meantime. Unfortunately, during that period, the patio had been exposed to the elements and was showing signs of neglect. The once vibrant marble was now dull and in need of some serious TLC.

Cleaning a Red Marble Tiled Patio in Newbury

Given the size of the patio, I worked in sections to manage the restoration efficiently. I started by thoroughly brushing and vacuuming the surface to remove loose dirt and debris—essential prep before burnishing the stone. With water as a lubricant, I began the refinishing process using a 200-grit diamond pad on a weighted rotary machine. This coarser pad did a great job cutting through the built-up grime. I then followed up with a series of diamond burnishing pads starting with 400, 800, and finally 1500-grit to gradually refine the surface and close the pores of the marble for a smooth, polished finish.

In some areas—particularly around the edges—I came across thicker grime that needed to be broken down first. For those spots, I used Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which helped loosen the residue so the diamond pads could do their job more effectively.

Sealing a Red Marble Tiled Patio

I returned the next morning to check that the marble had dried completely and was ready for sealing. Luckily, the weather had stayed warm, which helped speed up the drying process. This time, instead of the Colour Grow sealer I used on my first visit, I opted for a newer product—Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. It’s especially well-suited for exterior stone and performed brilliantly.

Not only did X-Tra Seal enhance the natural beauty of the stone—bringing out the deep reds and striking white veining—it also penetrates deeply into the surface, offering long-lasting protection from within. It’s a great option for coping with the often-unpredictable UK weather.

It was a real pleasure returning to this property and seeing the transformation all over again. The Marble looks as good as new—and the patio is once again a standout feature of this beautiful Mediterranean-style home.

For aftercare I continued to recommended Tile Doctor’s Stone Soap Cleaner which will clean and help maintain the patina on the stone, also it won’t prematurely erode the sealer like more aggressive cleaning products you find in supermarkets.

Professional Restoration of a Red Marble Tiled Patio in Berkshire

The post Maintaining Red Marble Patio Tiles Six Years After First Visit in Newbury appeared first on Berkshire Tile Doctor.

Impressive Grey Limestone Hallway Renovated in Edinburgh New Town

Fri, 23 May 2025 06:08:01 +0000

Our client located in Edinburgh’s New Town area had a large, impressive entrance hallway with a well-used Grey Limestone floor. The tiles had seen many years of traffic and were dull and marked with events of family life. The request was to restore the floor back to how it looked when it was originally laid.

I visited the property to survey the floor and understand the issues in detail. I could see that the original sealer had worn off with use and dirt was now becoming ingrained in the pores of the Limestone making it difficult to clean effectively. The wanted a slight sheen, but not too glossy, and to have it re-sealed but with a tough sealer that could take the punishment from a young family.

Having measured up the area I was able to provide a firm price, which was accepted and a date agreed for the work to start.

Cleaning a Ceramic Limestone Tiled Hallway

To start the area was cleared of all furniture. The coir matting at the front door was covered and the doorways leading off the hall had their floor entrances protected from any potential water ingress during cleaning.

Work then started with the application of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was diluted and spread across the floor. The Pro-Clean was then left to soak into the pores of the Limestone for ten minutes in order for it to break down the ingrained dirt. The floor was then scrubbed with a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. After this clean, the resultant residue was removed using a wet vacuum.

The pad does clean into the recessed of the grout line but I always find more hand-scrubbing with Pro-Clean helps so after the initial clean I started on the grout. The floor was then rinsed with clean water and removed with a wet vacuum as before.

The next stage was to start the 4-step burnishing process where the floor is burnished and honed using increasing grits of pads from 400 grit up to 3500 grits. The pads are applied using the rotary cleaner with water for lubrication and after each pad the floor is rinsed and the residue removed with the wet vacuum. Once this process has been completed, the floor is left to dry overnight. The last pad is a super fine 3500-grit that really brings up the polish and this is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Hallway

On my return the next day the sealer we chose for the limestone was Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. It penetrates into the pores adding protection it from within and enhanced the natural colours in the Limestone in the process. This sealer is oil based which helps to improve the structure of the stone giving it a rich finish with a slight sheen. Additionally, Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal allows for vapour transmission so any moisture building under the floor can pass through and evaporate at the surface.

After the work has been completed the client was advised about the care and upkeep of the floor. The floor needs cleaning with a neutral pH cleaner such as Tile Doctors Neutral Tile Cleaner. This lifts the soiling from the tiles without eroding the sealer and therefore extends the life of the sealer.

My client was very happy with the end result and felt confident it would stand up to the heavy family use and keep its appearance.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

The post Impressive Grey Limestone Hallway Renovated in Edinburgh New Town appeared first on Edinburgh Tile Doctor.

Grubby Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Whitley Bay

Tue, 13 May 2025 14:47:14 +0000

I was called by a lady from Whitley Bay who had a Limestone floor installed in her kitchen a few years back, since then it had become very dirty very quickly and looked very dirty. It was now proving very hard to keep clean and looked permanently grubby.

I went over to survey the floor and quickly diagnosed that the sealer which protects the pores of the stone from dirt had worn away leaving it vulnerable. Once dirt becomes ingrained into the stone it becomes very difficult to clean. To give her an idea of how well the tiles could look I deep cleaned a tile in the middle of the floor along with the adjacent grout. The difference was remarkable, especially the grout which really came up and it demonstrated just how dirty the floor was.

Impressed with the difference, I was asked to work out a quote to deep clean the Limestone tiles and grout and then to seal it with a durable impregnator. Happy with the plan, the quote and start date was agreed.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in Whitley Bay

Work started with taping up the kicker boards and skirting, as I didn’t want any of the water I’d be using to clean to seep into the underneath and damage them. Kicker boards are usually made of MDF and this is easily damaged by water ingress.

The floor was then given a good vacuum before running over the tiles with a Silicone Carbide Brush fitted to a rotary scrubber. The process was lubricated using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which on order to break down any remaining sealer and deep clean the stone of grease and ingrained dirt. This generates a lot of soiling which is rinsed off with more water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

The grout lines were then scrubbed using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in by hand with a stiff brush. The brush does clean the grout but can struggle to get into the recesses of the grout lines so I like to follow up by hand.

After another rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was left to dry overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen

Before applying the sealer, I checked the tiles were dry using a moisture meter in several areas. Applying sealer to a damp floor can result in a patchy appearance so I always check. In this case the floor had dried nicely overnight, and I was able to proceed.

The sealer chosen for this floor was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnator that soaks into the pores of the limestone preventing dirt from residing there and ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. A couple of coats later and the floor looked great with a subtle satin sheen. The colour enhancing formula of the sealer always did a nice job of bringing out the natural colours and tones in the stone.

The floor was transformed by the process and my client was over the moon with the finish. Before leaving I took time to provide some advice on how to maintain the tiles going forward and the importance of using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for day-to-day cleaning.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in Tyneside

The post Grubby Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Whitley Bay appeared first on Tyneside Tile Doctor.

Soot-Stained Limestone Fireplace Renovated in Guiseley

Thu, 08 May 2025 04:43:51 +0000

Detailed below is the cleaning of a Limestone Fireplace surround and hearth at a property in Guiseley near Yeadon on the outskirts of Leeds. Soot

The fireplace had been installed approximately five years prior and was now badly stained with soot and smoke from the wood burner and this readily stood out against the pale Limestone. Having decided to do something about it the owner tried cleaning it but was unhappy with the result and decided to call in some professional help.

Happy to oblige I was able to provide a quote based on photographs which was accepted and a date scheduled for the renovation which would only take a few hours.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Fireplace

Work started by adding protection to the surrounding carpets and the metal work of the log burner. Then to get the Limestone clean I decanted a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean into a spray bottle and sprayed it on to the stone. The spray mixes the solution with air making it lighter and more able to stick to the vertical surface. You can also use Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel for this which is a similar gel-based product. After leaving it to soak in for ten minutes the solution was worked in, using handheld diamond blocks of increasing grits.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Fireplace

Once dry, the fire surround and hearth were sealed with Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal sealer to help protect from more soot. This is an invisible sealer that works by soaking into the pores of the Limestone protecting it from within. This keeps dirt and contaminants on the surface where they can be easily cleaned away with a product such as Tile Doctor Stone Soap. It’s important to use a pH neutral product for the regular maintenance cleaning
of sealed stone as stronger products will erode the sealer prematurely.

Once complete the Fireplace looked like new again much to the delight of the homeowner who left the following 5 Star feedback for me:

“Limestone Fireplace in the lounge is very badly stained with soot and smoke. Got in touch with Chris Allen and he did a splendid job bringing it back to its original state. Excellent craftsmanship and kept us informed of what was going on and how to care for the Fireplace in future. Very knowledgeable and lovely gent to have done the work.”

Professional Renovation of a Limestone Fireplace in Northwest Yorkshire

The post Soot-Stained Limestone Fireplace Renovated in Guiseley appeared first on North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor.

Neglected Flagstone Kitchen Floor Restored in Fareham

Sat, 03 May 2025 13:17:43 +0000

This client was restoring a period property in Fareham which had an original Flagstone floor in the Kitchen. They hoped to restore the stone and then install a lovely kitchen that would really do the house justice. Always happy to help I went over to the property to discuss the floor and quote for its restoration.

I could see the flagstones were heavily stained and almost unrecognisable, however believe it or not I have worked on worse and didn’t see any reason why the floor couldn’t be restored to a reasonable condition. It was clear the floor had previously been covered at some point by what I suspect was Linoleum, this had probably been glued down as you could see an imprint of some pattern or other.

I recommended that the best course of action would be to use a set of very coarse diamond pads to resurface the stone and remove the staining and contaminates in the process. The pads would also make the rough Sandstone smoother and easier to clean.

Keen to go ahead with my recommendation I measured up and put together a quotation that included all the products and labour needed to restore the floor. With the quotation accepted we agreed a date to start the work.

Resurfacing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Fareham

The work started with the application of very coarse 50-grit Diamond Flexi-Pad fitted to a heavy-duty floor buffer with added weight to ensure maximum traction with the stone. Using only water for lubrication these pads do the bulk of the work and remove a fine and often contaminated layer from the surface of the stone to reveal new stone underneath.

A lot of water was used in this process which mixes with the dirt and cut stone to form a slurry which is then vacuumed away. This process was then repeated with a 100-grit flexi pad, followed by 200-grit flexi pad rinsing and extracted afterwards as before.

With the contaminates removed the next step was to further refine the flagstone using a 400-grit and then finally an 800-grit burnishing pads. Less and less slurry was produced as I worked through each of the finer grit pads. Again, using water for lubrication and removing the slurry with a wet vacuum as work progressed.

The floor was then rinsed and allowed to dry thoroughly.

Sealing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Fareham

We came back the following day to seal the stone and started by testing different parts of the floor for moisture using a damp meter. This is important as applying a sealer to damp stone car result in a patchy appearance.

The Flagstone’s were dry so work continued to seal the floor with a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that occupies the pores in the stone preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This product contains a colour enhancer which brings out the colour in the stone and it certainly worked well on this floor and brought out the brown shades of the flagstone and added a nice subtle sheen.

Happy with the transformation I spent some time before leaving to discuss the maintenance of the floor using a sealer friendly product such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. There was also more work to do in the kitchen by various trades so I recommended coving up the floor whilst further work was going on.

Professional Renovation of a Flagstone Kitchen Floor in Hampshire

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Damaged Art Deco Encaustic Cement Tiled Floor Fully Restored in Cardiff

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:14:53 +0000

Tile Doctor was contacted by a client who had recently purchased a 1920’s property in Cardiff with a Encaustic Tiled floor that was in a bad state. The property was having major building works carried out to bring it back to its original condition and this included the tiled floor.

The floor in general was in a very bad condition with builders’ plaster and cement staining in many areas, and to make things worse a lot of tiles were missing and damaged. Normally replacing tiles isn’t a problem but these particular tiles were very uncommon in colour shape and size and the pattern was very reminiscent of the Art Deco designs that were fashionable when the house was built.

Having surveyed the floor I came up with a restoration plan and explained that it should be possible cut the shape out of a larger tile and try to match the colour as best as possible. Once the clients and I decided on the closest colour I was then able to plan the restoration project in detail and provide an accurate quote.

Cleaning and Repairing an Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor

Before we could even contemplate cleaning the floor it had to be whole so the 1st job was to prepare the damaged areas for tile replacements. This involves carefully removing the damaged tile and cleaning up the foundation beneath ready to accept a replacement.

Next step was to cut all the replacement tiles to replicate the octagonal shape and size then dry fit them to check if any adjustments were needed. Once all the replacement tiles had been cut, they were fixed in place with flexible adhesive and then grouted. The floor then needed time to set before cleaning so that was it for the first day.

On day two work stated to deep clean the encaustic tiled floor of previous sealers and paint. To do this it was covered in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined with Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU Remover for extra power. This was left to soak into the floor for a good fifteen minutes before scrubbing it by hand with a black scrubbing pad cut to size. Working it into the floor like this is less aggressive than with a machine and ensures 100% coverage with no gaps in the cleaning. Once done the floor was rinsed and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next stage was to clean the floor working at 1 m2 at a time, again with a coarse black pad cut from a 17″ Tile Doctor pad. This time the pad was used to work in Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up into the surface to remove the cement smears. As work progressed the floor was rinsed with fresh water and all the residues vacuumed away. Working this way allowed me to keep progressing until I was satisfied the whole floor was clear and as clean as it ever could be.

The floor was then left for two days so it would be completely dry for the next step of applying a protective sealer.

Sealing an Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor

The client wanted a natural matt finish to the floor, so I had recommended sealing it with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer that leaves a very durable matt finish.

Colour Glow allows for vapour transmission which is essential on old floors like this one that don’t have a damp proof membrane. The sealer soaks into the pores of the cement tile protecting it from within and ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

The clients were delighted with the results and relieved I was able to restore the floor as an original feature. They were told by other contractors that the floor would have to be removed and replaced at a substantial cost.

For aftercare cleaning I advised the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective tile cleaner that won’t impact the sealer.

Professional Restoration of an Art Deco Encaustic Cement Tiled Floor in Southeast Wales

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Restoring a Cracked Terrazzo Porch Floor in Bournemouth

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:27:12 +0000

The pictures below are of a weathered Terrazzo floor laid in the open porch of a house in Bournemouth. Being exposed to the elements the Terrazzo was dull with ingrained dirt and unfortunately a few cracks had developed.

Unhappy with its appearance the owner felt it was time for a refresh and contacted Tile Doctor to see what could be done. We discussed the project over the phone and shared a few images over email. Restoring the appearance of the Terrazzo wouldn’t be an issue however I was concerned about the cracks so I arranged a time to visit the property so I could understand the extent of the issues in detail.

Whilst at the property I was able to confirm that the cracks were not that deep and came up with a restoration plan that would completely renovate the patio. I was able to use this to create an accurate quote for the work which was accepted and a date set on the proviso off good weather.

Cleaning a Terrazzo Tiled Porch Floor

Thankfully the weather was good and I was able to move straight onto burnishing the Terrazzo with a set of 17-inch diamond burnishing pads worked in with water. The first pad in the sequence is a coarse 400-grit which grinds off the dirt and is the first step in refining the appearance of the stone and aggregate. The process generates a fair amount of slurry in the process which is then rinsed away with more water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

The fine cracks in the Terrazzo were then filled using a flexible grout in a similar colour to the Terrazzo. Once that had dried the burnishing process was repeated using a medium 800-grit and then fine 1500-grit burnishing pad, rinsing and extracted after each pad. The last pad in the sequence is a super fine 3500-grit pad that is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the surface.

Sealing a Terrazzo Porch Floor

First, I checked the floor had dried out with a moisture meter, it was within the acceptable levels, so had the green light to processed and seal the Terrazzo. For this a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal were applied which is an impregnating natural look sealer that provides durable protection to the surface as well as allowing the floor to breath.

Once I had finished it looked like a new installation and my client was very pleased with the result. Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare and the importance of protecting the sealer from strong cleaning products that could damage it. For sealed and polished stone, I recommend using Tile Doctor Stone Soap, it’s a mild yet effective cleaning product that will help maintain the patina.

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Porch in Dorset

The post Restoring a Cracked Terrazzo Porch Floor in Bournemouth appeared first on Dorset Tile Doctor.

Deep Cleaning 70 Years of Ingrained Dirt from Victorian Floor Tiles in Crosskeys

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:13:04 +0000

The Victorian tiled floor you can see below was discovered under a carpet at a property in Crosskeys on the outskirts of Newport. The owners understood it had been covered up for seventy years, yet remarkably it was still in good condition and they were keen to restore the floor as an original feature.

Having removed the carpet, they decided to have a go cleaning it themselves however soon realised there was more to this than they had bargained for including the need to seal the tiles. After doing more research on-line they decided to ask Tile Doctor to pop round and provide a quote.

I paid a visit to the property and conducted a test clean on a small part of the floor. Although it appeared to be clean it was evident from the test that there was a substantial amount of dirt that was still being held by the tiles. My client was gobsmacked by this as they had been cleaning it themselves.

I took time to explain how porous these encaustic cement tiles can be, and without an effective sealer in place dirt had become lodged deep within the pores of the tile and this needed to be flushed out before being re-sealed. Happy with my quote and keen to make the floor more manageable I was given the go-ahead to do the work.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On my return I started the cleaning with a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was wiped over the entire floor and left to soak in. After fifteen minutes I used a 17-inch black pad attached to my rotary machine to scrub the solution deep into the floor and lift the ingrained dirt. The resultant slurry was then extracted using a wet dry vacuum.

After the floor was clean, I went around on my hands and knees using a 120-grit diamond block and blade scraper to remove any other debris that the machine could not reach such as in the corners, followed by a clean rinse with water ensuring there was no residue left on the floor.

The floor was then dried with the wet vacuum and left to dry for 24 hours.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I returned later the next day and after confirmed the tiles had dried set about applying a sealer. The sealer works be preventing dirt from becoming ingrained in the porous tiles, keeping in on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Tile Doctor have numerous sealers available for Victorian floors however in this case the client wanted a satin/wet look finish so we went with Tile Doctor Seal and Go.

Several coats were needed to fully seal the tiles but it was well worth the effort as the sealer really brought the best out of the tiles and give the floor a very pleasing finish. The clients were extremely happy with the job and asked me to return later to work on renovating the bathroom tiling.

To maintain the sealer and to prevent accelerated break down I left the client with a bottle of Tile Doctor pH Neutral Tile Cleaner. Unlike the household cleaners on the market which tend to be acidic and break down the seal, this product will be gentle on the floor, it is mild enough to use daily and will ensure the floor stays looking great.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Monmouthshire

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Limestone bathroom tiles in The Angel Islington

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:35:34 +0000

Here we have a luxury bathroom tiled in Limestone at an apartment in The Angel in Islington. I was contacted by the letting agent who discovered the damage when the tenant moved out, although they were unsure of the cause I immediately recognised it as acid damage from the use of acidic limescale removers. These products are simply too strong for use on limestone which is acid sensitive and results in etching as shown in the photos.

The agent had new tenant’s looking to move in, but they wanted to sort the acid damage out beforehand. The etching can be difficult to remove so to make sure a good result could be achieved I did a test clean on one tile of the bath panels. The result was great, so I gave a quote which was accepted.

Given the fast nature of the London rental market there was very limited time between the old tenants moving out and the new in. However, I was able to collect the keys from the agent allowing me to squeeze the job in around my other projects.

Removing Acid Etching from Limestone Tiling

To remove the etching I had to burnish and literally resurface the limestone tiles using a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads. Naturally I can’t use large floor pads on wall tiling however Tile Doctor also do these pads in 6-inch which fit a handheld polishing machine.

Work started with the application of a coarse 400-grit pad using water for lubrication, the soiling is then wiped away and the process repeated with an 800 and 1500 grit pads using the same process. These pads remove the etching and build up the polish on the Limestone.

Some of the staining was very deep and so to get a good result I had to use coarser 120 and 200 grit diamond blocks first. These are small hand-held blocks available in different grits that can get into awkward spaces. Once all of this was done, I rinsed the tiles down and dried them.

The last step in the burnishing process was to apply a final polish with an extra fine 3000-grit pad which adds a nice subtle polish to the stone.

Sealing Limestone Bathroom Tiling

To finish, the Limestone was sealed using Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a modern oil-based impregnating sealer that enhances the colour of dark limestone and will make cleaning easier going forward.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended supplying any future tenant with Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro which is a day-to-day spray cleaner which can be used in the shower to prevent the build-up of limescale.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Bathroom in North London

The post Limestone bathroom tiles in The Angel Islington appeared first on North London Tile Doctor.

Repair and Restoration of Victorian Tiled Hallway in Walsall

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 11:50:32 +0000

This customer from Walsall contacted Tile Doctor regarding their Victorian tiled hallway which was in a very poor state. I was sent some photographs which made it clear the floor was seriously neglected with loose tiles and all sorts of contaminates. To understand all the issues before quoting I made an appointment to pop over and survey the floor in detail.

Whilst at the property I took measurements and made notes of the tiling work that would be needed which centred around the door threshold. I’ve worked on floors as bad as this before so wasn’t overly concerned and worked out a detailed plan for the restoration which was explained to the customer. Later that day I priced up the work and products needed and emailed a quote for job across to the customer who gave the go ahead.

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Before starting the cleaning work, it made sense to address the tiling issues first so work started by removing the loose tiles along the doorway threshold. The exposed foundations were cleaned up along with the original tiles and then re-laid together with matching replacements where needed that had to be cut to size. Fortunately, the repairs were limited to this one area so I was able to move onto cleaning the rest of the floor.

I decided to start with an initial clean using Silicon Carbide pads applied to the tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a coatings remover designed for use on tile and stone. There was a lot of stubborn staining to deal including what I suspect was carpet adhesive, screed, bitumen and paint.

I used the pads then rinsed the floor with water and extracted the soiling with a wet vacuum. The initial clean had made a difference but it was clear I would need to get a steamer on staining to soften it and scrape it away. Fortunately, it wasn’t a massive area but it still took a couple of hours to do. On completion of this I went over the floor again with a carbide pad and more Remove and Go.

Last step in the cleaning process was to treat the floor to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel worked in with a 400-grit diamond pad. This treatment removes old cement residues, counters efflorescent salts which are a common issue with these old floors and neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of alkaline cleaning products. The floor was given another rinse with water and then dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum.

After rinsing I used air movers and a heater to help dry the floor off and before leaving for the night a coat of Tile Doctor Stone Oil was applied to boost the colours of the tiles.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning the next day work started by inspecting the floor and checking it had dried sufficiently. Then I went over the floor with a floor buffer fitted with a 1500 and then 3500-grit diamond pad. I did this to help tighten the pores in the tiles after the aggressive cleaning it had experienced the day before. This also adds a slight sheen polish to the clay tiles.

To seal the floor an initial coat of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal was applied followed by a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. These sealers offer different advantages and being impregnators, they are very hard wearing, they also allow for vapour transmission so ideal for an old floor like this one that doesn’t have a damp proof membrane. After drying I buffed off with a White pad to remove an excess sealer and bring up the finish on the tiles.

The old Victorian floor tiles were unrecognisable after the work and completely transformed the hallway into an appealing and welcoming space. Needless to say, my customer was delighted with the result.

Before leaving I left the customer with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to help maintain the floor going forward. Its important to use a pH neutral tile cleaner on a sealed floor as many of the product you find in supermarkets are simply too strong and will erode the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Birmingham

The post Repair and Restoration of Victorian Tiled Hallway in Walsall appeared first on Birmingham Tile Doctor.

Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Currie

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 06:57:52 +0000

The Terracotta tiles in the kitchen, living area and entrance vestibule of this property in the village of Currie, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, were reclaimed and had been installed by the owners several years earlier. The intention was to give the property to give a country cottage feel which was achieved and looked great however years of traffic on the tiles by the owners and their dogs had taken their toll and their appearance had degraded.

The owners were keen to have the reclaimed tiles renovated bring back the look which they had in the beginning and loved so much; so, after contacting Tile Doctor I was asked to pay them a visit and see what could be achieved.

I paid a visit to the property and ran a few product tests on the tiles with cleaners and strippers to see what would work best to remove the years of dirt from the porous clay Terracotta. I found that the test clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was scrubbed into a couple of tiles by hand easily cleaned the tiles and grout with excellent results. With this I was able to produce a renovation plan and quote that would deep clean all the floors and then apply a hard-wearing impregnating sealer.

Happy with my quote a date was agreed for the work to start and the products needed were ordered in time for my arrival.

Deep Cleaning Reclaimed Terracotta Floor Tiles

On my return I set about deep cleaning the Terracotta and Grout with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean working it into the tiles using a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. Unfortunately, the Terracotta tiles had been laid with a bit of lippage between the tiles, this did give the desired country cottage floor effect however it did make cleaning the grout more difficult. I managed to get around this using a special grout cleaning brush.

The Terracotta tiles and grout was then rinsed, and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. Once done the tiles and grout were inspected and any stubborn areas re-treated using the same process until I was satisfied the Terracotta, and grout was as clean as possible.

The final step in the cleaning process was to give the floor an acid rinse using a 1:3 dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This was scrubbed the floor with a deck brush to remove old grout smears and neutralise the pH level of the floor, after using Pro-Clean which is an alkaline cleaner. Again, after the clean the floor was rinsed with water, and the soiling removed with a wet vacuum.
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Once the clean had been completed on all the floors they were left over night to dry out ready for sealing the next day.

Sealing Reclaimed Terracotta Tiles

Our customer was very clear about finish and specified a matt finish which didn’t take away the natural and reclaimed look of the tiles. To match this, I recommended
Tile Doctor Colour Grow, it’s a matt sealer that contains a colour enhancing formula which really brings out the lovely orange and red colours in the reclaimed tiles. Also being an impregnator that soaks into the tile, protecting it from within, it’s very hard wearing and ideal for someone who has dogs in the house.

Terracotta tiles are made from clay and as a result are quite porous, because of this it took a few coats of sealer before they were fully sealed. Once done though the floor looked so much cleaner and brighter and the new sealer will provide long term protection moving forward.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, which is a mild but effective, neutral ph cleaner. We recommend this as many of the products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong and bleach based which will slowly strip off the sealer and allow dirt back into the floor.

Professional Restoration of Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floors in Edinburgh

The post Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Currie appeared first on Edinburgh Tile Doctor.

Stained Green Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovated in Pickmere

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 15:57:29 +0000

We were contacted by a resident of the west Cheshire village of Pickmere about their 90m2 Green Limestone tiled kitchen floor which has been stained by washing up liquid. Although washing up liquid appears to be a harmless the product clearly contains some ingredients that upset the sealer and polish.

Unfortunately patching up the floor up wasn’t really an option as the result would be equally patchy. The only option was to re-polish the tiles with a set of Tile Doctor burnishing pads and apply a fresh sealer. I worked out a quote which was agreed and a date set.

Burnishing and Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Floor

Before working on the Limestone, I set about cleaning the grout lines with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong Tile and Grout cleaner. The pads can struggle to reach into the grout lines so I find the best way to clean grout is by hand with stiff brush and extract the soiling with a wet vacuum.

Next step was to start cleaning the stone using the first of the burnishing pads. This first pad is a coarse 400-grit which cuts through and removes old sealers, scratches and dirt from the stone. The pad is attached to a weighted buffer machine and run over each tile using only water for lubrication. The water turns into a dark liquid which was rinsed with more water and removed using the wet vacuum.

This process was repeated with 800-grit pad and the floor was then inspected. Unfortunately, it showed several areas where the staining remained so I spot treated them using Tile Doctor Reduxa. This is a liquid that is sprayed on the stain and then warmed up with a heat gun which literally steams the stain out of the stone. This process has to be repeated several times for the stain to disappear

With the staining gone I finished off burnishing the Limestone with the remaining two pads which are a fine 1500-grit and then the extra fine 3500-grit which is applied using only a little water sprayed onto the stone. This last pad builds up a high-quality polish on the stone and really bring up the finish.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Floor

The floor was left to dry off fully overnight and I returned the next day to seal the Limestone first checking with a damp meter that the stone was dry. To get the finish the customer wanted a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow was applied with is an impregnating colour enhancing sealer. Impregnating sealers works under the surface by occupying the pores in the stone thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. Any excess sealer was wiped off the tile before treating the stone to a gentle buff with a White pad to bring up the shine even further.

Once complete the staining was gone and the floor looked amazing much to the relief of the owner. For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is a pH neutral cleaner for the maintenance of polished floor that contains a patina enhancer.

Professional Renovation of a Stained Green Limestone Floor in Cheshire

The post Stained Green Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovated in Pickmere appeared first on West Cheshire Tile Doctor.

Chipped Marble Tabletop Repaired and Polished in Oxford

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:02:46 +0000

Earlier this year I worked on a neglected Marble table and a client from Oxford saw that and wondered if there was anything I could do to repair a similar table made from marble.

I popped over to look at the table and could see there were some light scratches but more significantly there was a chip in the surface where the client had dropped something heavy on the tabletop. Confident I could help I agreed to renovate the table which included filling the chip, polishing to remove the scratches and then applying a sealer to protect it going forward.

Cleaning and Repairing a Marble Tabletop

The first task was to tackle the chip which began by wiping the marble surface down with thinners to clean of any grease and dirt etc. Next, I mixed up some specialist paint to match the dark red colour of the table and applied it to the damaged area. The hole was then filled with a clear resin building up thin layers until the hole was slightly overfilled.

The next step was to rub down the repaired area with coarse hand-held diamond blocks of different grits to remove excess resin until it was flat. This was followed by polishing the whole Marble tabletop with a set of 6-inch diamond burnishing pads. This action brings up the natural polish on the marble removing the light scratches and helping the filled area blend in.

I usually use the larger 17-inch version of these pads to renovate stone floors, and the 6-inch pads are no different except you have to use them with a hand-held buffer. The process is the same, you start with the 400-grit using water for lubrication and apply the pad to the whole table. Then the slurry is rinsed off and the action repeated with the 800 and 1500-grit pads. The last pad is 3000-grit and is applied with a little water sprayed onto the surface. This last pad has the added advantage of leaving the marble dry so you can move quickly onto sealing.

Sealing a Polished Marble Tabletop

To seal the Marble table a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied. This is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the stone, occupying the pores in the marble and ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily wiped away. Tile Doctor Colour Grow as its name suggests contains a colour enhancing formula which is ideal for improving the appearance of a colourful table like this one.

Once the sealer had dried, the stone was given a light buff with a 6-inch white buffing pad to bring up the finish.

For aftercare of stone countertops and tables I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Patina Spray. This is a neutral PH spray cleaner that helps to maintain the shine on a polished stone.

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tabletop in Oxfordshire

The post Chipped Marble Tabletop Repaired and Polished in Oxford appeared first on Oxfordshire Tile Doctor.

Dull Marble Tiled Hallway Given New Lease of Life in Newcastle Upon Tyne

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:16:42 +0000

This client from Newcastle contacted Tile Doctor about the condition of the Marble tiled floor in their hallway. Installed twenty years prior wear had taken its toll and it had lost its polished appearance and now looked dull and unflattering.

I paid an initial visit to survey the floor and discuss what could be done to remedy the consultation. It was clear to me the stone simply needed a deep clean, polish and fresh seal to get the floor looking back to its original appearance. After measuring up I worked out what materials would be required to restore the finish and created a detailed quote. The quote was accepted, and a date was agreed to commence the work.

Deep Cleaning a Marble Tiled Hallway

My first task was to protect the woodwork by applying a bead of clear waterproof mastic between the wood and the floor. This prevents water being soaked into the wood through capillary action which can cause water staining and worst-case blow MDF skirting and doors.

Once done work started on polishing the Marble tiles using a 400-grit burnishing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. This is a coarse diamond pad that is applied with water and removes sealers, old polish and dirt. The water quickly turns into a slurry and once the whole floor had been burnished in this way the soiling was removed with more water and a wet vacuum.

This pad was the first in a set of four burnishing pads that hone the stone and bring up the polish. The next pad is a finer 800-grit which is the first step in re-polishing the Marble and slowly bring the stone back to life. The process was then repeated with a 1500-grit pad, then rinsing and extracting as before.

After this work, I started on the grout lines which were scrubbed by hand using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an alkaline cleaner that will not upset the Marble. The floor was then given a final rinse with clean water and extracted again with the wet vacuum which was used to get the floor as dry as possible before leaving to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Hallway

I called back the next day and started work by checking the stone and grout was dry and ready for a final polish using a 3000-grit diamond pad. This extra fine pad brings up the polish on the floor even further and is applied using a tiny amount of water from a spray bottle which aids in the final polish. Once the whole floor was polished including all the corners and edges it was time to start applying the sealer.

I used Tile Doctor Ultra Seal for this which is an impregnating sealer that adds protection to the stone without altering its natural appearance. The combination of polish and fresh sealer left the floor looking new and put the wow factor back into the hallway.

Once complete, the hallway floor was transformed with a deep shine, and my client was over the moon with the result. I also discussed future cleaning and recommended Tile Doctor Stone Soap. This is a mild but effective cleaner which helps maintain the patina on the marble.

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tiled Hallway in Tyneside

The post Dull Marble Tiled Hallway Given New Lease of Life in Newcastle Upon Tyne appeared first on Tyneside Tile Doctor.

Restoring the Appearance of Bleach Damaged Stone Tiling in Cowbridge

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 07:33:49 +0000

Last year we were approached by a customer in the market town of Cowbridge looking for a professional bathroom restorer to renovate their stone tiled bathroom. Apparently, their cleaner had etched the tiles using neat bleach unaware of the damage a strong product like that could have on natural stone.

I arranged to call in on the customer the next time I was in the area to discuss the work and take a close look at the tiling. Three different types of stone had been used in the bathroom with Limestone wall tiles in the shower, Black Marble mosaics formed the shower tray and bath panelling, and the floor had been laid with Black Slate.

Having discussed the bathroom at length with the customer it was clear that their main concerns were that the stone had lost its shine, the grout had discoloured, and a lot of the silicone was stained and needed replacing. I worked out a comprehensive plan to revive the bathroom and created a detailed quotation to do the work that listed all the necessary work. My customer was happy with the quote, and I got the go ahead to book the work in.

Renovating a Stone Bathroom Tiles

Before starting the cleaning, I spent some time protecting the fragile surfaces that didn’t need attention with protective sheeting.

Next the shower Tile and grout was scrubbed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a Black pad that I had cut down so it could be used by hand. The shower walls were then rinsed with water using the shower head which is one of the convenient advantages of working in a shower.

Focus then shifted to the Black Mosaic tiles on the floor of the shower using more Pro-Clean this time mixed with Nanotech HBU for extra cleaning power. This was scrubbed into the grout joints with a brush and a Black pad for the tile surface. I used the same process on the Marble mosaic bath panel. Once done the tiles were rinsed with water.

The next step was to cut out the silicone sealant around the permitter of the shower tiling and spray the area with Tile Doctor Duo Clean which kills mould. Once dry the silicone was replaced with a new anti-mould silicone.

The shower enclosure tiles were then sealed with Tile Doctor Pro-Seal a durable sealer that doesn’t alter the appearance of the stone. The customer liked the light appearance of the Limestone and wanted to keep it that way.

Refreshing Black Slate Bathroom Flooring

The last area to focus on were the Black Slate tiles on the bathroom floor which were also in a similar worn condition. The old sealer had clearly broken down on these and was now letting dirt become ingrained in the stone reducing the vibrant appearance of the Black Slate. I tread this by removing what was left of the original sealer with an application of Remove and Go mixed with Nanotech HBU and Pro-Clean. I left this cleaning cocktail to dwell for about half an hour before scrubbing with a coarse black pad and scrubbing brush.

The floor was then rinsed with water to remove the soiling and now looked much improved. Once dry it was sealed with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that contains a colour enhancer and provides a durable finish especially in bathrooms. This worked out very well on the Slate helped to add depth to the stone as well as bringing out more of the features in the stone.

The customers were delighted with the result and I’m please to say the service, in fact they have since recommended Tile Doctor to their friends, colleagues and family.

Marble Tiled Shower Cubicle Professionally Refinished in South Wales

The post Restoring the Appearance of Bleach Damaged Stone Tiling in Cowbridge appeared first on South East Wales Tile Doctor.

Encaustic Cement Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Worcester

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:36:32 +0000

I received an enquiry regarding the restoration of an Encaustic Tiled floor in the hallway of an Edwardian property in Worcester. I arranged a visit to assess the floor and come up with a plan for its restoration.

The client wanted the whole floor restoring to its original condition including retiling a section just behind the front door that had been dug up to install pipe work back in the 1980’s and then backfilled with screed.

I work on these sorts of projects all the time so happily agreed to the work on condition I could find matching replacement tiles. There are several suppliers in the UK and fortunately I managed to track down the necessary replacements from a reclaimed tile supplier I know. They confirmed I could get the required tiles, so I sent a quote to the client, which was accepted, and a date was arranged to start the restoration.

Cleaning and restoring an Edwardian Tiled Hallway

Day one was spent carefully removing the old screed as I would need to install one at the right level to allow for the replacement tiles to be in installed. This has to be done very carefully so as not to disturb the rest of the tiled floor. The rubble was then removed and a new cement base laid to the correct level in order to take the new tiles.

The next stage was to cut and dry lay the replacement tiles to match the original pattern and check everything fitted, making adjustments where necessary. Once I was happy with the lay out, I started fixing the tiles starting with the border and then the main patterned inset. This was meticulous work that required the new tiles to fit the existing geometric pattern exactly. This was completed over 2 days including grouting.

Once the floor had set overnight, I moved onto the restorative cleaning. This started with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was worked into the floor using a coarse 100-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary buffer machine to remove what was left of the old sealer. The floor was then rinsed with water and the soiling extracted using a wet vacuum.

The next step was to give the floor an acid wash using using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which was pasted onto the floor and then worked in with a finer 200-grit diamond pad. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with the wet vacuum as before.

Sealing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway

The floor was left to fully dry overnight, and I returned on day four to apply a protective sealer. Sealer options were discussed earlier and for this floor we had chosen Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a durable impregnating sealer that contains a colour enhancer.

Impregnating sealers work by soaking into the tile, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. This ensures dirt remains on the floor where it can be easily cleaned away.

As you can see from the photos the floor was returned to how it should look, and the client was absolutely delighted.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is mild but effective tile cleaning product that won’t damage the sealer.

Professional Restoration of an Edwardian Tiled Hallway in Worcestershire

The post Encaustic Cement Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Worcester appeared first on Worcestershire Tile Doctor.

Badly Maintained Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated in Chepstow

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 05:11:50 +0000

I received a request to quote for the restoration of this Victorian tiled floor in the hallway of a property in Chepstow. As you can see from the photograph below was in a very poor condition.

I visited the property to survey the floor and could see that although it had not been well maintained it was in good physical condition except for a few loose tiles. From experience I knew it would respond well to a deep clean and seal, so I carried out a test clean on a small area to demonstrate its potential. The tiles came up well and my client was satisfied it would be worthwhile to have it restored.

I worked out a quote which was accepted and a date set for the work to start which would take two days.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

To get all the dirt out of the pores of the tiles I started with a strong dilution of Tile Doctors Remove and Go. This was sprayed onto the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a 17” Black pad fitted to a rotary machine.

It’s always difficult to find out the history of a floor but from what I could tell the tiles had been exposed to a variety of contaminants including paint, plaster, cement, and worn in dirt. Luckily, Remove and Go can handle all of these. I had to repeat the process on the stubborn stains and then removed all the slurry and dirt using a wet vacuum.

I then moved onto the loose tiles which needed to have the old adhesive removed from the tile and the base. The original tiles were then cleaned up by hand before new rapid setting adhesive was applied to secure them back into the floor.

Once the loose tiles had set, I moved onto the next step of giving the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This product further cleans up the tiles by removing old grout smears and dissolving efflorescent salts in the floor. This is a common issue in properties of this age which do not have a damp proof membrane to stop moisture rising through the tile. This process also neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline cleaning product. The floor was rinsed again afterwards, and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum before leaving it to dry overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen

The next day the moisture levels of the tiles were checked with a damp meter to ensure they were dry enough to be sealed. The readings were fine, so I was able to start applying the sealer. In this case two coats of Tile Doctors Colour Grow sealer where applied which is a colour enhancing impregnator that allows for moisture vapour transmission. This is a super durable product which will give great protection to the floor, especially when it is in a high traffic area such as a hallway.

Once complete the floor was transformed and my client was extremely happy with the result. To maintain the sealer and to prevent accelerated break down I left the client with a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Ph Neutral Tile Cleaner.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Bathroom in Monmouthshire

The post Badly Maintained Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated in Chepstow appeared first on Monmouthshire Tile Doctor.

Stained Limestone Countertop Renovated in Salcombe Holiday Rental

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:05:28 +0000

I received an enquiry from a client with a property in Salcombe with an expensive Blue Lias limestone countertop in the bathroom. The property was let out to holiday makers and a previous guest had stained the work surface. From the pictures I could tell that the stone had been damaged by an acid-based product which had been left on the stone for too long and had etched the surface.

Limestone is an acid sensitive stone, so you must be careful what products are used to clean it. Strong cleaning products should be avoided as they will mark the surface, if in doubt check the label for compatibility or purchase a purpose made cleaner such as Tile Doctor Stone Patina Spray

Given the property was a holiday let, they wanted this work carried out during changeover before the next set of guests arrived. Fortunately, it was a small job and after a slight shuffle I was able to squeeze it in between other jobs.

I’ve worked on these issues before so after reviewing the pictures I was able to give them a price that included the necessary materials. Happy with that I was given instructions on how to access the property and the work was scheduled.

Polishing Marks out of a Limestone Countertop

Work began with polishing to remove the deep etching from the countertop. To do this, Tile Doctor Handheld Diamond burnishing blocks were applied to the stone with a little water for lubrication. This started with a coarse 200-grit and then followed up with a 400-grit until all the signs of the white etching had gone. The countertop was wiped clean after each block was applied to remove the small amount of slurry that the process generates.

I then started with a handheld polishing machine fitted with Tile Doctor 6-inch Burnishing Pads working right the way through the system of 400-grit, 800-grit, 1500-grit and 3000-grit. Again, water was used to lubricate, and the resultant slurry was removed after each pad.

Once I was happy, I had burnished out all scratches and brought up the polished appearance of the limestone the stone was dried with a heat gun.

Sealing a Limestone Wash Basin Countertop

Once dry the limestone countertop was sealed with two thin coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which enhanced the dark colours and fossils in this Blue Lias stone. This product is an impregnating sealer that is rated for external use and so an ideal choice for a countertop that might get wet. To finish the job off the stone was buffed using a 6-inch White buffing pad over the surface with the polishing machine to heighten the polished finish that little bit more.

The owner of the property was delighted with the results and happy that her guests who were due to arrive the following morning wouldn’t encounter the stained limestone in an otherwise 5-star setting.

Professional Renovation of a Stained Limestone Countertop in Devon

The post Stained Limestone Countertop Renovated in Salcombe Holiday Rental appeared first on Devon Tile Doctor.

Polishing Scratches out of a Travertine Tabletop in Morley near Leeds

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:58:16 +0000

The photographs below are of a scratched Travertine table at a property in the Morley area of Leeds that I was asked to look at. The tabletop had been cleaned but not with the correct neutral cleaners and had some wear and scratches. The result was over time the tabletop lost its shine, and its owner now wondered if it could be cleaned and polished to restore its appearance.

I was confident that the burnishing pads that we use to polish Travertine floors would work equally well on a stone table and fortunately Tile Doctor provides six-inch version of the pads for this situation.

Cleaning a Travertine Table

Before starting I laid down a protective sheet on the floor and created a boundary around the tabletop with protective tape. Water is used in the burnishing process, and I wanted to prevent this from escaping onto the walls and floor.

I tackled the scratches first by applying a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad attached to a hand-held buffer. Water is used to help lubricate the process and once the pad had been applied to the whole table the soiling generated was sponged off the surface. I then inspected the scratches and where needed polished them out further using coarser hand-held burnishing blocks.

Next, I started the process of rebuilding the polish on the table by applying the finer six-inch burnishing pads in sequence starting with 800 then 1500-grit. Each pad was applied with water and then the soiling sponged off afterwards as before. To finish the polishing a very fine 3000-grit pad was applied using a little water to achieve a spray burnish.

Sealing a Travertine Table

This last pad leaves the Travertine dry so it wasn’t long before I could move onto the last step and applying a protective sealer to the table. Having walked through the different sealers and finishes with the client earlier we had chosen Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal to seal the table which is an impregnator that doesn’t alter the appearance of the stone and leaves a very natural finish.

Impregnating sealers work by soaking into the pores of the table preventing dirt from residing there and thereby protecting it from within. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Once the sealer had dried the work was complete and the beautiful, polished appearance of the Travertine table had been restored. My client was very pleased with the result and left the following feedback:

Chris was very polite, attended punctually and was a clean worker, taking precautions to prevent dust and keep the surrounding area clean. The table looks like new. Thank you, Chris.

For the aftercare of sealed and polished stone table and countertops we recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Patina Spray. This is a specially designed spray and buff cleaner that helps maintains the patina on the stone without impacting the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Table in North West Yorkshire

The post Polishing Scratches out of a Travertine Tabletop in Morley near Leeds appeared first on North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor.

Original Minton Tiled Floor Damaged by Cable Installation Restored in Rugby

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:45:53 +0000

Recently I was called out to a property in Rugby which had a lovely Victorian period Encaustic Tiled Floor. The had only just moved into the property and had, like many of my customers seem to do, decided to replace the hallway carpet. Underneath they were pleased to discover a beautiful Black and White tiled floor laid in a classic diamond pattern.

Unfortunately, as they removed the carpet the discovered that it had been covered over to hide an ugly section of cement that went across the width of the hallway. Suspecting they had an Original Minton tiled floor they were keen to have it restored and so got in touch with Tile Doctor.

I do a lot of work repairing and restoring tiled floors in the area so I was more than happy to provide a quote for repairing the damaged section and then renovating the floor. I have also built up a collection of spare Minton tiles because of this so they had come to exactly the right place.

Repairing a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Rugby

The first step in the restoration was to carefully break out the cement backfill that had been run across the floor. We often see this sort of thing when heating is installed to hide a heating or gas pipe so I had to do this very carefully so as not to damage whatever had been covered over.

To my surprise the cement was hiding a couple of power cables encased in steel wire armour for protection. With the channel exposed it was then backfilled with cement screed to bring it level with the original base and then left to set overnight.

The next day work started with the cutting and shaping of the replacement tiles to exactly match the original pattern. Once I was happy with the pattern the tiles were stuck into place and grouted in. The next step would be to clean the floor with a buffer machine so once the replacement tiles were in place I left it to set overnight again.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Rugby

On day three I started by inspecting the previous day’s repairs and confirming the floor was solid which it was. All was well so I set about cleaning the tiles using Tile Doctor Remove and Go starting with the corners and edges which were scrubbed by hand. This product is a strong tile cleaner which is also good for removing old sealers.

With the corners and edges done I then moved onto the main floor which was scrubbed using a coarse 200-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary machine. Carpets and underlay imprint a pattern onto the tiles when left for many years and these pads are great for removing this as well as further cleaning up the tiles. The cleaning solution darkens with the soiling and this is then extracted using a wet vacuum.

With the whole floor cleaned in this manner the process was repeated with Tile Doctor Acid Gel which further cleans up the tiles and has other advantages such as dissolving any efflorescent salts that may have built up in the tiles. Efflorescence is a common problem with these old floors which don’t have the benefit of a damp-proof membrane. To scrub the floor, I used a couple more diamond Burnishing pads of finer grits which helps refine the appearance of the tile following the application of the coarse 200-grit.

After this the floor was rinsed and wet vacuumed to remove as much moisture as possible.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The following day the floor was checked in several places to ensure it had dried sufficiently overnight. We know from experience it’s not a good idea to apply sealer to a damp floor as it can result in a patchy appearance.

The checks were fine and so the floor was sealed with an initial coat of Tile Doctor Stone Oil which adds structure to the tile and then when dry followed up with a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow to improve colour. Both these products are Impregnators and allow for vapour transmission which is ideal for old floors like this one.

Impregnators work by soaking into tile, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. This keeps dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. Once done the owners were very pleased and really happy that the original floor was now 100% intact and had been put back into daily use.

For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle yet effective tile cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and reduce its life.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Warwickshire

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Carpet Covered Terrazzo Hallway Floor Restored in Morningside Edinburgh

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 11:40:21 +0000

The photographs below are of what was once a beautiful Terrazzo floor, it was recently uncovered in the hallway of a house in the Morningside area of Edinburgh. The floor had clearly taken a beating over the years, but the owners were eager to have it restored. Restoring period features like this Terrazzo floor is often a great idea, as they are highly sought after and can significantly increase a property’s value.

The Terrazzo floor had spent many years hidden under carpet, with nails hammered through to hold carpet gripper in place. There was also a substantial amount of glue and paint that needed to be removed. However, I was confident it could be successfully restored and I provided the customer with a quotation.

The quote was accepted and eager to have the work done as soon as possible a date was scheduled for my return.

Cleaning and Repairing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway

Work started by focusing on the removal of as much of the paint, glue, and other contaminants as possible. To do this a razor-sharp scraper was carefully run over the floor by hand to remove the bulk of the heavy paint and glue.

The remaining stubborn contaminants were then removed using an application of Tile Doctors Remove and Go solution, which is excellent for lifting paint and carpet glue. After leaving the solution to soak in for about ten minutes it was scrubbed into the Terrazzo using a coarse 200-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary machine. After this initial cleaning, the floor was rinsed with clean water, and the residue extracted with a wet vacuum.

The pad was then changed for the first of four diamond burnishing pads of progressively finer grits. Starting with the coarsest 400-grit pad and moving to increasingly fine pads the pads cut through the top layer of the Terrazzo to remove remaining grime and gradually re-polish the floor to its former glory., I added water at each stage and used a wet vacuum to remove the soiling generated by the burnishing process.

As the original Terrazzo floor began to shine through, the vibrant Silver, White and Black shades became more pronounced, revealing a lovely example of this classic material. After a final rinse to remove any remaining debris, I turned my attention to filling the numerous holes left by the previously removed nails.

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in Morningside

The floor was left to dry overnight, and the following morning I returned to seal it with two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This is a modern oil-based, breathable sealer and was chosen because it is fully breathable and will enhance the strong colours in the Terrazzo.

After leaving each coat on for five minutes the surplus sealer was then clothed off and the floor polished with a White buffing pad. It’s important to choose a breathable sealer for old floors like these as they don’t have a damp-proof membrane and it will allow for moisture rising from the foundation to evaporate at the surface. If the moisture were prevented from doing this it would build up under the floor where it would eventually reach out to the walls causing issues like rising damp.

The Terrazzo floor was transformed by the whole process and it was great to see a period feature that was original to the house put back into regular use. Before leaving I tool tile to discuss after care cleaning for which I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a mild yet effective maintenance cleaner that won’t degrade the sealer which can be an issue with many of the products you find in supermarkets which are simply too strong for cleaning a sealed floor.

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

The post Carpet Covered Terrazzo Hallway Floor Restored in Morningside Edinburgh appeared first on Edinburgh Tile Doctor.

Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Rescued in Muswell Hill

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 07:50:12 +0000

This client bought a house in Muswell Hill N10 with a neglected Victorian tiled floor in the hallway. They planned to completely refurbish the property including adding extensions.

Prior to starting work they called me to look at the floor and see if it was salvageable. At this time, it only had the damage where a pipe had been previously laid. However, over a year later they called me back as the building project was coming to an end and unfortunately during the process of changing the layout of the downstairs the entire final meter and a half of the hallway had been damaged and broken.

Luckily, I am used to restoration projects of this nature, so I was able to provide a quote to rescue the whole floor including rebuilding the now larger section at the end of the hallway.

The quote was revised in line with the extended work that was now required to get the floor back to its original condition and submitted for approval. It was accepted and we booked it for a few months’ later to allow all other trades to finish. However, for ease of tiling and to make a neat finish I advised them not to fit the skirting board until I had completed the work. Also, I needed time to source matching replacement tiles through various specialist suppliers before the work could start.

Repairing a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Muswell Hill

Due to the scale of the tiling work, we started with the repairs rather than the cleaning. As the hallway had been widened from its original layout, we had to cut away a little more of the original pattern so we could turn a corner in the border further back and re design. This made the pattern fit more sympathetically in the new space.

Once we were finished planning everything out, we filled new concrete to the damaged subfloor paying attention to the levels so that the tiling met at even height to the new flooring in adjoining rooms.

Once the subfloor had set tiling could start which involved cutting and shaping a lot of replacement tiles to match the original pattern and dry fitting them into place. Once I was happy with the pattern the tiles were stuck into place and grouted. It was meticulous work, and the repair took a week to complete.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Muswell Hill

The floor was left to set over the weekend before returning to do a deep clean with Tile Doctor Remove and Go scrubbed into the tiles with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. The floor was then rinsed with water and the slurry extracted with a wet vacuum. This product as its name suggests is a coatings remover and tile cleaner that does a good job of removing old sealers and dirt.

Next the floor was given an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which was pasted onto the tiles and then scrubbed in, this time with a coarse 200-grit diamond pad. The diamond pad does a nice job of cleaning up the old tiles and the Acid Gel helps to counter any salts that may be lying dormant in the floor; salts are a common problem with floors of this age that don’t have a damp-proof membrane.

After this the floor was rinsed and wet vacuumed to remove as much moisture as possible. Once done the floor was left to dry overnight with assistance from several fans.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The following day work began with vacuuming dust and generally checking the tiles had dried sufficiently overnight. We know from experience it’s not a good idea to apply sealer to a damp floor as it can result in a patchy appearance.

The checks were fine and so the floor was sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a fully breathable oil-based impregnator that’s ideal for old floors like this one. Impregnators work by soaking into tile, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. This keeps dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Once done the work completely transformed the hallway and really give the house back its wow factor. Only thing left to do was to fit the skirting boards.

For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which un-like many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets won’t impact the sealer and reduce its life.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

The post Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Rescued in Muswell Hill appeared first on North London Tile Doctor.

Encaustic Tiled Victorian Floor Renovated in West Bridgford

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:40:16 +0000

Here we have an encaustic tiled hallway floor from the Victorian era laid in a beautiful geometric pattern at a property in West Bridgford Nottingham. Given its age the floor had survived well however there were many loose tiles that needed attention and it was overdue a restorative clean and fresh seal.

Having visited the property, I was able to ascertain the extent of the repairs needed and created a detailed quotation for its restoration. My quotation was accepted and a date agreed for the work to start.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Encaustic Tiled Floor

Before cleaning the tiles and re-sealing, the floor needed to be structurally sound so the first day was spent pulling out the 150 or so loose and damaged tiles. This was followed by removing the old adhesive and cleaning and repairing the foundation screed ready for the next step. I was able to re-use some of the original tiles, but I had also sourced replacements which needed to be cut to fit the pattern.

The tiles were dry fitted into position to ensure the geometric pattern of the original floor was replicated. Only then were they fixed into place using rapid set adhesive and grouted.

The tiles were left to set overnight, and I returned the next day to deep clean the whole floor. Tiled floors of this age don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane and so they can suffer from damp rising through the foundation. Because of this I like to use low moisture gel cleaning products to clean old floors, this keeps water usage to a minimum, increases drying times and reduces the likelihood of efflorescent salts appearing later.

In this case I gave the floor a thorough deep clean using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel and Acid Gel combined. These are applied to the tiles and then scrubbed in with a coarse 200-grit diamond pad to remove the years of ingrained dirt.

The resulting slurry was removed with a wet vacuum and wiped down with microfibre cloths dampened with a small amount of water. Again, this method minimises moisture penetration into the floor.

The low-moisture system has the added benefit of keeping the tiles reasonably dry, so I was able to apply the sealer later that afternoon.

Sealing an Encaustic Victorian Tiled Floor

To seal the tiles Tile Doctors X-Tra Seal was applied. It’s a modern oil-based sealer that improves colour and is rated for external as well as internal use making it ideal for a hallway. Another feature of this product is that it’s fully breathable which is very important for period floors and won’t restrict moisture transmission through the tile.

For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a pH neutral floor cleaner which won’t degrade the protective sealer.

Professional Restoration of an Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway in Nottinghamshire

The post Encaustic Tiled Victorian Floor Renovated in West Bridgford appeared first on Nottinghamshire Tile Doctor.

Classic Chequered Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor Refurbished in Leek

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 10:49:11 +0000

At this Victorian property in Leek I was asked to renovate the encaustic tiles in the hallway which were laid in a classic Black and White chequer pattern. They had previously been covered in carpet for many years and the owner now wanted the floor brough back to life as a period feature in keeping with the age of the property.

The carpet had been glued down and you could see a lot of discolouration around the edges where the glue was still present on the tile. Also, I could see there were several sections of loose tiling that needed to be secured.

I worked out a restoration plan and quote which the owner was happy with and a date set of my return to do the work which would take three days.

Renovating Black and White Victorian Floor Tiles

The first day was spent repairing the loose tiles in the two doorways and a section next to the stairs. The tiles had become debonded with the floor, so the base needed to be cleaned out and the tiles fixed back into place with fresh adhesive. The next step would require the use of machinery so I waited until the next day to start that in order to give the tiles time to set firmly overnight.

On then second day cleaning started by wetting the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. A strong dilution was needed to help breakdown the soiling and adhesive. This was left to soak in for fifteen minutes before starting the process of scrubbing the floor.

The bulk of the scrubbing was done using a rotary machine fitted with a coarse 50-grit diamond pad which was needed to remove the patination that the carpet had pressed into the tile surface. These circular pads can struggle to get into the edges and corners so this was followed where needed with a handheld 60-grit diamond block until I was satisfied. The soiling was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Next step was to give the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This is simply mopped onto the floor and brushed in before being rinsed off as before with the wet vacuum. The Pro-Clean used earlier is alkaline so the acidic nature of Grout Clean-up neutralises the floor, it also further cleans up the tiles and will dissolve any salts that may be present in the tile and could result in the appearance of efflorescence later. This is a common problem with old floors like this one which don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane.

Last job of the day was to dry the floor as much as possible with the wet vacuum and add grouting using a matching grout where needed.

Sealing a Black and White Encaustic Tiled Victorian Floor

I then left the floor for four days to dry out. It’s not a good idea to apply sealer to a damp tile as you can get a patchy result so I wanted to be sure it was dry before sealing. On my return I checked the floor was dry and then started the sealer application with four coats of Seal and Go which is a water-based sealer that doesn’t give off a smell as it dried. I chose this product as the client wanted the tiles to have a deep shine and this product certainly achieves that.

I think you will agree the floor looked amazing once complete, the tiled looked lighter, brighter and overall made the whole hallway look very inviting. It definitely added the period wow factor.

Before leaving I took time to discuss maintenance cleaning and recommended they use Tile Doctor’s Neutral Tile Cleaner. This product is a gentle but effective tile cleaner that won’t impact the sealer.

Professional Encaustic Floor Tile Restoration in Staffordshire

The post Classic Chequered Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor Refurbished in Leek appeared first on Staffordshire Tile Doctor.

Neglected Marble Tabletop Restored in Wargrave Reading

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 11:26:48 +0000

This is another project I completed for a client Wargrave who had a very neglected Marble table that had been used outside and was now heavily stained. The client had seen a recent work history of mine where I restored a very similar Marble table, and having one herself in similar condition she asked if anything could be done. Confident we could dramatically improve it that was also booked in to be restored on the same day.

The Marble was in a very similar condition to the one I restored previously so I basically followed the same system which I will outline below. As you can see it is not just flooring that Tile Doctor is able to restore.

Cleaning a Marble Tabletop

To cut through all the algae, black spot and lichens I used a very strong acidic Tile Doctor product called Patio & Driveway Cleaner. I was completely aware that using an acidic product on marble can etch the stone however, the table needed something very strong, and I knew I could remove any damage to the stone with a set of coarse diamond pads later.

As suspected the patio cleaner did the trick and removed most of the staining. The next stage was to polish the marble using a series of pads from Tile Doctors inventory of 6-inch diamond burnishing pads. The first pad in the set to be applied was a coarse 100-grit pad followed by a 200-grit. The pads are applied with water to help lubricate the process and are designed to repair damage and etching caused by the strong product used earlier.

The process was then repeated with a coarse 400-grit and fine 1500-grit pads which gradually closed the pores and returned the shine. This is a messy process which generates a slurry which is removed after each pad with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Marble Tabletop

With the Marble table surface restored the last step was to protect the stone with a sealer which will keep any dirt or contaminates on the surface where they can be easily wiped away. So once the table was dry, I applied a thin coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is an almost invisible impregnator that soaks into the marble occupying its fine pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming lodged there.

For aftercare of polished stone worktops and tabletops I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Patina Spray. It is a spray-and-buff cleaner that is designed to enhance the natural beauty and lustre of polished stone as it cleans.

Professional Restoration of a Marble Table in Berkshire

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Badly Stained Vinyl Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restored in Wallingford

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 07:07:20 +0000

I went to view this Quarry tiled floor at a property in Wallingford after speaking with the owner on the phone. They were hoping the floor could be restored but were sceptical that anything could be done as it had been covered in vinyl for many years.

The trouble was, before the Vinyl was laid the floor had been covered in a layer of bitumen first which was designed to act as damp proofing, then on top of that was a layer of self-levelling screed. The client had removed the vinyl and had a go at scraping the screed and bitumen off the floor before giving up.

Having come across this sort of thing before, I was confident the floor could indeed be restored although I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I worked out a plan for the restoration and converted this into a detailed quote for the client so they could decide if it was worth doing. Keen to restore the original floor and keep what was a period feature I was given the go-ahead.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Hallway

Work started with scraping the the floor to manually remove the layers of bitumen and screed. This is hard manual work, but I had help from Buckinghamshire Tile Doctor Jack Day. When we had removed enough, work switched to using an application of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up worked in with a carbide brush. Going in too early with the carbide brush would have resulted in it clogging so this had to be a second step. These brushes are coarse allowing it to cut into the surface and remove the remaining screed.

To further improve the Quarry tiles the carbide brush was swapped out for a 100-grit milling pad which further scrubbed the tiles to remove the final bits of bitumen. The floor was rinsed and the slurry extracted with a wet vacuum. The pad was then changed for a 200-grit milling pad and the process repeated and then again using 1500 grit. These pads further clean up the quarry tiles and refine the surface creating a slight sheen on the floor.

After a final rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was then left to dry out.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Hallway

On my return the floor was tested for moisture with a damp meter to confirm it had dried out sufficiently and was now ready for sealing. The results were positive, so work moved onto sealing the quarry tiles using Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is an oil-based impregnating sealer.

This sealer works by soaking into the tile, occupying the pores and thereby ensuring dirt cannot become ingrained there. This keeps dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. This product also enhances the appearance of the tiles further bringing out the colours.

Lint free cloths were used to apply the sealer and buff off the excess. When the sealer was dry the floor was buffed with a 3000-grit diamond burnishing pad which left the floor with a mild sheen.

Once complete the floor was transformed and completely unrecognisable. For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective floor cleaning product that won’t affect the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Bathroom in Oxfordshire

The post Badly Stained Vinyl Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restored in Wallingford appeared first on Oxfordshire Tile Doctor.

Neglected Victorian Tiled Floor Repaired and Restored in Glasgow’s West End

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 09:37:57 +0000

The photographs below are of a large Victorian Tiled floor at a property in Glasgow’s West End. The floor had been sadly neglected over the years leaving it dull, dirty and damaged with several cracked tiles.

I visited the property to discussed with the client the work needed to carry out a full restoration which included replacing the broken tiles and renovating the whole floor. From the survey I worked out a restoration plan which in turn was converted into a quote for completing the work which would take three days. Happy with the plan and my quote I was given the go ahead and a date scheduled.

Repairing a Damaged Victorian Tiled Floor in Glasgow

Work started with replacing the broken tiles and loose tiles that we identified during the survey. These had to be removed very carefully so as not to disturb more than was necessary. Once removed the base was cleaned up and all the old adhesive removed.

Replacement tiles, that we had sourced before arriving, were then cut to shape and dry fitted into the gaps until I was happy that the original pattern had been replicated. Only then were the replacements fixed in place along with any salvageable loose tiles. Once the repairs were carried out, we then left this to set and fully dry out before returning to begin the cleaning.

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Floor in Glasgow

On the second day we arrived and after checking the work from yesterday had set correctly started setting up to deep clean the floor. This commenced with pasting Tile Doctor Acid Gel onto the tiles and then after ten minutes scrubbing it in with a coarse 200-grit diamond pad. This process released the dirt from the Victorian tiles into the solution turning it a black slurry.

The floor was rinsed with a little water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. Once the whole floor had been cleaned the tiles were further refined using finer diamond burnishing pads of 400, 800 and 1500 grit. The pads are applied with water to help lubricate the process and the soiling generated is extracted with the wet vacuum after each pad.

To finish the cleaning process the floor was given a final clean using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up and after a final rinse and extraction were left for a week to dry.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor in Glasgow

The tiles were left for a week as I wanted to ensure they were completely dry before applying the sealer. Applying sealer to a damp tile can result in a patchy appearance.

Given the age of the floor, I decided to apply a fully breathable sealer called Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This is an important consideration when sealing old, tiled floors as it will allow for any moisture to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface, otherwise moisture can become trapped until the floor resulting in damp issues. X-Tra seal is oil-based so helps add structure to the tile and being an impregnator that soaks into the tile it provides very durable protection.

The client was very pleased with the newly restored floor, and for ongoing cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This product has a neutral Ph which is ideal for sealed surfaces; stronger bleach-based cleaners are simply too strong for use on sealed tiles and will erode the sealer prematurely.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Floor in Glasgow

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Restoring the Beauty of a Victorian Tiled Floor at Loftus Town Hall

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 16:23:47 +0000

Late last year I was asked by Loftus Town Hall to pop down and look at renovating the beautiful Victorian Tiled flooring which needed renovation. They had experienced a flood previously and now the floor had had chance to dry out it was time to restore it back to its former beauty. I am based in South Sheilds so it’s a bit out of my area but I was happy to help.

I arranged an initial visit to assess the floors condition and I could that the sealer had worn thin in the high traffic areas and this had allowed dirt to penetrate the tiles leaving them dull and uninviting. We agreed that the best course of action would be best to strip off what was left of the sealer throughout, deep clean the tiles and then re-seal. A quote was sent and accepted.

Stripping and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The first stage was to remove what was left of the sealer. This work started by spraying the tiles with a strong 50:50 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then followed this up with a coating of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel leaving both products to dwell for sixty minutes. This is a long time but this gives the product plenty of time to break down the old sealer and dirt.

The town hall is Grade II listed and was built in 1879 well before the invention of the damp-proof-membrane so I wanted to keep the use of water to a minimum to reduce drying times.

I then proceeded to work the solution into the tiles using a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine and extracted the resultant slurry using a wet vacuum. The floor was then checked and any stubborn areas re-treated. The floor was given a quick rinse and then dried.

The next day I attached a 240-grit carbide brush to the buffer machine and ran it over the floor to ensure all the sealer and dirt was removed. This was then followed up with a 200-grit diamond pad to improve the surface of the worn tiles. Only water was used during this process for lubrication and once complete the soiling was rinsed and removed with the wet vacuum.

The floor was then given an acid rinse with Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This further cleans up the tiles countering any dormant salts in the tiles and neutralises the pH level of the tiles after the use of the use of strong alkaline cleaning products earlier.

After a final rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum I prepared the floor ready for sealing the following day.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor

For sealing I had recommended Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which leaves a lovely subtle satin finish and is fully breathable so is perfect to use on old floors that don’t have a damp-proof membrane like this one.

Before starting with the sealer application, the moisture levels in the floor were checked with a damp meter. Sealing a damp floor can lead to a patchy finish so I was pleased to see the floor had dried and the plan to keep water use to a minimum had paid off.

The first coat was applied leaving an hour between coats to allow for drying. In total four coats were applied which left durable protection and a desirable sheen finish that lifted the appearance of the floor.

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner as it’s a mild yet effective cleaner that won’t impact the sealer. This is especially important with public areas like this one as cleaning teams tend to utilise much stronger and unsuitable products.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North Yorkshire

The post Restoring the Beauty of a Victorian Tiled Floor at Loftus Town Hall appeared first on Tyneside Tile Doctor.

2023 Tile Doctor of the Year Winner

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 13:12:25 +0000

A big THANK YOU goes to my customers whose feedback pushed me up the Tile Doctor league table to take the coveted title of “Tile Doctor of the Year 2023”. This is the second year running I have won the award and I’m pleased to say I managed to maintain a high-quality score of 5.0 stars out of 5.0 so I’m obiously doing something right.

The winner was announced at the annual Tile Doctor conference which took place at the famous Old Swan hotel in Harrogate. It’s the highlight of the Tile Doctor calendar as we don’t often get to meet up with each other and discuss the different aspects of Tile Cleaning with other professionals.

Tile Doctor Directors Russell Taylor (Left) and Jeremy Taylor (Right) present Alastair Robb with the Tile Doctor of the Year Award

I hope to win the award again for 2024 but the competition in tough.

2024 Tile Doctor Conference Delegates

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Cement Screed Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Cranleigh

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 04:14:44 +0000

This Quarry tiled floor was discovered in an old cottage in the Surrey village of Cranleigh. The new owners had found the quarry tiled floor under an old carpet and wanted to have it restored as an original feature. Unfortunately, it also had a covering of concrete screed over a large percentage of it. This is a fairly common practice when laying vinyl or carpet over tiles as it ensures a completely flat surface.

From experience, I knew returning the tiles to a decent state would be possible but it’s difficult and unpleasant work. None the less I was happy to do the restoration and having visited the property to survey the floor I came up with a restoration plan that I was happy with. This evolved into a quote which the owners were happy to accept, and a date set for the work to commence.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Living Room

To remove the screed, I started with a power chisel fitted with a serrated attachment and started to carefully chip away at the screed. This is noisy and messy work, so I shut myself off from the world wearing eye protection goggles and ear defenders. Slowly the cement screed came away and was bagged up for removal.

Once I’d cleared the area of screed, a heavyweight buffing machine was introduced to the floor. Heavy iron bars were attached to the front to increase traction with the tiles and make cleaning and burnishing more effective. With the machine ready the quarry tiles were covered in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, and this was left to soak in for ten minutes.

A coarse 200-grit diamond pad was fitted to the machine and then run over the floor to work in the cleaning solution. This abrasive pad cuts into the surface of the tile to remove the years of dirt and grime. This is an aggressive, wet process but the cleaning solution captures the dirt and dust minimising the mess. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

Attention was then directed at the grout which had to be hand scrubbed for the best results using more Pro-Clean. The whole floor was then inspected and any stubborn areas of staining were spot treated using the same process. Once I was happy with the condition of the tiles the floor was left to dry out overnight ready for sealing the next day.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Living Room

Quarry tiles don’t particularly like aggressive cleaning processes and it can cause their colour to fade, however there is little alternative when they are this bad. With this in mind, I had decided to seal them with a colour enhancing sealer called Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This product is an impregnator which works by soaking into the pores of the tile, protecting it from within and ensuring any dirt remains on the surface, it also leaves the matt finish the client had requested.

Other sealers are available that offer a sheen or shiny finish however this client had a couple of dogs whose claws can damage a topical sealer, so an impregnator was the best option.

I returned a month later with some reclaimed tiles to fit around the front of the fireplace
For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is ideal for the regular cleaning of sealed tiles and won’t impact the integrity of the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor in Surrey

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Old Quarry Tiled Pathway Restoration in Pontcanna Cardiff

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 15:26:03 +0000

Tile Doctor was contacted by a homeowner from the Pontcanna area of Cardiff about the Quarry tiled path leading up to their property. A local tile restoration company had told them that their pathway was beyond repair and had advised replacing it with new tiles at significant cost. I’m based in Cardiff and cover Southeast Wales so the enquiry was past along to myself.

I contacted the client and arranged a survey which confirmed the pathway was indeed in a very poor condition. Lots of tiles were missing or cracked all of which would need replacing and some of the exposed concrete foundation would also need work.

I assured the client that I could make it look respectable again without spending a fortune. They were more than happy with my affordable restoration plan and accepted the quote. Work like this is best done during dry weather so we waited until there was a good weather window before starting.

Repairing a Quarry Tiled Path in Cardiff

The first task was to carry out the large number of repairs and replacements including breaking the damaged sections of concrete foundation. The various areas were then cleaned up and the foundation rebuilt where necessary.

Once the foundation had set, work started on the tiling using new similar colour tiles along the borders and main path that I was able to source before starting work. The whole pathway was then grouted in using a durable cementitious filler.

Once the new tiles had set firmly and grout hardened, I started the cleaning process.

Deep Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Path in Cardiff

Working from the front door as it’s on a slope to the street pavement I applied a mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined 50:50 with Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU to the tiles and allowed it to soak in. After about fifteen minutes the solution was worked into the tiles one square metre at a time by hand using a coarse black pad cut from a 17-inch pad. Once the pathway was cleaned, I rinsed the whole area with clean water and extracted the waste using a wet vacuum.

The next stage was to rinse the pathway with neat Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This is scrubbed in to remove old cement, some of which must have been 100 years old. Once done the soiling was extracted and the path was given a final rinse with water.

Sealing a Tiled Pathway

The final stage was to seal the pathway tiles. Fortunately, we had a dry spell for a week or two otherwise I would have had to wait for a weather window to ensure the tiles were dry before sealing. Applying sealer to damp external tiles will lock in the moisture which would then freeze over winter causing it to expand and disrupt the sealer.

Once the floor had time to dry for a couple of days it was checked for moisture and proved within the limits to take a sealer. The chosen Sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a very durable sealer as it’s an impregnator, meaning it soaks into the body of the tile preventing dirt from residing there.

As you can once complete the path looked fantastic and the colour enhancing formula in the sealer highlighted the vibrant reds in the tile bringing the whole project to life. The client was delighted and recommended Tile Doctor to many friends, family and neighbours in the street.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Path in Cardiff

The post Old Quarry Tiled Pathway Restoration in Pontcanna Cardiff appeared first on South East Wales Tile Doctor.

Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Refurbished in Kidderminster

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 07:51:41 +0000

I was contacted regarding an encaustic tiled floor that was located in the hallway of an Edwardian property that dated back to 1905 in Kidderminster. The tiles were looking dull and the owner was keen to have them refurbished.

Having discussed the floor on the phone with the owner I decided to pay the property a visit and survey the tiles which were in the hallway and interior porch. Although the floor looked in good condition it needed a few repairs and a good deep clean and seal. I worked out a price for the work, which was accepted, and a date was agreed for the work to start.

Cleaning and Repairing an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

On the first day the plan of action was to carefully cut out the damaged tiles and assess the screed foundation. It’s not unusual to see some movement in floors of this age and after the necessary repairs to the screed were made replacement tiles were fitted using colour matched reclaimed tiles that I had sourced earlier from our various suppliers across the UK. Once all the tiles were fitted, any grout gaps were filled and the floor left so the repairs could set fully overnight.

Day two focused on the cleaning part of the restoration. All areas that needed protecting were covered in protective dust sheets before I applied the Tile Doctor Acid Gel to the floor pasting it on and letting it dwell. During this time, I set up our Italian hyper grinder rotary machine which is a high spec floor cleaning machine that gives a superior result. The floor was very dirty, so I fitted a very coarse 100-grit diamond pad to the machine and used it to scrub the Tile Doctor Acid Gel into the tiles. I then switched to a 200-grit pad with the same process.

The slurry was then vacuumed up using an industrial wet and dry machine and the floor was wiped with microfibres and fresh water. I selected gel products to reduce the level of water required for the clean. There was no evidence of a damp proof membrane, which is to be expected with a floor of this age, so keeping the floor as dry as possible was key.

Sealing an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

The floor was left to dry overnight and tested in the morning for a moisture level reading. The floor was good to go, and the sealing could commence. Foar coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were then applied, allowing thirty minutes drying time in-between each coat. The new sealer really made the colours pop and being fully breathable its ideal for a floor of this age.

The sealer soaks into the tile occupying the pores and in doing so prevents dirt from becoming ingrained there. This keeps the dirt on the surface where it is easily cleaned away.

Once dry the floor looked much cleaner and brighter, especially in the small vestibule which had seen the most wear.

Before leaving the happy customer, I took time to discuss aftercare which for this floor I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a pH neutral product and will keep the floor in the best condition, making maintenance easy and unlike some of the stronger products you find in supermarkets won’t impact or reduce the life of the sealer.

Professional Restoration of an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway in Worcestershire

The post Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Refurbished in Kidderminster appeared first on Worcestershire Tile Doctor.

Neglected 200-Year-Old Quarry Tiled Floor Renovation in Tiverton

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:42:57 +0000

Here we have a Quarry tiled floor at a property in Tiverton which Is a small village in the West Cheshire countryside with many chocolate box cottages and listed buildings. The property which was built in the 1800’s had been inherited by a young couple who had decided to renovate it and this included the old flooring.

To get a better idea of what was needed I paid them a visit to survey the floor. The Quarry tiles were very old and I suspect originally to the property, they had been badly neglected and had clearly seen a lot of wear resulting in a loss of colour. Unfortunately, it was never going to look like new again however I advised on what could be done to clean them up and put some character back into the floor.

Later that day I sent over a full quote for doing the restoration work which included an itemised list of the products needed. I heard nothing back for five months then got a phone call asking if I could help them as they had been unsuccessful completing the floor themselves. Happy to help a date was arranged to start the restoration of the tiles which had seen more activity since my last visit and now had every kind of builder’s rubbish on them.

Cleaning a 200-Year-Old Quarry Tiled Floor

The first job was to give the floor a good brush and scrape to remove as much of the plaster dust and other contaminates as possible. To do this a strong cleaning solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline cleaner stripper combined with Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU. This is a heavy build up remover with nano sized particles to help dissolve and lift the stains out.

The solution was left to dwell and soak into the floor for thirty minutes which gives the products time to breakdown the dirt. Then a small section of flooring was scrubbed with a black pad fitted to a weighted buffing machine. Unfortunately, this had very little effect and clearly something more abrasive was needed to cut through the mess.

To up the ante we decided to fit the buffing machine with a 60-grit carborundum brush and run this over the floor with more water to improve lubrication. This combination did the trick and soon made light work of removing the building plaster, paint and cement from the floor. This process generated a lot of soiling which was rinsed off the floor with more water and a wet vacuum.

Next the floor was given an acid rinse using a mild dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up, this further cleans up the tile and neutralises the pH level of the floor after the alkaline cleaning products used earlier.

Sealing a 200-Year-Old Quarry Tiled Floor

The floor was then left to dry out for two days before returning to seal with two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal to leave a wet look to the stone. This product is oil-based which soaks into the clay tile occupying its pores, this adds structure to the tile whilst preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. X-Tra Seal is also fully breathable which is an important characteristic when select a sealer for older floors that won’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane.

The work took three days to complete and by then end of the job the character had been restored to the floor. Naturally the tiles were never going to look perfect again but I think they suited the period cottage quite well.

Professional Renovation of Period Quarry Tiled Floor in West Cheshire

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Slate Tiled Kitchen floor Trellech Wye Valley

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 09:09:19 +0000

Late last year I visited a property in the village of Trellech, situated in the Wye Valley to look at renovating a Slate tiled kitchen floor. This is always a busy time of year for Tile Doctors as understandably people want their floors looking at their best in time for the festive season.

The Slate floor was comprised of twelve-inch square tiles which I could see were in a poor state, the sealer had obviously failed and without its protection dirt had become deeply ingrained into the Slate and Grout. To prove my point, I carried out a small test clean on part of the floor to demonstrate how clean we could get the floor. The difference was very clear and delighted with the potential results they asked me for a price to renovate the whole floor.

I worked out a quote to deep clean the floor and then seal it which would bring back the natural beauty and colours of the stone whilst adding protection. They were happy to give me the go ahead and fortunately I was able to find a couple of days to do the work before Christmas holidays.

Cleaning a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

To begin the cleaning process, I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the Slate tile and grout and left it to soak in for ten to twenty minutes. This dwell time is important as it gives the product time to break down the dirt and any old sealers still present on the floor.

The floor was then scrubbed using a coarse 240-grit Carbide Brush fitted to a rotary floor buffer to get the tiles as clean as possible. The pad can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout lines, so I followed this up by scrubbing the grout with a stiff wire brush and more Pro-Clean. The floor was then rinsed with water, and the now soiled cleaning solution removed with a wet vacuum.

Once done, the floor was inspected and then any areas that required more work were hand scrubbed until I was satisfied the floor was as clean as it could be. After another rinse with water the floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Applying a sealer to damp tiles can result in a patchy appearance so the floor was left to dry for 24 hours before I returned to apply the sealer. We had discussed sealers at our first meeting where I had gone through the different products and finishes available. From this the client requested a satin like finish so Tile Doctor Seal and Go was selected.

Once I had confirmed the floor was dry with a damp meter, I set about applying the first of what would be four coats of Seal and Go. This product is water-based sealer so it doesn’t give off an odour as it dries, it also brings out the colour in the stone and leaves a lovely subtle satin finish.

The clients were extremely happy with the result and before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare. Essentially this means looking after the sealer and preventing its accelerated break down with the use of strong cleaning products. For a floor like this I like to leave clients with a bottle of Tile Doctors pH Neutral Tile Cleaner which is mild enough for daily use and has a pleasant fragrance, regular use should keep the floor in great condition.

Professional Restoration of a Slate Tiled Kitchen in Monmouthshire

The post Slate Tiled Kitchen floor Trellech Wye Valley appeared first on Monmouthshire Tile Doctor.

Viakal Damaged Marble Tiled Wet Room Restored in Dartmouth

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 17:10:25 +0000

I received an enquiry from an upset customer in Dartmouth whose cleaner had used Viakal to clean their new Marble Tiled wet room. The tiled walls had been sprayed at chest height and then left to dwell for two hours resulting in it running down the wall to the lower half of marble tiling and onto the floor.

Viakal is an acid-based Limescale remover and should never be used on Acid Sensitive stone such as Marble or Limestone. This particular Marble was a dark green and the White etching (damaged areas) caused by the Viakal was very obvious.

After getting in contact with the customer I assured them the chances of me being able to cut out the damage with diamond pads were high. Then after arranging a survey, I visited to carry out a test on both the wall and floor tiles. The tests showed that the floor tiles would need more work than anticipated due to the deeper etching that had occurred due to gravity. The tests showed promise however and I was able to demonstrate the polished appearance of the Marble could be restored.

After the customer had accepted my quote for this work, we booked in some dates for the work to be carried out.

Polishing Acid Etching out of Marble Tiling

I started by giving the Marble wall and floor tiles a clean using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean sprayed onto the walls. The solution was diluted with 5 parts water and left to soak in before scrubbing with a 6-inch black pad fitted to a hand-buffer. This action was needed to remove any sealer that may still be present.

To remove the acid etching I applied a set of diamond burnishing pads starting with a coarse 400-grit and working from top to bottom. Six-inch pads were used again and only water was applied during the process to provide lubrication. Once done slurry generated was rinsed away with more water.

This process was then repeated with the finer 800-grit, 1500grit and 3000-grit pads until the entirety of the walls had been burnished and given a lovely consistent polished appearance. The process was then repeated on the floor tiles using a rotary machine and larger seventeen-inch burnishing pads. Extra weight was added to the machine to assist with the removal of the deeper etching marks in the floor stones.

Once all the stone in the Wet Room had been fully burnished/polished and had dried, I returned the next day to seal.

Sealing Marble Wet Room Tiles

Having discussed the different sealer options on my initial visit we had selected to use Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal on the Marble. This is a hard-wearing oil-based sealer that’s externally rated so ideal for wet areas like this. It also enhanced the natural colours in the mineral rich Marble. After I had applied two thin coats (allowing approximately 1 hour drying time between coats) the excess was buffed off with a White buffing pad which further enhanced the polished appearance of the stone.

The customer was thrilled with the results and it meant that they could forget about needing to replace the stone and at the same time save themselves a lot of money and disruption.

I spent some time with them after explaining the properties of their Marble and educating them on which products to use (i.e. Stone Soap) and certainly NOT use when carrying out ongoing maintenance.

Professional Cleaning and Polishing of a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor in Devon

The post Viakal Damaged Marble Tiled Wet Room Restored in Dartmouth appeared first on Devon Tile Doctor.

Efflorescence-Stained Quarry Tiled Floor Restored at a Listed Building in Elstow

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 14:14:26 +0000

I was contacted by a homeowner in Elstow who after seeing a similar Quarry tiled kitchen floor on my website was keen for me to restore theirs. The property was Victorian and formed part of a listed building in a prominent Bedfordshire estate.

I paid a visit to the property to survey the old Quarry tiles and work out a plan for its restoration. The floor had obviously been covered in Vinyl at some stage as there was a residue of resin glue all over it as well as signs of efflorescence.

Old properties don’t have a damp proof membrane installed under the floor so putting a waterproof barrier such as Vinyl over the floor is not a good idea. These old floors were designed to breathe and allow any moisture building up under the floor to evaporate, preventing that can result in damp reaching out to the walls. In this case it had resulted in efflorescence as White salts were deposited on the surface of the Quarry tile as the floor dried out.

I worked out a quote to deep clean the floor, remove the efflorescence and then seal it to protect it going forward. This is turn was then presented to the Local Planning Authority who had insisted on reviewing and approving all the products and methods being used to restore the floor due to it being a listed building.

After going through the hoops with the planning department and providing lots of information the project was finally approved and I was given the go ahead.

Cleaning and Removing Efflorescence from Victorian Quarry Tiles

To remove the remnants of glue the floor was sprayed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline coatings remover. This was left to soak into the tile and breakdown the adhesive for around fifteen minutes. Then the floor was scrubbed with an abrasive Black pad fitted to a heavy-duty rotary floor machine. This process released the old glue and dirt from the tiles turning the solution into a dark slurry. The soiling was then removed using a high-powered extraction machine that is fitted into our van.

The next step was to deal with the efflorescence staining by giving the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel. The acidic formula literally dissolves the alkaline salts allowing them to be rinsed off the floor and extracted as before, it also neutralises the pH level of the tiles following the use of Remove and Go earlier. Also being a gel product less water is used in the process allowing for a quicker drying time.

The floor was then left to dry out overnight with the assistance of a couple of floor fans.

Sealing Victorian Kitchen Quarry Tiles

I returned the next day to apply a sealer that will enhance the appearance of the floor and protect it. First however I wanted to be certain the floor was dry as applying sealer to a damp floor can result in patchiness. To do this I took several moisture readings with a damp meter.

As I mentioned earlier, old floors like this one need to allow moisture to pass through the tile and evaporate at the surface, as I result you need to use a fully breathable sealer that will allow for that. In this case we chose to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is fully breathable and contains a colour enhancer that brought out the orange and red colours in the Quarry tiles.

Last step was to run a 3000-grit polishing pad over the floor to even out the sealer application and provide a balance look which exceeded everyone’s expectations. Finally, I took time to discuss maintenance cleaning which for a sealed floor like this I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle but effective floor cleaner.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor in Bedfordshire

The post Efflorescence-Stained Quarry Tiled Floor Restored at a Listed Building in Elstow appeared first on Bedfordshire Tile Doctor.

Incredibly Dirty Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation in Church Minshull

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:01:08 +0000

We received an enquiry from a client in the sleepy village of Church Minshull, North of Nantwich, in the Cheshire countryside to ask if we could renovate a Sandstone tiled kitchen floor.

Availability was critical in this case as they were having a new kitchen fitted and they wanted someone who could work on the floor in between the old units being removed and the new ones being fitted. Happy to help if I could, I arranged a visit to survey the floor and discuss timings.

Whilst at the property I conducted a test clean on a small section of flooring which revealed just how incredibly dirty the stone had become. It was clear to me that the sandstone was heavily ingrained with dirt and that any sealer that may have been present was now long gone. Sealers prevent dirt from dirt becoming ingrained into the pores of the stone which keeps the dirt on the surface where it’s much easier to remove.

Impressed with the difference I had been able to achieve so quickly and happy with my quote for renovating the whole floor the only thing outstanding was to work out if I could get the floor clean before the new kitchen was installed. Fortunately, I was able to move a few things around so it would work.

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

To get the floor clean, work started with an application of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline tile and grout cleaner. I used a very strong solution diluting four parts Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to only one part water. This was then left to soak into the sandstone for twenty minutes to give it time to break down the dirt.

The grout lines were then scrubbed using a stiff grout brush before turning attention to the Sandstone which was scrubbed using a rotary floor machine fitted with a Black scrubbing pad and more water. All this scrubbing released a lot of dirt from the floor turning the cleaning solution into a dark slurry. The dirty residue was then removed by wet vacuum.

The floor was then inspected, and the process repeated where needed. Once I was happy the Sandstone and Grout were clear of all the dirt, I gave it a final rinse and extracted as much moisture as possible with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

The floor was left to dry overnight, and work resumed the next day to seal the floor. First the floor was checked with a damp meter to make sure it was dry and ready to take a seal.
The results were fine and so the floor was sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating colour enhancing sealer. Large fans were used to speed up the drying process between coats.

Once done the floor looked incredibly different, the patterns and colours in the stone were now visible and it looked so much cleaner. The grout had also responded well and the floor was completely transformed by the work.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended they use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is an effective pH neutral tile and grout cleaner that won’t impact the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen in West Cheshire

The post Incredibly Dirty Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation in Church Minshull appeared first on West Cheshire Tile Doctor.

Badly Stained and Mouldy Travertine Tiled Bathroom Renovated in Telford

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 09:37:56 +0000

This Travertine tiled bathroom at a property in Telford had a bad mould problem and was in desperate need of renovation. Additionally, the tiles had been marked by water staining which was especially prevalent underneath the taps. The owner had decided it was high time to do something about it and I was asked to intervene.

Mould forms in damp warm spaces and can usually be avoided by increasing the ventilation in the room. Sometimes this is just a question of leaving a door or window open after showering, running the shower on cold after use can also help.

I arranged a visit to review the problems and recommended that the Travertine wall tile and grout be deep cleaned, removing the mould in the process, and then sealed to make cleaning easier going forward. The silicone sealant around the bathtub was also affected and we find the easiest way to deal with this is to replace it. I re-assured the homeowner that this wouldn’t be a problem and worked out a quote for the renovation which was accepted and a date set for my return.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Bathroom

My first task was to start the tile and grout cleaning with a focus on removing the mould. Tile Doctor have a double action cleaner and mould remover designed for this situation called Tile Doctor Duo Clean, so I started with that. It has a trigger spray so it’s just a question of spraying it onto the wall tiles and leaving it to soak in for ten minutes. The atomiser mixes the active solution with air making it lighter and allowing it to stick easily to the vertical surface. Dwell time is important as this gives the product time to start breaking down the dirt and mould. The tiles were then scrubbed and the soiling rinsed away.

The next task was to restore the appearance of the Travertine tiling which had suffered from water staining and was dull and needed polishing to bring it back to life. To do this I used a range of six-inch diamond burnishing pads which come in different grits from 400 to 3000-grit. The pads fit a hand-held buffer and are run over each tile in sequence using only water for lubrication and rinsing after each pad. Work starts with the coarse 400-grit which further cleans up the stone and then you move onto the 800, 1500 and 3000 grit pads which slowly restores a polish to the Travertine.

When all this was done, we removed the mouldy silicone from around the bathtub and let the tiles dry off overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Bathroom

On my return on the following day, I applied new silicone sealant and when it started to go off, I sealed the tile and grout with three coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal. The sealer soaks into the pores preventing contaminates from becoming ingrained there and ensures water runs off the surface easily.

Last step was to replace the silicone sealant with a fresh anti-mould version in White and this finished off the transformation of the bathroom.

Once complete the mould and staining was gone leaving the bathroom looking like a new installation, as you imagine my client was really pleased with the result and much relieved.

For the aftercare of sealed shower tile and grout I like to recommend Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro, it’s a mild cleaner that is sprayed onto the tiles. It has an effective yet Ph neutral formula that won’t impact the sealer which can be the problem with many of the more aggressive cleaning products you find in supermarkets.

Professional Bathroom Renovation Service in Shropshire

The post Badly Stained and Mouldy Travertine Tiled Bathroom Renovated in Telford appeared first on Shropshire Tile Doctor.

Terrazzo Floor Discovered under Hallway Carpet Restored in Neath

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 14:30:26 +0000

A family in Neath, just outside Swansea, got in touch about a Terrazzo floor that they discovered when pulling up old carpet in the hallway. Having discussed the floor on the phone I arranged to the property to better understand its condition and provide a quote for its restoration.

It was a beautifully large hallway, but having spent many years under carpet it was now in a very poor state. There was a lot of damage from nails from gripper rods and door strips being hammered in to the floor to secure the carpet. There were also multiple large cracks, missing stones and areas that had risen.

At some point in the past central heating pipes had been run across one section and then back filled with concrete. Multiple doorways had been all-but-destroyed by door strips and going into the other rooms entire quarry tiles were missing and smashed.

The family had taken on this charming house with the intention to maintain as many of the original features as possible, and upon discovering the floor hoped that it could be salvaged. Having discussed the work that was needed at length I worked out a quote for fully restoring the floor. Happy with the costs involved and keen to get it restored the quote was accepted.

Restoring a Terrazzo Floor in Neath

Work started with the repair work including the careful removal of concrete backfill using hand tools and a grinder. The rubble from this was cleared away and then the detailed repair work began using resin, tints and various stones to replicate the damaged and missing areas.

Terrazzo floors are made from stone chippings and in this floor, there was a lot of Marble content. Because of this we find the best way to renovate Terrazzo is to treat them like polished stone and hone them using a set of diamond burnishing pads. The pads come in a set from 400 to 3000 grit and are applied to the floor using a rotary floor buffer.

The first pad which is a coarse 400-grit that cuts through the grime and dirt. In this case I run it over the floor in combination with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which also adds lubrication. The process generates a lot of slurry which is rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The whole process was then repeated using an 800 and 1500-grit pad, only water was used with these pads and the floor was rinsed and extracted as before after each pad.

To further enhance the appearance of the floor and add a lovely durable shine, Tile Doctor Shine Powder was then ground into the floor using a White buffing pad

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway

After allowing it to dry properly, the floor was sealed with multiple coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer that soaks into the Terrazzo, occupying the pores and preventing dirt from residing there. This protection will ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

The floor responded very well to the treatments and the couple were delighted with their stunning floor. The work had transformed the hallway and given the Terrazzo a new lease of life that has enhanced their spectacular house.

For aftercare on a floor like this I recommended using Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is a gentle yet effective neutral pH tile cleaner that contains a patina enhancer.

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in South Wales

The post Terrazzo Floor Discovered under Hallway Carpet Restored in Neath appeared first on Swansea Tile Doctor.

Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Floor Restoration in Cheshunt Hertfordshire

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 13:20:08 +0000

During an inspection for alteration work, this customer from Cheshunt discovered what appeared to be an original encaustic tiled floor under the hallway carpet. Keen to work out what it was, and have it restored, I was asked to pop round and look.

I went over as requested to survey the hallway floor and confirm their suspicions. The carpet had been secured with gripper rods glued onto the floor and that came away easily enough. Underneath, the tiles had been covered with self-levelling cement which had to be carefully scraped away to reveal the tiles.

I ran a test to see if the cement leveller could be easily removed and using a combination of a scraper with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, I was able to confirm the tiled floor was indeed salvageable. The house was Edwardian, and the tiles had been laid in a classic black and white geometric pattern typical of the period so I suspect the floor was indeed original.

I worked out a quote to restore the whole floor including the removal of the cement, deep cleaning and then sealing the tiles. Without removing all the cement, it would be difficult to price for replacing broken tiles, but I suspected there may be a few as its quite usual for a floor of this age. Keen to have the floor restored we were given the go-ahead and a date scheduled for the work to start.

Cleaning and Repairing an Encaustic Tiled Hallway

The first step was to remove all the carpet and gripper rod so we could see the full extent of the self-levelling screed. Once done it was a case of carefully chipping and scraping away to break up the cement until the tiled floor had been fully revealed. Its slow and detailed work but quite rewarding when the tiled floor is finally revealed. The tiles had survived well under the carpet and cement but as suspected a few repairs and replacement would be needed.

With all the cement brushed away work moved onto cleaning which started with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean applied to the floor and left to soak in for fifteen minutes the scrubbed in with a rotary machine fitted with a Black pad. A lot of soiling is generated from this which is rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected and the process repeated where required.

The next step was to treat the tiles to an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This is applied as before and has several benefits including dissolving the remaining cement residue and neutralising the pH of the floor after the use of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline.

The floor was then inspected and the broken tiles carefully removed so they could be replaced. This is delicate work as lifting a tile can sometimes upset its neighbour and before you know it the size of the work has tripled. Replacement tiles were then cut to fit the existing geometric pattern and secured into place with a rapid set adhesive and grouted in.

Once the replacement tile and grout had set, the floor was given a light clean using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner and then left to dry out overnight.

Sealing an Encaustic Tiled Hallway

The next day the tiles were sealed using a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow and the followed up with give coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go. Colour Grow is an impregnator that soaks into the pores of the tile protecting it from within and improving colour, where as Seal and Go adds a nice subtle sheen to the tiles. Both products are breathable which is an important feature with old floors that don’t have a damp proof membrane.

For aftercare I recommended Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle but effective tile cleaning product that won’t damage the sealer.

Professional Restoration of an Encaustic Tiled Hallway in Hertfordshire

The post Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Floor Restoration in Cheshunt Hertfordshire appeared first on Hertfordshire Tile Doctor.

Geometric Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Renovation Glasgow West End

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 12:01:27 +0000

Having completed some similar projects in Glasgow’s West End we were asked to look at renovating a small Encaustic Tiled Hallway. Tile Doctor are specialists in the restoration of period floors so we were more than happy to help and so arranged a time to pop over.

The tiles were laid in a classic geometric pattern quite common for the age of the property which was Victorian. It certainly made for a grand entrance and was once full of colour; however, being at the front of the property the tiles were exposed to a lot of soiling being trodden in off the street. Normally this is easily cleaned away however encaustic tiles like these need to be protected by a sealer and this had long since worn off. Without a sealer in place dirt becomes ingrained in the pores of the tile and this made effective cleaning impossible.

To restore the beauty to the floor I recommended giving it a deep clean and then re-sealing with a hard-wearing sealer that would enhance the colours in the tile, a process which would take two days, one to clean and one to seal. Happy with my price I was given the go-ahead and we worked out a convenient date for the work to start.

Restorative Cleaning of an Original Encaustic Tiled Hallway Floor

Victorian period floors were laid before the invention of plastics and so don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane. Because of this they need to be allowed to breathe so that moisture can rise through the floor and evaporate at the surface. This can cause a problem though as the excessive use of water during cleaning can result in the appearance of efflorescent salts as the floor dries. We are aware of this and Tile Doctor has developed low moisture gel cleaning products specifically to avoid this problem.

With this issue in mind work started by covering the tiles in a generous coat of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel. This is left to soak into the tile for fifteen minutes before being scrubbed into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with a coarse 200-grit diamond pad. The combination of the gel and the pad visibly lift the dirt out of the floor bringing it to the surface where it is removed with a wet vacuum.

Next step was to give the floor a wipe with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This further cleans up the tiles and being acid will dissolve any salts that maybe in the floor. Again, the product is left to soak into the tile before being scrubbed in the with the pad.

The floor was then inspected and any areas such as the edges and corners where the pads can struggle were spot cleaned by hand.

To 200-grit pad is very effective for cleaning however its very coarse so to further refine the appearance of the tiles they were given a polish with a series of finer diamond burnishing pads including 400, 800 and 1500-grit. These pads smooth the surface of the tile and close the pores making them more resilient.

Once done the floor was given a final wipe down using more Grout Clean-up and then the floor was left to dry out for several days.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

After three days we returned to seal the floor checking first that it had dried using a damp meter. Once I was satisfied it was given a coat of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a modern oil-based impregnator that enhances the colours in the tile and adds long lasting protection. X-Tra Seal is also rated for external as well as internal use so more than capable of dealing with bad weather.

I should mention that X-Tra Seal is a fully breathable sealer that will allow moisture to rise through the floor and evaporate at the surface. This is a very important feature when selecting a product for old floors like this one, use of a non-breathable sealer can lead to moisture becoming trapped under the floor where it could spread into the walls leading to rising damp.

The new sealer will ensure that dirt remains on the surface going forward where it can be easily cleaned away. Oh, and on the subject of maintenance cleaning I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. Many of the products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong for use on a sealed floor.

Professional Renovation of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Glasgow

The post Geometric Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Renovation Glasgow West End appeared first on Glasgow Tile Doctor.

20-Year-Old Porcelain Floor & Grouting Deep Clean in Beeston

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:28:57 +0000

Here we have a 20-year-old Porcelain tiled kitchen floor at a property in Beeston where I was asked to carry out a deep clean. The main issue was the Grout which had basically turned from what was a nice clean white to a grubby dark grey with accumulated dirt. The porcelain tiles were matt with an unusual, speckled pattern.

Porcelain tiles are generally easy to keep clean due to being impervious to water. The trouble is however that the dirt from the tile gets washed into the grout line during cleaning where it gets stuck in the cementitious grout, eventually causing it to discolour.

I quoted for cleaning the tiles and giving the grout a deep clean to remove the dirt and restore its fresh white colour. Happy to have found a solution to their grout issues my quote was accepted and a date booked in the diary.

Cleaning a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen

On my return I decided it would make sense to focus on the discoloured grout first and review the tiles second. So, to help break down the soiling that had built along the grout line I started with an application of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted 1:4 with water. This product is a strong alkaline degreaser that’s safe to use on all types of tiles and grout.

The solution was allowed to soak in for fifteen minutes prior to scrubbing with a rotary floor machine fitted with a nylon scrub brush. The brush works well on grout as the bristles get into the recesses of the grout lines. The brush was run over the grout lines first to get them as clean as possible and then moved over the surface of the porcelain tiles.

Once done the resulting slurry was removed with a wet vacuum and the grout inspected, any stubborn staining was then re-treated with more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and scrubbed by hand.

Sealing a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen

The next step was to give the floor an acid wash to further clean up the tile and grout and to neutralise the pH level of the floor following cleaning with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. To do this I used Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up using a 1:10 dilution with water. It was applied to the tile & grouting and then brushed in before being rinsed off with water and extracted with the wet vacuum.

Finally, the floor was given a thorough rinse with fresh water and then dried with the wet vacuum. To speed up the drying times a floor fan was deployed which ensured the floor was dry before I left allowing the client could see how effective the work had been. There is no need to apply a sealer as the tiles are sealed during production.

Professional Renovation of a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen in Nottinghamshire

The post 20-Year-Old Porcelain Floor & Grouting Deep Clean in Beeston appeared first on Nottinghamshire Tile Doctor.

Multiple Neglected Quarry Tiled Floors Restored in Bournville

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:06:10 +0000

A customer had recently moved into a property in Bournville and discovered an original Quarry tiled floor in the living room, hallway and a couple of quirky tiled areas upstairs. After searching on the internet for some inspiration, they came across my previous work and got in touch. Period floors like these are very popular and so they were keen to have the Quarry tiles restored.

I went over the property to survey the floor and made notes of all the floors and problems including the removal of self-levelling screed in the living room. This is often used to level tiled floors prior to the installation of another covering such as Vinyl or Carpet. It can be difficult to remove but it can be done. Another issue that would need to be dealt with was carpet glue and paint stains which I found in the hallway.

I worked out a detailed plan for the restoration work and was able to use this to create a quote for the work. Keen to have the floors restored my quote was accepted and a date set for the work to start.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Living Room Floor

The first day was spent removing an area of levelling screed from the living room along with a couple of repairs to the tiles. This literally has to be scrapped off the tiles by hand to remove the bulk of the screed. The whole floor was then cleaned with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go scrubbed in with a 120-grit carbide pad fitted to a weighted buffer machine. The resultant slurry was then extracted with a wet and dry vacuum.

The next step was to give the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which is ideal for breaking down cement residues. It was let to soak into the floor for ten minutes before being scrubbed. For this the coarse 120-grit pad was switched for a finer 240-grit carbide pad. The floor was rinsed with water and extracted again to remove the slurry.

After inspecting the floor, I was pleased to see that marks imprinted onto the tiles by the previous floor covering had been removed and the tiles were looking so much cleaner. Happy with my work the tiles were left to dry off overnight with the aid of a couple of air movers.

The next day I tackled the Quarry tiled hallway which was stained with carpet glue. The started with a steamer to loosen up year’s old adhesive and bitumen along with a scraper to remove dried paint. The hallway tiles along with a couple of tiled hearths upstairs were then cleaned using the same process as the living room.

After an hour or so of drying the tiles, I applied a coat of Tile Doctor Stone Oil to all the floors and left them to dry for twenty minutes before towelling off the excess. The tiles were then left to dry off completely overnight. Stone oil is the first step in the sealing process and adds colour, texture, and generally improves the condition of the Quarry tiles after years of neglect.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Living Room Floor

On the last day I applied a coat of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal to all the tiles to seal them. This sealer is an impregnator that soaks into the Quarry tile, occupying its pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. The tiles were then buffed with a White pad fitted to the rotary machine to remove excess sealer and bring up their appearance.

This sealer will ensure that dirt remains on the surface where is can be easily cleaned away. Another benefit of the sealer is it further improves the colour of the tiles and being fully breathable it will allow moisture still in the floor to rise through and evaporate at the surface.

Once complete all the tiled floors looked so much cleaner and colourful, additionally the new sealer gave all the Quarry tiles a consistent appearance throughout the property.

My customer was very happy with the results and before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare cleaning and left them with a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor pH neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a mild but effective tile cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer which can be the issue with the stronger products you find in supermarkets.

Professional Restoration of Quarry Tiled Floors in Birmingham

The post Multiple Neglected Quarry Tiled Floors Restored in Bournville appeared first on Birmingham Tile Doctor.