Lincolnshire Latest Posts

Dull Limestone Floor and Wall Tiles Polished and Sealed in Grantham

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 04:31:28 +0100

I was contacted by a homeowner near Grantham who was having trouble keeping his Limestone floor clean. The floor was installed throughout much of the ground floor and over the years it had become dull, and the grout had become darker in main walkway areas.

They wanted a quote for renovating the whole floor, so I visited the property to survey the tiles and grout and discuss the options. I could see that the floor needed some TLC to restore it to its former shine and so I recommended honing the Limestone with a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads to fully restore the polished appearance and then protecting it with one of our quality sealers.

While we were there the client also asked if we could sort his limestone shower cubicle that needed some similar work. We agreed the price and dates over email and booked in the work for both areas.

Burnishing Limestone Floor Tiling

Upon arrival silicone mastic was run under the woodwork in the Kitchen including the kickboards and end panels to protect from water ingress during cleaning. Moving onto to cleaning the first pad in the diamond pad system which was a coarse 400-grit was fitted to a rotary buffer machine. The machine is fitted with extra weights to improve traction and the pad run over each tile several times using only water for lubrication.

Once each tile had been cleaned the floor was rinsed with more water and the slurry extracted with a wet vacuum. The pad was then changed to an 800-grit and the process repeated and then again with a 1500-grit pad. This higher grit pads slowly refinish the stone after the coarse bad and add polish.

The floor was then inspected and any stubborn stains in the grout treated with a manual scrub of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean.

Burnishing Limestone Wall Tiling

To restore the shower area, a hand-held polisher fitted with 6-inch pads was used. Basically, it’s the same system as the flooring but scaled down for wall tiles. Some grouting was also replaced where cracked and once done the silicone sealant between the wall tile and shower tray was stripped out and replaced with new.

I used fans in all areas to help speed up drying.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor and Shower Cubicle

Day two started by checking the tiles were reasonably dry and then proceed to dry polish the stone with a 3000-grit burnishing pad which brings out the best shine.

The client wanted the stone and grout to stay as light as possible so Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal was selected. This is an impregnating sealer which is virtually invisible and won’t darken the stone. The sealer was applied to both the floor and wall tiles allowing thirty minutes drying time between coats.

The end result was very satisfying for both the flooring and shower tiles. The client was delighted and left a top review which I’ve copied below:

“I was very impressed with Phil’s quality of work, our kitchen limestone floor is as clean and bright as it must of been when first laid over 20 years ago. Phil gave regular communication throughout the process, arrived on time, and was polite and informative. Nice one tile doc.”

For aftercare cleaning of the floor tiles, I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle yet effective tile cleaning product designed for use on sealed tiles. For the shower tiles I recommend Tile Doctor Aqua Pro which is a similar product but comes in a spray bottle for easy use.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor and Shower Cubicle in South Lincolnshire

The post Dull Limestone Floor and Wall Tiles Polished and Sealed in Grantham appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Blackspot-Stained Grubby Sandstone Patio Restored in Caistor

Thu, 23 May 2024 07:21:02 +0100

These photographs are from a client in Caistor whose Sandstone Patio hadn’t been cleaned for years and was covered in blackspot and sap from overhanging trees from the churchyard next door. It was so dirty and un-inviting they had decided it was overdue a deep clean and so got in touch with Tile Doctor to have it restored, if possible. Deep cleaning a patio is certainly cheaper than replacing it so it’s always worth investigating that option first.

After discussing the patio over the phone, I made an appointment to visit the property and survey the patio. I could see that the Sandstone had turned black with all the absorbed dirt and blackspot staining and was unrecognisable from what it once was.

Undeterred I was confident of being able to renovate its condition and worked out a quote for the work which shouldn’t take longer than a day. Happy with the quote and the prospect of enjoying the patio again in time for the summer we set a date with an eye on the weather forecast.

Deep Cleaning a Sandstone Patio

There was a lot of dirt to remove so I started by giving the whole area a thorough jet wash using an industrial pressure washer. The machine generates pressurised hot water and worked well to cut through the dirt. It comes with several wand accessories including a spinner attachment that is the most efficient way to cut through the dirt.

With most of the surface debris removed I followed up with an application of Tile Doctor Patio & Driveway Cleaner which was left to soak into the stone for some time before being rinsed off with the pressure washer. This dwell time is important as the strong chemicals need time to break down the staining and especially the blackspot which ran deep into the Sandstone.

I had to repeat the process several times to get rid of all the staining experimenting with different dwell times on each occasion but as can be seen in the pictures it made an amazing difference. Just goes to show that a little patience can make a big difference.

My client was blown away in the transformation and most relieved that they wouldn’t have to look at replacing it.

I’ve mentioned this before but it’s worth knowing that Tile Doctor can deal with all types of tiles, both internal and external. We do not just tackle tiles, patios form a lot of our work in the spring and summer time, along with driveways. Cleaning and recolouring of grout is also a popular request for internal wall and floor tiles.

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Patio in Lincolnshire

The post Blackspot-Stained Grubby Sandstone Patio Restored in Caistor appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Lino Covered Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Restoration in Goulceby near Louth

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:01:55 +0100

I was asked to look at this Quarry tiled floor at a property in the village of Goulceby near Louth for a client who was renovating their kitchen. Previously it had been covered with lino and they lifted that to reveal the tiles underneath. Realising this floor was original to the property they decided to see if it could be restored and hence contacted Tile Doctor.

I went over to survey the Quarry tiles and could see there was quite a lot of cement screed staining on the tiles, a lot of which was quite thick. The installers of the linoleum will have done this to provide a completely level base. Although difficult I knew it could be removed and provided the client with a quote for restoring the floor. This was accepted, and a date scheduled for the work to commence.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

From experience I know the quickest way to remove old screed is to soften it with a steamer and then scrape it off carefully with a large scraper. It is not quick, and the work is quite laborious, but it is effective, in fact removing the screed took the best part of two days.

With the bulk of the screed removed I gave the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up, this product breaks down mineral based contaminates such as the remnants of the cement screed and old grout smears. Being acidic it will also neutralise alkaline salts that may have built up in the tiles. Old floors like this are designed to breathe and the previous coverings would have prevented that. This can lead to moisture being trapped under the floor where it can potentially reach out to the walls and cause rising damp. The Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up was scrubbed in with a mechanical buffer and then the soiling was rinsed off and extracted with a wet vacuum.

I then gave the floor a deep clean using Tile Doctor Remove and Go to get rid of any old sealants and dirt trapped in the tiles itself. I used the previous method of scrubbing with the buffer followed by rinsing and extracting. Last step on day two was to spot treat any remaining problem areas by hand until I was satisfied the floor was as clean as it possible.

I used a lot of water during those two days so despite removing as much of it as possible with the wet vacuum I was concerned it may take a long time to dry out completely, so I left a couple of dehumidifiers in place for a further two days before I returned to apply the sealer.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

On my return I checked the moisture levels of the tiles with a damp meter, taking readings from different parts of the floor to confirm it was dry. All was well so I set about applying the first of two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This is a breathable colour enhancing impregnating sealer that works by soaking into clay tiles, occupying the pores and ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it is easily cleaned away.

Once complete the Quarry tiled floor was transformed and as you can imagine my client was very happy with the result. They commented that they really didn’t think a tiled floor in this condition could be restored but figured it would be worth giving it a go.

Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare, and recommended they use a sealer safe Tile Cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Lincolnshire

The post Lino Covered Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Restoration in Goulceby near Louth appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Party-Stained Limestone Floor Renovated in Sleaford

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 08:50:55 +0100

Recently we were called to deep clean and seal a semi polished Limestone floor at a property near the Lincolnshire market town of Sleaford. Unfortunately, a teenage party had become rather boisterous and resulted in the floor getting in quite a state during their enthusiastic celebrations.

The main culprit was alcohol from split drinks and as you can see from the pictures it had soaked into the stone and stained it and would not simply wipe or clean off. Having visited the property to survey the floor I came up with a restorative cleaning plan and provided a quote for restoring the floor back to its polished and clean look.

Happy with the quote we set a date for my return.

Polishing Limestone Flooring

To clean the floor and remove stains Limestone needs to be stripped back and then polished using a set of diamond burnishing pads. The pads come is a set of four and you start with the coarse pad which fitted to a buffing machine running on slow speed, the coarse 400-grit pad which removes old sealers and opens the pores in the stone so the dirt can be flushed out. Once the pad has been run over each Limestone tile at least three times you move onto the medium 800-grit and then fine 1500-grit pads which then close the pores again and build-up the polish.

The pads generate a lot of slurry which is then rinsed off with water and then extracted using a wet vacuum. The burnishing process is then finished with the application of a very fine 3000-grit pad which is applied in the same way but with only a little water sprayed into the floor.

The last step is to use handheld burnishing blocks to get the same result in those places where the pads struggle to reach such as floor edges and corners.

Once complete a floor dryers was setup and left to run overnight to ensure the floor would be nice and dry and ready for sealing the next day. The customer can still use the floor in-between; they just have to be careful not to spill anything on it before it’s sealed.

Limestone Floor Tile Sealing

On our return the Limestone was checked for moisture using a damp meter. This confirmed the stone was dry and work could then start to apply the sealer to the floor.

I used a quality sealer called Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal for this which is a natural finish sealer that is virtually invisible. It’s also an impregnator which means it works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores, and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can easily be cleaned away.

The customer was over the moon that we had not only removed the etching from the partying but also fully restored the floor to its original shine. The new sealer should ensure the floor is easily cleaned going forward using a mop and a suitable cleaning product which for this floor I recommended Tile Doctor Stone Soap.

Limestone Tiled Floor Professionally Polished in Sleaford

The post Party-Stained Limestone Floor Renovated in Sleaford appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Restoration of a Carpet Covered Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Lincoln

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 12:18:51 +0100

This client contacted me because they were renovating their house in Lincoln and wanted to know it was possible to restore the Victorian tiled floor they found underneath the carpet. They had seen previous work of mine on-line and so confident I could help they decided to get in touch to see what could be done.

I went over to survey the floor and could immediately see it needed a lot of work. The floor was covered in all sorts of contamination, carpet adhesive, paint, plaster, cement, years of dirt and there were several areas of crumbled tiles that would need replacing.

I measured up and worked out a restoration plan along with the materials I would need to get the job done. Later that day I emailed over a quote to the owner, and they gave me go ahead to get the work done.

Deep Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Lincoln

I started work by deep cleaning the floor tiles with Tile Doctor Remove and Go, this as its name suggests is a coatings remover that can deal with quite a lot of problems. A strong dilution was made and sprayed onto one section of floor at a time where it was left to soak in for roughly twenty minutes. The tiles were then scrubbed to soften the contaminates and I used a steamer and a scraper to get off as much of the glue as possible. Once done the soiling was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

The initial treatment did well to remove the glue etc, but I could see more work was needed to really deep clean the years of dirt out of the Victorian tiles. For this I applied another Tile Doctor product called Nanotech HBU Remover, HBU stands for Heavy Build-Up. This was applied and extracted in the same way as before.

Next step was to carry out the repairs that were required which were mainly around the door thresholds. I’m not sure what it is with thresholds, but I guess this is generally where two floors meet, and the floor can experience some movement. To ensure a perfect match the owner had agreed for tiles to be removed from under the stairs so they could be re-used for the repairs. The space under the stairs was due to be boxed in as part of the renovations so you would never know.

With that done I moved onto the next step of giving the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This cleans up the tiles further by removing grout smears, dissolving efflorescent salts in the floor and the acidic nature of the product also neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of strong alkaline cleaning products earlier. The floor was rinsed again afterwards, and then dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum before leaving it to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Lincoln

I left the floor to dry out for several days before returning to seal the tiles. Applying a sealer to damp tiles can result in a patchy appearance to on my return I checked the moisture levels first with a damp meter to ensure they were dry enough. The readings were fine, so I was able to apply a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a breathable colour enhancing sealer. 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 the work was completed the floor looked so much better and I’m happy to report that both the husband and wife were amazed at the transformation. Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare and recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to maintain the floor. This is a pH neutral product which will is mild enough to use every day and won’t harm the sealer. It’s supplied as a concentrate so you only need a small amount of cleaning fluid to clean the floor and so a one litre bottle will last some time.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Lincolnshire

The post Restoration of a Carpet Covered Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Lincoln appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Replacing the Sealer and Polishing a New Travertine Tiled Floor in Boston

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 11:03:20 +0000

A regular customer from Boston got in touch with us before Christmas to help with a Travertine floor they had laid in their front room. It turns out that they were so impressed with our previous work that they had decided to replace their lounge carpet with more Travertine.

Unfortunately, however the new travertine floor turned out dull and lack lustre despite the tiler putting a sealer on after fitting. Unhappy with the floor appearance I was asked if the floor could be re-finished to match their original Travertine floor that I had worked on previously.

I visited the property to survey the new floor and came up with a plan to strip off the current sealer, polish the stone and then re-seal with the same product that I used previously. They were happy for me to go ahead and we set a date for the work to start which would take two days.

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

I returned on the agreed date and spent the first day burnishing the new Travertine floor tiles with a set of burnishing pads of different grits. Work starts with a coarse 400-grit pad, attached to a rotary floor buffer. Using water to lubricate the process the pad is run over each tile several times removing the sealer and any remaining dirt in the process.

Afterwards the floor was rinsed using our Rotovac system which applies water under high pressure to the floor dislodging the soils and then extracts the dirty water off the floor at high speed. The burnishing process was then repeated with the finer 800-grit and 1500-grit pads which start building the polish on the stone.

After a final rinse the process was repeated using a very fine 3000-grit pad which is applied dry to the floor using only a little water sprayed onto the tile. This last pad is the final step in the polishing process and leaves a lovely, honed finish on the stone.

During the polishing however it became apparent that the Travertine tiles contained a lot more holes that the other floor. These holes or pits as they are often called are a natural feature of this stone however, they do trap dirt easily so I agreed to fill them. I use a flexible filler for this which is colour matched to the stone and then to go off, I also left a floor dryer system in place overnight to assist with this and further drying out the tiles.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Returning the following morning the floor was tested the flooring with a damp meter to make sure it was fully dry. All was well and it was ready to seal with our quality impregnating sealer Tile Doctor Colour Grow which protects the floor from within whilst enhancing the natural colours and tones in the stone. Three coats of sealer were used to ensure the tiles were fully sealed and the result proved to be a good match to their other Travertine floor.

The customer was over the moon with the results and I took time afterwards to remind them about the best way to maintain the floor. For polished stone floors like this one I recommended Tile Doctor Stone Soap which will help maintain the patina on both Travertine floors.

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

The post Replacing the Sealer and Polishing a New Travertine Tiled Floor in Boston appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Flood Damaged Victorian Hallway Renovated at Cleethorpes Guest House

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:21:55 +0000

I was asked to look at renovating a Victorian tiled hallway floor for a guesthouse owner in Cleethorpes. There had been a flood at the property and the tiles had developed a White blooming which is usually a sign of Efflorescence. Also, a wooden floor in an adjoining corridor had been damaged and had to be lifted and in doing so the discovered that the Victorian floor actually continued along the corridor, which was a nice surprise.

Another issue was the old mat well by the front door where the tiles around the edge were coming away. I could have repaired that with salvaged tiles, but the client wanted a cheaper option, so I suggested making several repairs with the tiles we had available and rebuilding the matt well with a new piece of matting. This was the option she was happy with.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I first carried out a deep clean to Victorian tiles in the adjoining corridor to remove the glue that had been used to secure the wooden floor, it was also covered in paint splashed from decorating, however, my method should take care of both these problems.

I used a combination of Tile Doctor Remove and Go mixed with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to create a strong coatings remover/tile cleaning solution and left it to soak on the tiles for ten to twenty minutes. This gave it time to break down and soften the paint and glue, it was then removed using a hand scraper with some assistance from a steamer. The mess generated from the process was then rinsed off and extracted with a wet vacuum.

To counter the efflorescence and further clean up both the corridor tiles and the main hallway I treated the tiles to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This is left for another ten minutes before being worked into the floors and then rinsed off and extracted as before. Being an acid, it will neutralise the alkaline efflorescent salts in the floor, it also cleans the tiles to remove old cement and grout.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The next day the corridor floor was dry enough to seal with Tile Doctor Colour Grow and between coats I carried on with the cleaning the rest of the hallway which needed more attention.

The problem I had with the hallway was that the white blooming wasn’t just efflorescence, it turns out it still had traces of an old topical sealer on the tiles and that would need to be stripped off. I used more Tile Doctor Remove and Go for this, working in a strong dilution until all the sealer had gone. Again, this was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Once this was all done, I reset all the tiles around the mat well. Finally, I laid some self-levelling compound within the well to get it to the required height.

On the third day I made up a wooden frame for the mat well and secured it down before cutting a piece of matting to fit in snuggly. I then finished off sealing the hallway floor using Tile Doctor Colour Grow to get a consistent look between the corridor and main hallway. While I was waiting for everything to dry, I even gave the front entrance tiles a complimentary clean.

The floor was completely transformed by the work, and I’m pleased to say my client was over the moon with what had been carried out. For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is safe to use on sealed floors and will help keep the floor looking beautiful for many years to come.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North Lincolnshire

The post Flood Damaged Victorian Hallway Renovated at Cleethorpes Guest House appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Sandstone Flooring and Staircase Renovated at a Gainsborough Mansion

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 07:39:26 +0000

Earlier this year I completed a job at an old mansion south of Gainsborough which had a unique Sandstone staircase and flooring. The home had been in the family for generations and my client was in the process of having it renovated. My involvement related to the Sandstone hallway and staircase which needed deep cleaning and sealing.

I visited the property first to survey the stone and it was clear it hadn’t been cleaned in decades so there was quite a bit to do. As an added problem there were old strips of adhesive on the steps that had been used to secure a stair carpet and the adhesive had absorbed into the stone staining it.

Deep Cleaning a Sandstone Hallway and Staircase

My first task was to deep clean everything and my choice of product for this was Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This is a strong alkaline cleaner and coatings remover that’s designed for stripping off sealers and other contaminates such as adhesives; in this case however I suspect any sealer may have been work off years ago. I worked in sections and used a strong dilution decanted into a sprayer and applied to the stone; it was then left to soak in for a good ten to fifteen minutes before being scrubbed in.

For the sandstone floor tiles I used a 17-inch black scrubbing pad fitted to a weighted rotary floor buffer, the extra weight increases surface traction on the stone; I use the machine with a plastic skirt around the pad to minimise splashing. Once done the soiled solution was rinsed away with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. This process was very effective, and you can clearly see the difference in the photographs between the dirty and clean floor.

The large buffer machine wasn’t a practical choice for scrubbing the stone staircase so to tackle that, I used back 6-inch scrubbing pads fitted to a hand buffer. It is a slower process but combined with more Tile Doctor Remove and Go it got the job done.

After rising and extracting I inspected the staircase and it was clear that the marks from the adhesive strips would need more attention to completely remove the staining. I turned to another Tile Doctor product for this called Nanotech HBU Remover, HBU stands for Heavy Build-up and it is a real problem solver for issues like this. Again, the product was left to soak in for ten minutes and then scrubbed in using a similar process as before using the handheld machine. I had to do this a few times until we were happy with the results. I then used coarse 200 and 400 grit diamond burnishing pads to even out the surface.

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Hallway and Staircase Floor

After a final rinse and extraction, the floor was left to dry out completely for a few days; a lot of water is used in the cleaning process and the stone needs to be dry before applying the sealer.

On my return I took moisture readings with a damp meter to confirm the floor had dried and then started applying the sealer which for this floor I used Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal. This is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the pores of the stone adding protecting it from within, it leaves the stone with a natural finish and is almost undetectable. This product is also fully breathable which is an important point when dealing with old floors that don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane.

The client was amazed by the transformation and said she had never seen the stone so much lighter and clean. For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle but effective cleaning product that is safe to use on sealed stone.

Professional Restoration of a a Sandstone Tiled Hallway and Staircase in North Lincolnshire

The post Sandstone Flooring and Staircase Renovated at a Gainsborough Mansion appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Lincoln

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 09:38:59 +0000

I was asked to restore this Victorian tiled hallway floor at a property in Lincoln which as you can see was in quite a state. I don’t have the full history of the floor but essentially there were two large sections of missing tiles including under and in front of the stairs. these areas had been back filled with cement to level the floor so it could be covered with lino.

I’ve seen plenty of Victorian floors in my career, but I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. I discussed a price for the work which they were happy to accept and booked in a date to start.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The first job was to carefully remove all the cement from in front of the staircase and cut back the cement around the back of the staircase along the hall. The owner planned to create an understairs cupboard so there was no need to remove all of it as the cement floor would eventually be hidden.

With the ugly cement removed, the floor sections were brought level ready for tiling with a self-levelling compound. I had managed to source replacement tiles ready for the restoration, so then the next task was to use these to tile the floor following the existing pattern. Once they had set, I then grouted the floor.

The next step was to deep clean the old and new sections of tiling for which I used Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This was left to dwell and soak in for fifteen minutes before being scrubbed in with a Black pad. The residue generated was then rinsed off and then extracted with a wet vacuum. The tiles were then inspected, and stubborn paint splashes were spot treated with more product until I was happy the floor looked clean.

The next step was to give the floor an acid rinse with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up, this counters potential efflorescence and neutralises the pH level of the floor after using Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is alkaline. Efflorescence is a common problem with these old floors which don’t have a damp proof membrane and have been covered with rubber underlay or lino which prevents moisture rising through the floor. The floor was then rinsed and extracted again and left to dry out for a couple of days.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On my return I checked the moisture level of the tiles with a damp meter to make sure the floor was dry before starting. All was well so I sealed the floor with four coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which enhanced the colours in the tile and produced a lovely matt finish. Colour Grow is a breathable sealer which will allow for any moisture to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface, this is an important feature for old floors that don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane.

The floor looked so much better after the work was complete and my client was amazed at the transformation that had taken place. For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle but effective tile cleaning product that won’t harm the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North Lincolnshire

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Restoration of an Original Minton Hollins Victorian Floor in Spalding

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 10:54:21 +0000

The pictures below come from a Victorian property in Spalding which had a hallway tiled in original Minton Hollins tiles. This is a famous tile manufacturer based in Staffordshire in the 1800’s and are very sought after. You often hear of homeowners claiming to have a Minton tiled floor but its very difficult to prove unless you can check underneath the tile to see the manufacturers mark.

The floor was in a bad state of repair and on inspection I could see there were many loose and cracked tiles and some areas where bad repairs had been carried out. After reviewing the whole floor, I created a quote for resolving all the tiling issues, deep cleaning and then sealing with a matt breathable sealer.

During the inspection I noticed there were five or six tiles that had been laid upside down to reveal the Minton Hollins & Co mark confirming the provenance of the floor. It may sound unusual but it not that uncommon to find tiles laid upside down on old floors like this and it certainly adds character.

Happy with the quote and keen to have the floor restored we set a date for the work to start which would take several days due to the tiling work that was required.

Deep Cleaning a Large Victorian Hallway

Before starting with the cleaning, the first task was to sort out all the tiling issues. Loose and broken tiles had to be carefully removed in order not to disturb adjacent tiles and then the replacements were cut to size and fitted to match the original pattern.

My customer had managed to source the replacement tiles which isn’t as difficult as you might think as they are still very popular today and there are several manufacturers still producing them.

Then on day two the floor was deep cleaned using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to breakdown and release the dirt in the tiles. I let the Pro-Clean soak in for about ten minutes before scrubbing it in with coarse 100 and 200-grit diamond pads to remove ingrained dirt and any surface patination on the tiles. Once done the soiling was rinsed off with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

The floor was then given an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel to neutralise the PH level of the floor after the use of Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline cleaning product. This also helps counter any efflorescence salt issues that may be present in the floor and generally brightens up the tiles further by removing any surface grout. The whole floor was then scrubbed and rinsed with water and then left to dry off.

Sealing Victorian Tiles

A lot of water is used during the cleaning process and I needed the floor to dry out completely before the final step of applying the sealer so I left a couple of air movers in place to speed things up.

I returned a few days later to seal the tiles with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a fully breathable impregnating sealer that won’t scratch or peel and will enhance the colour in the tile. Breathable sealers allow moisture in the subfloor to rise thought the tile and evaporate at the surface. This is an important consideration for an old floor like this one as it won’t have a damp proof membrane installed and you don’t want damp building up under the floor where it can reach out to the walls.

The work was transformational and the results really speak for themselves. Certainly, my customer was delighted with their new period floor which is a great feature to have in the property and as mentioned before very sought after.

For aftercare cleaning of this floor, I recommend using a pH neutral tile cleaning products such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner; reason being that other products can simply too strong and contain bleach which can damage the sealer.

Professional Renovation of a Large Victorian Tiled Floor in Lincolnshire

The post Restoration of an Original Minton Hollins Victorian Floor in Spalding appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Replacing a Blown and Sticky Sealer on Slate Floors in Wragby

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 15:57:05 +0000

This client from Wragby contacted me because their Slate tiled shower room floor was covered in limescale and despite trying numerous products they couldn’t get rid of it. Also, for some reason the slate kitchen floor was always sticky, and they wanted this resolving as well. If you haven’t been, Wragby is just East of Lincoln on route to the Lincolnshire Wolds which is an area of outstanding natural beauty.

I went over to the property to survey the tiles and produce a quote for rectifying the problems. I discovered that the Kitchen floor had been over sealed with a solvent based topical seal and that had turned tacky, and in the shower room it wasn’t limescale that was the issue, in fact it was a moisture problem that had bloomed the seal. The tiles needed to be completely dry before applying a sealer or it can cause problems, also because the dining room followed from the kitchen it would need to be stripped as well of sealer and resealed otherwise the two floors would look different in colour.

I quoted for stripping and cleaning all three floors, and then re-sealing. The quote was accepted, and the job was booked in for a few weeks later.

Cleaning a Slate Tiled Kitchen, Dining and Shower Room Floor

To remove the sealer, I used a combination of Tile Doctor Remove and Go mixed with Tile Doctor Pro Clean. This was applied to the floor in the usual way, allowing it to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a Black pad. This action removes the old sealer and further cleaned the floor.

The soiling was then rinsed away with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. A couple of the areas were more stubborn that others, so the process was repeated until I was satisfied the sealer was gone and the Slate was as clean.

I setup a couple of air blowers in place to assist with drying and then left the floor to dry out fully overnight.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Kitchen, Dining and Shower Room Floor

Returning the following day, I used a damp meter to take moisture readings and ensure the stone was dry before applying the new sealer, as mentioned earlier it is not a good idea to seal a wet floor.

My client wanted a shine on the floor so for the Kitchen and Dining room I used a topical water-based sealer called Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. For the shower floor I explained that due to the moisture it would have to be sealed with a fully breathable impregnating sealer however it would leave a matt finish, they didn’t want a repeat of before so happy to accept my recommendation the shower room floor was sealed with Tile Doctor Colour Grow.

The whole process took 3 days, and all the floors were transformed by the work, certainly my clients were extremely happy with the result. For the aftercare cleaning of Slate floors, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which an effective tile and grout cleaner but gentle enough not to effect the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Slate Tiled Kitchen, Dining and Shower Room in North Lincolnshire

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Repaired and Restored in Scunthorpe

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:44:26 +0000

This Victorian tile floor was found under a carpet in a property in Scunthorpe during redecoration. The client asked if it could be cleaned up and some minor repairs carried out so we scheduled a date for me to go over and survey the floor.

Whilst at the property I took some measurements so I could create an accurate quote for doing the work. Sometimes I can price the work off photographs but with old floors like this I prefer to take a detailed look as you never know what you might find. Another consideration is efflorescence due to it being covered in carpet and probably rubber backed underlay, materials like this prevent the floor from breathing. Old floors like this one don’t have a damp-proof membrane it is best to let the floor dry out before doing any further work.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

My quotation was accepted, and the work started by addressing the the repairs using the tiles provided. The repairs however turned out to be more than expected as I discovered lots of patches that required lifting and re-fixed in place using a rapid setting adhesive and grout; this was unexpected but had to be done.

The next day with the floor now stable, I started the cleaning process using Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline product that cleans tiles and removes coatings. This is sprayed onto the floor and left to dwell for twenty minutes before being worked into the tiles using a buffer machine fitted with a Black scrubbing pad. This process breaks down old sealers and soils lifting them to the surface where they can be removed. The residue was then rinsed away using minimal water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

After rinsing I then repeated the process with Tile Doctor Acid Gel which further cleans up the tiles and dissolves any alkaline salts in the floor that might result in efflorescence later. As the name suggests this is an acidic product, it also neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of alkaline cleaning products earlier.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The hallway was then left to dry for a couple of days before returning to seal with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which has a matt finish. This is a hardwearing sealer which will ensure the high traffic area is protected and allows the natural colours of the Victorian tiles to shine through. The other reason this sealer was chosen though was that its fully breathable and will allow moisture to rise through the floor.

The client was over the moon with the result especially as I had kept to the quote and not charged for the additional tiling work. Before leaving I took time to discuss ongoing maintenance cleaning of the Victorian tiles and recommend the use of Neutral Tile Cleaner which won’t affect the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Lincolnshire

The post Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Repaired and Restored in Scunthorpe appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Multiple Victorian Tiled Floors Restored in Boston

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 08:24:49 +0000

I recently worked on several Victorian Tiled floors at a property in the Lincolnshire market town of Boston. With a few exceptions the tiles were generally in good condition and just needed a deep clean and fresh seal. The exceptions were a several areas of loose tiles that needed to be refitted before the cleaning process could begin.

Lose tiles are a quote common with tiled floor of this age and something I am more than happy to deal with. Another issue was that some of the floors had been covered in carpet and there were still some remnants of underlay stuck to the tiles when I arrived.

Old floors like this were not built with a damp-proof membrane under the floor to stop moisture rising up from the subfloor, as a result the tiles should be left to breathe and not covered up or this can result in a build-up of damp and the appearance of efflorescence. I had to consider this when planning the restoration and I made sure to point out to the owner that it would be necessary to use a fully breathable sealer.

Restoring Victorian Floor Tiles in Boston

On the first day I set about lifting the loose tiles, cleaning up the base and then re-securing the original Victorian tiles with fresh adhesive and grout. It’s always interesting when lifting old tiles as some manufacturers such as Minton marked their products underneath. After making the repairs I left the floor to set fully overnight.

I came back on day and setup my equipment ready for deep cleaning the tiles. Working in sections I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is our go to Tile and Grout Cleaner. This is sprayed into the tiles and then left to soak in for at least ten minutes before being worked in with a 200-grit and then 400-grit diamond pad fitted to a weighted buffer machine.

The pads are run over each part of the floor which generates a lot of soiling and then the soiling is removed using an industrial wet vacuum. Once complete each section is reviewed and any stubborn areas retreated to the same process or spot cleaned by hand as necessary until I was happy the floor was clean.

Once the initial clean was done I treated the floor to an acid rinse with an application of Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This step further cleans up the tiles, removes grout smears and will also dissolve any efflorescent salts lurking in the tiles. After a final rinse and extraction, the cleaning process was completed and the floor was left to dry out overnight.

Sealing Victorian Floor Tiles in Boston

On the third day the floor was first tested with a damp meter to ensure it had dried before starting to apply the sealer. This is an important check as applying a sealer to a damp floor can result in a patchy appearance.

I had discussed the different types of sealer with the owner when I came to survey the floor and it was clear they preferred a matt rather than glossy appearance; also given we needed to use a fully breathable sealer I decided to go with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which would also improve the colours in the tiles.

Several coats were applied, allowing time between each coat to dry. Fortunately, I had a couple of floors to work on so as one was drying, I was able to apply sealer to the other.

The floors were transformed by the work and the new sealer should keep them looking that way for many years to come. Before leaving I took time to discuss on-going maintenance cleaning with the owner and recommended they use a pH neutral tile cleaning products such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. I always mention this as other products are simply too strong and contain bleach which can damage the sealer reducing its life.

Professional Restoration of a Multiple Victorian Tiled Floors in Lincolnshire

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Renovation of a Beautiful Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Gainsborough

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 17:30:43 +0100

The photographs below were taken during the renovation of a Victorian tiled hallway floor at a property near Gainsborough. The floor was in good condition except for several areas of missing tiles which had been back filled with cement.

There were also two doorway sections where the owner wanted additional tiles adding to match the original. Fortunately, there was a large entrance matting covering more tiles, so I was able to take what I wanted from there to carry out the repairs.

Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Work commenced with the tiling work carefully removing the tiling from under the entrance matting and then cleaning them up. The matting was then dropped into the floor so it was level with the tiles.

The sections that had been replaced with concrete were then carefully scraped out and then prepped to take the tiles level with the existing floor. I dry fitted the tiles first cutting some of them as required to match the existing pattern.

Once I was happy with the pattern, they were then secured in place with a rapid setting adhesive and then grouted. There were a couple of areas that needed this attention and the two door thresholds so this work took up the whole of day one.

Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The next day the adhesive and grout had set and I was able to turn my attention to getting the floor clean and removing any remaining sealer. To do this I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to soak in for twenty minutes. The dwell time gives the product time to work into the tile and break down the old sealants and dirt. The floor was then scrubbed using a black pad fitted to a rotary machine and you could see the dirt lifting out of the tiles.

I worked in sections and used a wet vacuum to extract the dirt that had been released from the tiles. Once done I inspected the floor and spot treated any areas that needed more work.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

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 apply a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a breathable colour enhancing sealer. 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.

My client was very happy with the result and hadn’t really expected it to come out as well as it did. Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare and recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to maintain the floor. This is a pH neutral product which will is mild enough to use every day and won’t harm the sealer. It’s supplied as a concentrate so you only need a small amount of cleaning fluid to clean the floor and so a one litre bottle will last some time.

Professional Renovation of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Lincolnshire

The post Renovation of a Beautiful Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Gainsborough appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Grout Haze Removed from Brick Slip Bathroom Flooring in Saxilby

Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:02:15 +0100

I was asked if I could improve the look of this new bathroom floor that had been laid with brick slips in a herringbone pattern at a property in Saxilby near Lincoln. The builder had done a solid job of laying the bricks but had been overzealous on the grouting and was unable to remove all of it resulting in a whitening of the red bricks due to grout haze. Unhappy with the appearance of their new bathroom floor and with little chance of resolution with the builder they contacted Tile Doctor to see what could be done to improve their appearance.

Brick Slip tiles are basically a very thin brick which allows it to be laid like a tile, normally they are cut from an actual clay brick although there are other types. Thin like a tile and light weight they can be used to quickly create authentic looking brick walls and floors.

I visited the property to understand the problems and whilst I was there, I carried out a test clean to show the client what could be achieved. They were happy with what I showed them and booked me in to have the work done.

Removing Grout Haze from Brick Slip Flooring

To remove the grout haze, I started off with an application of Grout Clean-up which contains phosphoric acid and is designed exactly for this purpose. It was a small space to work in so the product was scrubbed into the tile by hand until I got them as clean as possible. This was followed by a quick rinse and extraction with a wet vacuum.

I then inspected the floor and could see more work was required so this time I laid down Acid Gel which is a blend of Phosphoric and Hydrochloric acids and left it to dwell for ten minutes. After another scrub I was pleased to see I had managed to remove all the grout haze and the red brick was really starting to come through. I then gave the floor a thorough rinse with water and then removed the soiling and as much moisture as possible with the wet vacuum. I left the floor to dry off whilst I went to lunch leaving an air mover in place to assist with the drying.

Sealing Brick Slip Flooring

Once it had dried the floor was then sealed using Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing product that as the name suggests improves colour in the tile, it’s also an impregnator which works by occupying the pores in the brick protecting it from within.

The client was over the moon and said that is how they wanted it to look originally. For cleaning I made the client aware of the problem of using harsh cleaning products on sealed tiles and advised them to use Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild but effective cleaner that won’t erode the sealer with regular use.

Professional Restoration of Brick Slip Flooring in Lincolnshire

The post Grout Haze Removed from Brick Slip Bathroom Flooring in Saxilby appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Restoring an Impressive Victorian Manor House Hallway Floor in Horncastle

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 13:44:14 +0100

The owner of a large Manor house near Horncastle invited us round to survey their large Victorian tiled hall. The tiles were thought to be around 150 years old and in good condition considering their age. Unfortunately, they were last sealed with Varnish which is the last thing you should seal a floor with, not only is it easily scratched but it can become a skating rink when wet.

My client requested a deep clean to remove the varnish and then sealing with a more appropriate product that would bring out the best in the tile. Being the entrance and main hall, it was important to renovate the floor so it looked its best and give the best impression to visitors.

On inspection I could see the floor would need some repairs and a deep clean with diamond pads to remove the old sealers/varnish and deep clean the tiles. It was also important to use a breathable sealer on an older property where no damp proof membrane is present. Our quote was accepted and time arranged to complete the work.

Deep Cleaning a Large Victorian Hallway

On the first two days I set about deep cleaning the tiles using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean Tile and Grout Cleaner and Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a stripper/coatings remover. These products were applied to the floor, left to soak in for ten minutes and then worked in with a 200-grit and then 400-grit diamond pads fitted to a weighted buffer machine.

The pads are run over each part of the floor which generates a lot of soiling and then the soiling is removed using a wet vacuum. This process was completed three times to make sure the tiles were clean; the old sealer and varnish was gone and the vibrant colours had come back to life. After a final rinse and extraction, the floor was reviewed and any stubborn areas and edges were spot cleaned by hand as needed.

We spent a total of 2 days cleaning the whole floor and rinse extracting after each clean. Repairs were carried out to the grout and a few tiles replaced. The last step was to give the floor an acid rinse with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to help counter any efflorescent salts and further clean up the tiles. After a final rinse and extraction, the cleaning process was completed and the floor was left to dry out overnight with several dryers in place to help speed up drying.

Sealing Victorian Tiles

On the third day the floor was first tested with a damp meter to ensure it had dried before starting to apply the sealer. Fortunately, being August, the weather was excellent and as hoped the moisture readings were fine.

The best sealer option for is a product called Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating colour enhance sealer that leaves a matt finish, it’s also fully breathable so will allow for moisture to rise through the tile and evaporate. Four coats of sealer were applied in all allowing time between each coat to dry. As you can see from the photographs it was a large floor so by the time I had applied a coat I was able to go back to the beginning and start the next.

The results were worth all the hard work and the customer had a stunning feature floor with a lost lasting impregnating sealer. Its worth mentioning that to help a sealer last as long as possible we recommend using a pH neutral tile cleaning products such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner; reason being that other products can simply too strong and contain bleach which can damage the sealer.

Professional Renovation of a Large Victorian Tiled Floor in Lincolnshire

The post Restoring an Impressive Victorian Manor House Hallway Floor in Horncastle appeared first on Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Restoring an Impressive Victorian Manor House Hallway Floor in Horncastle

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 13:44:14 +0100

Deep Cleaning a Large Victorian Hallway

Sealing Victorian Tiles

Professional Renovation of a Large Victorian Tiled Floor in Lincolnshire

The post Restoring an Impressive Victorian Manor House Hallway Floor in Horncastle appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Dirty Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Boston

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 05:05:32 +0100

We were asked to restore a large 70m2 riven Sandstone floor in the historic market town of Boston where the customer had been sealing with an impregnator sealer but the stone just kept absorbing the daily dirt despite repeated cleaning. The Sandstone was now very dull with ingrained dirt and mopping just seemed to make it worse. Unhappy with the appearance they decided to call us in to resolve the issues and add a resilient finish with a slight sheen.

Something clearly was not right so after discussing the issue on the phone I arranged to visit the property and survey their problematic stone floor. I concluded that the sealer the client was using was not effective at sealing the floor properly and had let dirt get into the stone. This could be because the floor had not been cleaned well enough prior to sealing, insufficient sealer had been applied or perhaps the sealer wasn’t suited to Sandstone. Either way to resolve the problem the solution would be to deep clean the Sandstone stripping off the old sealer in the process and then use something more suitable for Sandstone such as Tile Doctor Seal & Go which would also give the subtle shine appearance they were after.

I worked out a quote to renovate the floor, which was accepted and a date agreed to do the work which would take two days, one to deep clean the stone and the second to seal.

Deep Cleaning a Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The first day started preparing the area which in this case was simply a case of removing the kickboards from under the kitchen units. Next, I created a strong cleaning, sealer stripper solution by combining Tile Doctor Pro-Clean with Remove and Go and then working in sections sprayed it on to the Sandstone and left it to soak in for ten minutes.

The solution was then scrubbed into the stone using a brush pad fitted to a rotary buffer machine with added weight to improve contact. Using a brush pad is an important factor when cleaning riven stone as a normal flat pad would struggle getting into the grooves of the stone and works well on the grout lines as well.

The scrubbing action generated a lot of slurry which was extracted using a high pressure Rotovac system which is a great time saver. The Rotovac works by applying hot water under high pressure onto the floor to further force out ingrained dirt and muck from the stone whilst simultaneously extracting the soil back to a tank on our van.

The results were amazing leaving the stone both clean and free of the old ineffectual sealer. After this the floor was inspected and stubborn stains were spot treated and the floor given a final rinse. Now satisfied the Sandstone was clean I left a couple of air movers in place to assist with drying overnight.

Sealing a Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The following day the moisture levels in the floor were checked with a damp meter, its important the stone is dry before sealing otherwise the results can be patchy. Fortunately, the air movers had done an excellent job and I was able to start applying the sealer.

Seal and Go is a water-based sealer (so no smell as it dries) that works by protecting the stone with an impermeable layer. It takes multiple coats to fully protect the stone but does give the Sandstone a lovely appearance and will protect the floor from everyday wear and tear as well as making it easy to clean.

The customer was over the moon and said it was better than when they first had it installed and mentioned they would definitely recommend our services going forward.

Professional Sandstone Floor Renovation Service in Boston

The post Dirty Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Boston appeared first on Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Dirty Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Boston

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 05:05:32 +0100

I worked out a quote to renovate the floor, which was accepted and a date agreed to do the work which would take two days, one to deep clean the stone and the second to seal.

Deep Cleaning a Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

Sealing a Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The customer was over the moon and said it was better than when they first had it installed and mentioned they would definitely recommend our services going forward.

Professional Sandstone Floor Renovation Service in Boston

The post Dirty Riven Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Boston appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

1880 Mosaic Tiled Floor Fully Restored at Lincoln College

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 04:56:56 +0100

Pictured below are photographs I took recently whilst restoring an original 1880s Mosaic tiled floor at Lincoln College. The floor was 60m2 in size and located in the main entrance of the college. After searching around for someone who could restore the floor back to its original state, they found Tile Doctor and as their local representative I was asked to survey the floor and provide a quote.

The work would involve removing concrete screed, repairing cracks, filling holes, deep cleaning and then sealing the floor to protect it. Time was a factor as I would only have the space to myself between the end of the summer term and before the freshers arrived at the end of September. Happy to get involved I was pleased to be awarded the work.

Repairing and Deep Cleaning a Mosaic Tiled Floor

Rather than restore the floor a decision had been taken in the past to level it and cover it, probably in some sort of carpet. As a result, my first action was to carefully remove the concrete screed, glue, and bitumen. This was pain staking work as I didn’t want to damage the mosaic tiles hidden underneath. To do this I needed to use a chisel and a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads fitted to a heavy floor buffer and lubricated with water. Each pad generates a fair amount of slurry which needs to be rinsed off with more water and extracted using an industrial wet vacuum.

With the screed and other coverings removed to reveal the whole Mosaic floor I was then able to move onto deep cleaning up the tiles using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a tile and grout cleaning product scrubbed in with a black pad. Again, the wet vacuum and more water was employed to remove the dirt and soil generated during the cleaning process.

The appearance of the Mosaic tiled floor had now fully to revealed itself and I was able to move onto the next stage which was to fill in the cracks and holes using a filler coloured to match the tile and grout. I also painted matching colours onto the surface of the cracks and holes to camouflage them and ensure the repairs would match the general pattern of the floor and make the repairs invisible.

Due to the large size of the floor and with other contractors working in the building I worked in cordoned off sections and used an industrial turbo dryer speed up the during times.

Sealing a Large Mosaic Tiled Floor

The main restoration took two days to complete, and I returned for a third and final day to finish the floor with the application of a protective sealer. For this I chose Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that protects by soaking into the pores of the tiles and protecting it from within. This sealer also enhances the natural colours of the tiles making them stand-out better, three coats were applied.

The building managers were over the moon with the transformation and draw quite a crowd from the staff as they came to see the 140-year-old floor renovated to its original condition. Not only did we manage to save this historic part of the building but also save them thousands on a replacement.

Historic Mosaic Tiled Floor Restored in Lincoln

The post 1880 Mosaic Tiled Floor Fully Restored at Lincoln College appeared first on Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

1880 Mosaic Tiled Floor Fully Restored at Lincoln College

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 04:56:56 +0100

Repairing and Deep Cleaning a Mosaic Tiled Floor

Due to the large size of the floor and with other contractors working in the building I worked in cordoned off sections and used an industrial turbo dryer speed up the during times.

Sealing a Large Mosaic Tiled Floor

Historic Mosaic Tiled Floor Restored in Lincoln

The post 1880 Mosaic Tiled Floor Fully Restored at Lincoln College appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Extended Multi-Coloured Riven Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Given New Lease of Life in Lincoln

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 15:51:58 +0100

This customer in Lincoln had a new kitchen fitted but the footprint of the new kitchen was different and so they had some new tiles installed to match the original Multicoloured Slate floor. The new tile and grouting stood out against the original floor, something needed to be done to get the flooring to blend in together, so she called Tile Doctor.

I popped over to survey the floor and could see the real problem was that the sealer on the original Slate tile and grouting had worn off was letting dirt in making it difficult to keep clean. I recommended deep cleaning all the Slate and especially the grouting and then sealing the whole floor. The new sealer would bring the old and new sections together and once complete you wouldn’t be able to tell the new from the old.

Cleaning Dirty and a Dull Riven Slate Tiles

First job was to protect the new kitchen at ground level where needed including the removal of the kickboards. This was followed with the application of a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the tile and grout where it was left to soak in for about fifteen minutes.

Whilst the Pro-Clean was getting a head start on breaking down the soils and what was left of the original sealer, I set up a Rotovac machine which that scrubs the floor with soft brushes whilst rinsing and extracting all at the same time. It an expensive piece of kit but it’s very efficient and makes a very clean job of restoring the floor with two or three passes.

The vacuum extraction build into the Rotovac also means most of the water is removed from the floor. I was therefore able to inspect the tile and grout and repeat the process where required. I could see that some grout needed some more attention, so I hand cleaned those areas with Pro-Clean and a grout brush. At the same time the floor was being speed dried with a blower and fans.

Efficient drying was especially important here due to the amount of water used in the cleaning process. We know from experience that for best results it’s important not to apply a sealer to damp tiles, so I always make sure the floor is dry using a damp meter beforehand.

Sealing Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Tiles

Once the cleaning phase was complete the new and old tiles matched perfectly. Eight years of grime had been removed and with the help of the fans and the sunny warm weather the floor was drying out quickly. In-fact I tested the tiles with a damp meter shortly after lunch and it confirmed the floor was dry and ready for sealing.

To seal the tile, I applied four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. This adds a robust layer of protection to the floor, lifting the natural colours and adding a subtle finish that complements the natural stone. The new sealer also brought the new and old sections of tiling together making it impossible to determine the old from new.

Looking at the photos of the floor before and after my work you can really get an idea of the transformation achieved in a short space of time. Certainly, my customer was delighted with the results and left the following review.

“Amazing work, the slate floor looks better than I imagined it could look. Who knew there were all these amazing colours under all that old sealant? Phil did amazing work, even hand-scrubbing the grout to make it look as new. Would happily recommend to friends and family who want to refresh their tiles.”

For the aftercare cleaning of Slate floors its important to remember not to use a product that isn’t too strong as it will prematurely erode the sealer on the tiles. Personally, I always recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is purpose made for the regular cleaning of sealed floors.

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

The post Extended Multi-Coloured Riven Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Given New Lease of Life in Lincoln appeared first on Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Extended Multi-Coloured Riven Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Given New Lease of Life in Lincoln

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 15:51:58 +0100

Cleaning Dirty and a Dull Riven Slate Tiles

Sealing Multicoloured Slate Kitchen Tiles

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

The post Extended Multi-Coloured Riven Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor Given New Lease of Life in Lincoln appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Working Through COVID-19

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:00:57 +0000

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 Coronavirus it’s become necessary to change our working practices in-line with government guidelines and to take action to minimise health risks to you and our team. At present, none of our team are showing any symptoms of the virus so we are continuing home visits for quotes and to complete scheduled works should it be safe to do so.

All Tile Doctors are aware to look out for the known symptoms of High Temperature and New Continuous Cough. We are aware of the need to self-isolate should it be necessary and should this be the case we will contact you to postpone. We also ask you monitor your own health and contact us should it be necessary for you to postpone for the same reason. Should you be in a high-risk group we recommend contacting us to re-arrange a visit to later in the year.

Naturally the situation could change very quickly and therefore we will no longer ask for any official notice should you wish to postpone or cancel a booking, however we would appreciate a phone call.

Our Tile Doctors are aware of the guidelines and will carry out a risk assessment at every premises they visit. They also understand the importance of observing the following whilst on site:

Avoiding Physical Contact
The importance of Social Distancing
Wearing single use Gloves and Overshoes
Regular hand washing and use of liquid sanitiser
Cleaning Equipment with Detergent after use

We are monitoring Government guidance and will ensure we continually adjust our working practices as required and endeavour to keep you informed. These are challenging times that are impossible to predict, the key is to stay safe and accepting of late changes should they occur.

Regards

Phil Barrs
Lincolnshire Tile Doctor
#TileDoctorUK #weareinthistogether #pulltogether #staystrong

For more information about Covid-19 virus we recommend the following sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-track-coronavirus-cases

The post Working Through COVID-19 appeared first on Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Working Through COVID-19

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:00:57 +0000

Our Tile Doctors are aware of the guidelines and will carry out a risk assessment at every premises they visit. They also understand the importance of observing the following whilst on site:

Avoiding Physical Contact
The importance of Social Distancing
Wearing single use Gloves and Overshoes
Regular hand washing and use of liquid sanitiser
Cleaning Equipment with Detergent after use

Regards

Phil Barrs
Lincolnshire Tile Doctor
#TileDoctorUK #weareinthistogether #pulltogether #staystrong

The post Working Through COVID-19 appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Renovating a Natural Stone Hallway Floor at Spilsby Rental Property

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 12:48:24 +0100

We were asked by a client who had rented her property out near Spilsby Lincolnshire, if we could restore her very dirty natural flagstone hallway. The previous tenants had subjected the floor to heavy usage and unfortunately it had not been maintained very well. Spilsby is a small market town that has retained its’ character and not changed much since the 19th century. Being about 17 miles East of my base in Woodhall Spa it wasn’t long before I was able to go over and survey the floor.

As you can see from the pictures the flagstones were very well used and had lost all their natural beauty. The stone would normally have a lovely mixture of colours and grains showing, as you can see these were nowhere to be seen. I suspect the tenants had been using household cleaners on the floor which tend to strip the protective sealant due to their acidic composition leaving the stone vulnerable. The stone tiles were riven so once the sealant had started to break down the dirt soon becomes ingrained in the uneven surface making them difficult to clean.

The client was keen to get the floor looking nice and clean ready for the next tenants to move in so after discussing the process to get the floor looking good again, we agreed a price and booked in a date for the work to be completed.

Cleaning and Restoring a Natural Stone Tiled Hallway Floor

Arriving on the first day, we taped up the skirting and plinth to prevent them getting damaged. A strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was then applied to the stone floor and left to soak in for ten minutes so it could get to work breaking down the dirt and any remaining sealer. Pro-Clean is a professional tile and grout cleaning product that is ideal for cleaning dirty stone tiles like these.

The stone tiles were riven (not a smooth) so we used a Rotovac system to get the tiles clean. The machine scrubs the floor with soft brushes whilst simultaneously extracting the soil using self-contained pressurised water. It’s a very efficient way to deep clean the floor and vacuum all the dirty solution away from the floor. It immediately transformed the look of the stone and achieved a 1st class result in removing all the grime and dirt from the stone.

The cleaning process went very well and by the time we had finished the whole area looked much brighter. The natural tones of the stone had come back to life and with the application of a sealer they should stay that way for some time to come. Before this could happen however the floor needed to be dry so we the help of a couple of turbo dryers the floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Natural Stone Tiled Hallway Floor

The following day after making sure the floor was dry by testing with the moisture meter, we sealed the floor with two coats of our natural look sealer Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal. This is an impregnating sealer that works by seeping into the pores of the stone thereby preventing dirt and liquid from becoming ingrained there.

The sealer gave the stone a natural look that the client requested, and she was delighted with the end result. Hopefully she will have no trouble renting out the property, the floor now looks stunning!

Professional Restoration of a Natural Stone Tiled Hallway Floor in Lincolnshire

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Renovating a Natural Stone Hallway Floor at Spilsby Rental Property

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 12:48:24 +0100

Cleaning and Restoring a Natural Stone Tiled Hallway Floor

Sealing a Natural Stone Tiled Hallway Floor

Professional Restoration of a Natural Stone Tiled Hallway Floor in Lincolnshire

The post Renovating a Natural Stone Hallway Floor at Spilsby Rental Property appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Renovating Dirty Travertine Kitchen Tiles in Coningsby

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 14:25:02 +0000

A customer from the village of Coningsby was having trouble keeping their Travertine tiled Kitchen floor clean. Another company had sealed the flooring previously, but it clearly hadn’t lasted and dirt had now become ingrained in the pores of the stone. As a result, mopping the floor wasn’t effective at removing the dirt from either the Travertine or the grout lines.

This was a busy work kitchen that needed to have a floor that is easy to maintain; now frustrated with the way the floor looked they considered having it taken up and replaced but decided to contact Tile Doctor first looking for a remedy.

We visited the property to survey the floor and discuss the issues they were facing with the floor. It clearly needed to be deep cleaned and then resealed properly with a more effective product. I explained our process and discussed the result they were looking for. They were happy for me to go ahead and requested a Matt finish rather than a shine or gloss look as it was a high use kitchen.

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

I returned on the agreed date and spent the first day removing the old sealer that was no longer working and deep cleaning the flooring. To achieve this, I used a series for burnishing pads of different grits. After each pad the floor was rinsed using our Rotovac system which rinses the floor and extracts the dirty water off the floor at high speed. Although an expensive investment the machine makes light work of cleaning hard floors and saves a lot of time.

After cleaning the floor, a turbo dryer was installed to speed up the drying process so the floor can be inspected, and any stubborn areas redone. The tiles looked nice and clean, but I could see some areas of grouting needed more work so these were hand scrubbed with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean followed by another rinse to remove the soil.

At this stage I also noticed a few holes in the travertine that were filled for the customer with a matching colour. This is a common problem for Travertine and unfortunately, they easily attract dirt, so filling makes the floor much easier to clean going forward.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

We returned the following morning and tested the flooring with a damp meter to make sure it was fully dry. All was well and it was ready to seal with our quality impregnator Tile Doctor Colour Grow which protects the floor from within whilst enhancing the natural colours in the stone in the process. The Travertine proved more absorbent than usual for this type of stone and took three coats before a water test indicated the floor was fully sealed.

You can see from the photo above that the water beaded up on the surface and can be simply wiped away even after a few minutes. This shows maximum protection has been applied. Given my experience with this floor I suspect the previous company had not applied enough sealer and this would explain why it failed, had they conducted a water test then this should have been obvious.

We then gave a final polish with our buffer and a white soft pad to really strengthen the seal and give the best finish. I should mention that Colour Grow leaves a matt finish which matches the customer’s request.

For aftercare cleaning going forward I left the customer a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner that looks after the seal better than any high alkaline or acidic cleaners like bleach or washing up liquid which will prematurely erode the seal.

The customer was delighted with the results, commenting on how much brighter the whole room looked.

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

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Renovating Dirty Travertine Kitchen Tiles in Coningsby

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 14:25:02 +0000

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

The customer was delighted with the results, commenting on how much brighter the whole room looked.

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

The post Renovating Dirty Travertine Kitchen Tiles in Coningsby appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Travertine Kitchen Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Lincoln

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 02:44:01 +0000

Travertine is a lovely beige and brown stone that looks fantastic when it’s first laid but needs work to maintain the appearance. This was exactly the problem my customer who lives near the historic Cathedral City of Lincoln had experienced. The sealer on their Travertine Kitchen floor was becoming worn in the more commonly used parts of the floor letting dirt become ingrained into the pores of the stone and the grout was also becoming darker where it was getting dirty. They also had pets that spent a lot of time in the Kitchen which didn’t help and there were also small holes in the Travertine that were trapping dirt and would need filling.

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

To deep clean the stone and grout I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, left it to soak in for ten minutes and then worked it into the floor using a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. Pro-Clean is a strong reliable alkaline product which is safe to use on stone and grout including Travertine and Limestone.

I also ran a stiff grout brush along the edges of the floor and especially along the grout lines to get the grout as clean as possible; the scrubbing pad struggles to reach into the recesses of the grout so it’s best to do this by hand. The now dirty cleaning solution was extracted from the floor using a wet vacuum and rinsed with water to ensure the tile and grout was now clean and any stubborn stains spot treated.

After the deep clean we filled the holes as required using flexible filler which gives a really smooth look to the flooring. We then left our turbo dryer system on overnight to thoroughly dry out the floor before returning to seal the tiles on day two.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

The next day I returned to the property and proceeded to seal the Travertine tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to protect the tiles and also really enhance the natural colours in the stone. As an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow penetrates into the stone and fills its pores to safeguard it against ingrained dirt and stains from within.

As you can see from the photographs, the combination of a deep clean, high quality polish and fresh seal really transformed the appearance of the floor from dull and lifeless to a really asset to the kitchen. The customer was so happy with the results she has booked us in to carry out the same work to other flooring in the property.

Professional Maintenance of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Lincoln

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Travertine Kitchen Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Lincoln

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 02:44:01 +0000

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Professional Maintenance of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Lincoln

The post Travertine Kitchen Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Lincoln appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Mucky Travertine Tiled Floor Restored Near Woodhall Spa

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 12:27:41 +0000

Quite often our customers will be new property owners who have inherited fantastic tiled floors that are in need of smartening up. Typically the previous owners struggled to maintain the floor which is not unusual when it comes to high quality natural stone such as Travertine and this was the case with this Travertine tiled floor that I recently restored at a property near Woodhall Spa, on the southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

The customer not only needed a deep clean for the tiles and grout which had become dirty and discoloured over time, but also needed for many of the small holes caused by the natural process of pitting to be filled to give the Travertine tiles a smooth and polished finish. Finally, the floor would need a fresh seal to protect it and make it easier to cleangoing forward.

Cleaning and Repairing a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor

To begin the restoration, I applied Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the floor, which is our reliable high alkaline cleaner designed for use on stone floors, left it to soak in and break down the dirt and then used our hot pressure Rotovaccleaning system to clean the tiles. The Rotovac is an expensive machine but makes light work of the job by deep cleaning and scrubbing the stone whilst rinsing and extracting away all of the soiled cleaning residue at the same time. It allows us to get deep into the pores of the tile and grout to eradicate ingrained dirt and stains.

I then worked through our four-stage diamond encrusted burnishing pad system which hones and polishes the surface of the tiles with excellent results. Each of the four pads is applied in turn, moving from a coarse grit all the way to a Very Fine grit.

Once I was happy with the condition of the floor it was time to deal with the holes in the Travertine by applying a two-part colour matched resin to fill the small and large holes mentioned earlier.After completing the cleaning and filling was completed I left the tiles to dry off completely overnight aided with air movers to speed up the drying process.

Ensuring the floor is bone dry before sealing is important as I needed to seal the tiles the next day, and a small amount of excess moisture can cloud the sealer and damage its performance.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

When I came back the next day I tested the floor for moisture to confirm it was dry before applying two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is an impregnating sealer that intensifies and enhances the natural shades in the Travertine while also providing it with protection against dirt and stains.

With the restoration complete I left the customer with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for regular future maintenance, along with an aftercare leaflet. We recommend this product for the regular cleaning of sealed tiles as the neutral pH will help to maximise the life of the sealer and not erode it like many acid cleaning products.

I think you will agree the floor now looks much better, certainly the customer was very happy with the work and left the following feedback:

“Phil and his colleague worked their magic to transform our tired looking, grimy Travertine floors into bright, shiny new look floors. Thank you so much.”

Professional Restoration of a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor in Lincolnshire

The post Mucky Travertine Tiled Floor Restored Near Woodhall Spa appeared first on Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Mucky Travertine Tiled Floor Restored Near Woodhall Spa

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 12:27:41 +0000

Cleaning and Repairing a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor

Ensuring the floor is bone dry before sealing is important as I needed to seal the tiles the next day, and a small amount of excess moisture can cloud the sealer and damage its performance.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

I think you will agree the floor now looks much better, certainly the customer was very happy with the work and left the following feedback:

“Phil and his colleague worked their magic to transform our tired looking, grimy Travertine floors into bright, shiny new look floors. Thank you so much.”

Professional Restoration of a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor in Lincolnshire

The post Mucky Travertine Tiled Floor Restored Near Woodhall Spa appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiles Revitalised in Sleaford

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:51:51 +0000

I can’t stress how important a sealer is when it comes to maintaining the look of a stone floor and although they can protect a floor for many years if not maintained they will all but disappear in high traffic areas allowing dirt and stains to penetrate the pores of the stone. This gradual degradation occurs over such a long period it usually happens without being noticed.

This Sandstone tiled kitchen floor and entrance hall at a barn conversion property in Sleaford had not been sealed in eight years. Since Sandstone is naturally highly porous, dirt and staining had easily become easily ingrained in the tiles. The result? A very dull and poor looking set of tiles.

After difficulties trying to resolve the situation by themselves, the property owners asked me to deep clean the tiles to restore the appearance of the Sandstone which had faded over the years. Thankfully we have the right products, equipment, and experience to be able to carry out the restoration quickly and efficiently.

Cleaning a Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiled Floor

The first day of work involved preparing the area by protecting other surfaces and removing the kickboards form under the kitchen units. This was followed by a deep clean of the floor firstly with our high pressure Rotovac system which applies hot water under high pressure to force out ingrained dirt and muck from the stone whilst simultaneously extracting the soil back to a tank on our van. I followed this by scrubbing and rinsing the tiles and grout with a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline powerful cleaner we use on natural stone floors. This helped to tackle any particularly deeply ingrained dirt and clean up the grout.

Following the clean, I installed turbo dryers and used the already in-built underfloor heating to dry the Sandstone, which was necessary as it is naturally a very porous stone and easily absorbs moisture.

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Floor

On the second day, the tiles were completely dry and ready to be sealed however before sealing I asked for the underfloor heating to be switched off so the fresh sealer would cure more naturally. To seal the floor, I opted to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that occupies the pores in the Sandstone so dirt can’t, additionally it’s formulated to enhance the naturally occurring colours in the Sandstone – those which after such a long time the customer was keen to see again.

After two coats of Colour Grow were applied, the transformation was well and truly complete. The customer was also well and truly happy. After eight years, the Sandstone tiles were restored to better than their original condition.

One question I often get asked is how do you know when your sealer has worn down. The answer is to conduct a water test on your tiles, if the water forms a bubble on the surface of the tile as in the photo below then it shows the sealer is doing its job.

Professional Sandstone Tiled Floor Maintenance Service in Sleaford

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Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiles Revitalised in Sleaford

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:51:51 +0000

Cleaning a Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiled Floor

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Floor

Professional Sandstone Tiled Floor Maintenance Service in Sleaford

The post Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiles Revitalised in Sleaford appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Riven Slate Tiles Rejuvenated by Deep Clean and Seal in Boston

Sun, 06 Nov 2016 05:57:37 +0000

While fantastic to look at, Riven Slate tiles can be particularly difficult to keep clean. The natural unevenness of the stone causes dirt to become more easily trapped and more difficult to remove. Over time, heavy buildup of ingrained dirt can have the effect of dulling the colours in the stone. This was the case with this large area of Riven Slate tiles at a very busy farmhouse in the Lincolnshire port town of Boston, the original namesake for the perhaps more famous city in Massachusetts, USA.

The property owner couldn’t figure out the best way to improve the situation and so called me in to see what could be done. Upon inspecting the tiles first hand I decided that the best course of action would be a very deep clean and the application of a fresh sealant to offer long-term protection against ingrained dirt.

Cleaning Dirty and a Dull Riven Slate Tiles

The cleaning process was split into two main components. Firstly, I scrubbed a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean into the tiles to remove the initial layers of soil buildup. Pro Clean is our go-to cleaner for most natural stone due to its reliability and the fact that, unlike a lot of supermarket floor cleaners, it isn’t acid-based and so won’t damage the stone.

Since the ingrained dirt problem was quite severe, I opted to also clean the tiles using our van-mounted pressure cleaning system. This very efficient system applies hot water under pressure to the to stone to penetrate deeply and eradicate particularly stubborn ingrained dirt. It then automatically extracts the soiled water back into a tank in our van.

Satisfied that the floor had been cleaned as throughly as possible, I then installed several turbo dryers to thoroughly dry the flooring, allowing it to be ready for sealing the next day. Efficient drying was especially important here due to the amount of water used in the cleaning process; many tiled floor owners will already know that sealant cannot be applied if any moisture remains.

Sealing Riven Slate Tiles

To seal the tiles I used four costs of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. This is a topical sealer, meaning it forms a robust layer of protection on the surface of the tiles. Seal and Go also helps to enhance colour while providing a natural look matte finish that complements the natural stone.

Looking at the photos of the floor before and after my work you can really get an idea of the transformation achieved in a short space of time. What a difference! The property owners were very pleased with the results, especially now that they are aware of the best way to keep their lovely Riven Slate tiles clean and protected.

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

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Riven Slate Tiles Rejuvenated by Deep Clean and Seal in Boston

Sun, 06 Nov 2016 05:57:37 +0000

Cleaning Dirty and a Dull Riven Slate Tiles

Sealing Riven Slate Tiles

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

The post Riven Slate Tiles Rejuvenated by Deep Clean and Seal in Boston appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Travertine Kitchen Tiles Transformed in Sleaford

Tue, 02 Aug 2016 16:48:33 +0100

This fantastic Travertine tiled kitchen floor was in a bad way. Not only had it not been treated to a proper clean and seal in a long while, but it has also suffered from natural pitting, leaving lots of little holes that damaged the overall appearance of the floor. Travertine is very aesthetic, but suffers from the drawback of being quite soft compared to other types of stone (typically it sits between 3-4 on the Moh’s scale of mineral hardness).

The customer, who lives in the town of Sleaford a small Lincolnshire market town, was keen to have the situation remedied through a complete restoration. This would need to include small repairs, along with a deep clean and a fresh seal.

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

My first job was to deep clean the whole area, which I did using a solution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean and clean water. Pro Clean is a strong alkaline product which has a long history of producing reliable results of a wide range of natural stone floors, including Travertine, Granite, Limestone, and Slate. I applied the solution to both the tiles and the grout lines, and proceeded to scrub it in using a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine.

This left the floor fresh and clean, but I would also need to restore the polish to the Travertine to really take its appearance to the next level. To do this I used the process known as burnishing, which essentially involves the consecutive application of different gritted pads to achieve a high quality polish on tiles. Our burnishing system, which consists of four pads, achieves fantastic results on high-end polished stone like Limestone, Marble and, of course, Travertine. I started by applying the Coarse grit burnishing pad, before gradually working my way through to the Medium, Fine, and finally Very Fine pads to achieve a brilliant shine and light reflection finish.

To round off the first day of the restoration, I used a flexible matching filler to fill up any pitted holes present on the surface of the tiles. Following this, I installed a turbo dryer to make sure the floor would dry fully overnight, and be ready to seal the following day.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

The next day I returned to the property and proceeded to seal the Travertine tiles using several costs of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to protect the tiles and also really enhance the natural colours in the stone. As an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow penetrates into the stone and fills its pores to safeguard it against ingrained dirt and stains from within.

As you can see from the photographs, the combination of a deep clean, high quality polish and fresh seal really transformed the appearance of the floor from dull and lifeless to a really asset to the kitchen. The customer was absolutely delighted with the results, leaving the following feedback: “Very good job – delighted! Thank you Phil!”

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

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Travertine Kitchen Tiles Transformed in Sleaford

Tue, 02 Aug 2016 16:48:33 +0100

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

As you can see from the photographs, the combination of a deep clean, high quality polish and fresh seal really transformed the appearance of the floor from dull and lifeless to a really asset to the kitchen. The customer was absolutely delighted with the results, leaving the following feedback: “Very good job – delighted! Thank you Phil!”

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

The post Travertine Kitchen Tiles Transformed in Sleaford appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Restoring a Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor in Boston

Sat, 14 Nov 2015 13:10:35 +0000

Recently, I was asked to visit a property in the small port town of Boston, Lincolnshire, to quote for a clean and seal. My client had recently moved into a new home, but the riven natural Sandstone flagstone floor had not been properly cared for or sealed by the previous owners and was now in need of a thorough clean. Sandstone flagstones are a popular choice for both residential and commercial use, and are especially popular in kitchens and hallways.

This particular floor was blemished by noticeable stains that had seeped into the stone. Further liquid stains were visible in other areas of the floor, as they had soaked into the stone due to the lack of a surface sealer. My primary tasks would be removing these blemishes and to provide a stain resistant surface seal to prevent damage in the future. My client also requested a natural look finish to the floor rather than a topical shine seal.

Cleaning a stained Flagstone tiled floor

This was a two day job. On day one, my main focus was on eliminating the stubborn stains on the stone tiles. I mixed a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline cleaner, with water to tackle the heavy soil build-up and applied the solution to the floor in sections leaving it to dwell for a short period first so it could get underneath the dirt and lift it to the surface.

I then used a combination of a stiff brush and a specialist Rotovac machine to scrub and clean the floor. The Rotovac uses water under high pressure to clean the floor and is highly effective in eliminating the difficult-to-reach dirt, particularly where it might be hidden due to the riven nature of the tiles. The cleaning process was repeated until I was satisfied with the results.

Sealing a Flagstone tiled floor

After finishing the clean I left the house, allowing the floor to dry off overnight. On day two, I returned to the house and ran damp tests to ensure that the surface was completely dry before commencing the seal.

My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow. As an impregnating sealer, this product soaks into the stone to provide robust protection from within. It also contains a colour intensifier and so, as you can see from the photographs, it really helped to enhance the natural shades in the Sandstone.

My client was delighted with the results and I think you will agree the floor looks transformed and much more appealing. Additionally the sealer is now protecting the stone from staining and liquids form puddles on the surface of the tile instead of soaking into its pores.

Tile cleaning and sealing for stained Flagstone tiled floor restoration in Lincolnshire

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Restoring a Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor in Boston

Sat, 14 Nov 2015 13:10:35 +0000

Cleaning a stained Flagstone tiled floor

Sealing a Flagstone tiled floor

Tile cleaning and sealing for stained Flagstone tiled floor restoration in Lincolnshire

The post Restoring a Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor in Boston appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Louth

Sat, 18 Jul 2015 16:13:17 +0100

This client in the town of Louth near Horncastle had two tiled floors that were in need of attention. The first was an old Victorian tiled hallway and the second a Quarry tiled room, both had paint, plaster, adhesive and concrete on them but the Quarry tiles were in the worst condition. Hopefully the photographs below give you a good idea of the condition which would require a really deep clean and in some areas re-grouting.

Cleaning Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors

We applied pro clean to the floors and allowed to work into the tiles before using our buffer system to scrub the tiles with a black pad. Then we extract and rinse the dirty solution off the tiles into our wet vacuum system. We repeated this process till the paint and plaster had been removed.

As usual I began the job using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to soak into the tiles before being scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. The resultant soiled solution was extracted off into our wet vacuum system and the process repeated until the paint and plaster had been removed.

To treat the concrete and adhesive I used two other products called Tile Doctor Remove and Go and Grout Clean-Up. Again these products slowly dissolve the stains and concrete making it easier to scrub them from the surface. After several cleans the floors were thoroughly rinsed and then left to dry with some assistance from our turbo dryer system to speed up the drying process.

Sealing Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors

We left for a few days so the floors could dry out and on our return tested the tiles with our moisture meter which showed the floor was still to damp to seal so it was necessary to leave the floors for a few more days until they were bone dry.

On our return we sealed the floors with a new product in the Tile Doctor range called Seal and Go Extra which due to its highly breathable nature works very well on external tiles or older floors where there may be a damp problem. As with the original Seal and Go it leaves a subtle shine on the tile which suited the requirements of the customer who incidentally was happy with the transformation and is happy to recommend our services.

Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Lincolnshire

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Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Louth

Sat, 18 Jul 2015 16:13:17 +0100

Cleaning Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors

Sealing Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors

Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Lincolnshire

The post Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Louth appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Dirty Sandstone and Slate Floors deep cleaned and sealed in Coningsby

Sat, 11 Jul 2015 15:09:24 +0100

We recently deep cleaned two different tiled floors at a property in the village of Coningsby in the centre of Lincolnshire. The floor was split into two areas one laid with natural Sandstone and the other Riven Slate tiles. Both tiled areas had been sealed previously but the sealer was clearly not doing the job as the floor had a very dull finish due to dirt being absorbed into the tile.

Cleaning Terracotta Tiles

The floors were in need of a deep clean to remove the ingrained dirt and remaining sealer so the first step was to soak the tiles in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then work it in using a rotary machine fitted with a black pad and a stiff brush along the grout lines. This did the job and there’s a great photograph below that shows the difference this made.

To extract the now soiled cleaning solution the floor was rinsed using water which was then extracted using our wet pick up system. Once the floor was clear we were able to see where more work was required and the process was repeated until we were happy the floor was thoroughly clean and free of any remaining sealer.

To get the floor dry a number of turbo air dryers were setup around the floor and we left for the day to allow the floor to thoroughly dry off overnight.

Sealing Terracotta Tile

The following morning we tested the tiles to make sure that both were dry which they were. We then applied Tile Doctor quality sealers to both floors; two different finishes were required for the different types of floor so we applied three coats of Colour Grow sealer to the Sandstone flooring as this impregnates the pores in the stone protecting it from staining and enhancing the natural colours to provide a natural look. We than applied four coats of Seal and Go sealer to the Slate floor, Seal and Go adds a nice subtle shine and works well on Riven Slate to highlight the different shades.

The customer was delighted with the results and left an excellent review which you can read below:
The floors look absolutely beautiful. I am very pleased with the service.
J. Gibbons, Coningsby

She wants us to return soon to seal the other stone areas in their property. As you can see from the photos the before and after is very striking. The floors were ready to take light use that same afternoon.

Multiple tiled floors Cleaned and Sealed in Lincolnshire

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Dirty Sandstone and Slate Floors deep cleaned and sealed in Coningsby

Sat, 11 Jul 2015 15:09:24 +0100

Cleaning Terracotta Tiles

To get the floor dry a number of turbo air dryers were setup around the floor and we left for the day to allow the floor to thoroughly dry off overnight.

Sealing Terracotta Tile

Multiple tiled floors Cleaned and Sealed in Lincolnshire

The post Dirty Sandstone and Slate Floors deep cleaned and sealed in Coningsby appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

60m2 Limestone floor tiles restored in Gainsborough

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:59:17 +0100

This was a large 60m2 Limestone tiled floor installed in the entrance hall and kitchen of a residence in the town of Gainsborough. The Limestone tiles had lost their shine and cracks had appeared in a number of tiles which was due to the floor settling after it had been built, any previous sealer was failing and the tiles were getting very dirty with visible staining.

Burnishing Limestone Tiles

To clean the floor and remove the stains Limestone needs to be stripped back to the original tile with burnishing pads removing the old sealer along the way. To do this a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads are applied in sequence along with a little water. The pads come is a setup of four and you start with the coarse pad which fitted to a buffing machine running on slow speed, the coarse pad removes old sealers and then you move onto the medium, fine and very fine pads until the Limestone is cleaned and polished again. In-between pads we filled in the cracks that needed attention with Limestone flexible filler which does a great job of hiding the unsightly lines, the burnishing of the tile then makes the filler blend in and become invisible. Once the burnishing was finished the floor was rinsed down with clean water and then left to dry.

Limestone Tile Sealing

On the 2nd day the floor was dry and we applied the two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to the tiles, the sealer fills the pores of the stone making it water and resistant and will protect it from stains in the years to come, this particular sealer has a natural matt finish and as its name suggests add a subtle lift to the natural colours in the stone.

To demonstrate the floor was sealed we carried out a small test in front of the customer where she could choose any tile on which to pour water and simply watch the water form a bead and dance across the tile surface and not mark or be absorbed into the tile in any way. Even after a few minutes it just simply wipes away with no sign of a darker area visible. This shows the seal is doing its job of sealing and protecting the Limestone. She was delighted with the result so much that she is now reconsidering putting the house up for sale and staying there for another year.

Limestone Tiled Floor resurfaced and polished in Gainsborough

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60m2 Limestone floor tiles restored in Gainsborough

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:59:17 +0100

Burnishing Limestone Tiles

Limestone Tile Sealing

Limestone Tiled Floor resurfaced and polished in Gainsborough

The post 60m2 Limestone floor tiles restored in Gainsborough appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Dirty and Cracked Limestone floor tiles restored in Louth

Sun, 23 Mar 2014 02:56:31 +0000

This customer from Louth had a very dirtyLimestone tiled floor with some cracks evident installed throughout the kitchen, hallway and conservatory. It was dull and not looking it’s best so she had asked several companies in the local area to quote but they did not feel able to help. Fortunately she discovered Tile Doctor and gave us a call, naturally this sort of work is well within our ability so not only were we able to help restore the appearance but also repair the cracks at the same time.

Burnishing Limestone Tiles

To resolve the surface cracks and remove the dirt from the floor we used a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads which incidentally are a very environmentally friendly system which only requires water. The pads come is a setup of four and you start with the coarse pad which fitted to a buffing machine running on slow speed, the coarse pad removes old sealers and then you move onto the medium, fine and very fine pads until the Limestone is cleaned and polished again. The floor was washed down with clean water at this point to remove the soil generated by the burnishing process and left to dry overnight assisted by a turbo dryer.

Limestone Tile Sealing

The next day the floor had dried and we applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to the tiles, the sealer fills the pores of the stone making it water and resistant and will protect it from stains in the years to come, this particular sealer also lifts the natural colours in the stone.

The client was delighted with the results as she had nearly given up on having a nice looking floor, see feedback below which was left on our automated feedback system.

I am very pleased with the work which was completed yesterday. From my first enquiry to the completed work was excellent,
Mrs V Pedder, Tetney

Limestone Tiled Floor resurfaced and polished in Louth

The post Dirty and Cracked Limestone floor tiles restored in Louth appeared first on Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Dirty and Cracked Limestone floor tiles restored in Louth

Sun, 23 Mar 2014 02:56:31 +0000

Burnishing Limestone Tiles

Limestone Tile Sealing

The client was delighted with the results as she had nearly given up on having a nice looking floor, see feedback below which was left on our automated feedback system.

I am very pleased with the work which was completed yesterday. From my first enquiry to the completed work was excellent,
Mrs V Pedder, Tetney

Limestone Tiled Floor resurfaced and polished in Louth

The post Dirty and Cracked Limestone floor tiles restored in Louth appeared first on South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Removing Scratches from Marble floor tiles in Woodhall SPA

Sun, 12 Jan 2014 13:47:35 +0000

This Marble Tiled floor was installed in the conservatory of a house in Woodhall Spa who had asked if we could remove the scratches from their inherited marble tiles around the door area and where furniture had been dragged across the tile as shown in the photos. Interestingly our customer is a chief engineer on cruise ships all over the world and knew what this floor could look like if restored professionally.

Burnishing Mable Tiles

Other than the scratches the majority of the floor had been well maintained so the solution was to burnishing the marble back to its original condition using a set of diamond encrusted pads fitted to a slow speed machine and lubricated with a little water. The burnishing pads come in a set of four and applied to the floor with a little water one by one using a rotary machine running at slow speed.

The process starts with the coarse pad which strips back the top layer and removes sealers and dirt from the surface of the stone. The pads then become finer and finer with the last pad being a final polish that takes the tile back to near it’s originally intended shine. You can see from the photographs that we actually managed to resurface the marble, remove the scratches and we also filled in some small holes and then allowed the floor to dry overnight helped by our turbo drying system allowing for minimal drying times.

Marble Tile Sealing

The next day we applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to the tiles, the sealer fills the pores of the stone protecting it from stains and this particular sealer also lifts the natural colours in the stone.

As you can see the scratches were removed and the tiles now shine and are protected and polished to a stunning finish that the customer was over the moon with and couldn’t thank us enough for the professional and excellent job on time and budget.

Marble Tiled Floor resurfaced and polished in Woodhall Spa

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