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Ten-Year-Old Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Polished in Ramsbottom

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 14:16:14 +0000

A homeowner from Ramsbottom who had used Tile Doctor before asked if we could quote for renovating their Limestone tiled floor. The floor was extensive and had been laid throughout their large Kitchen, Dining and Garden Room.

The limestone tiles had been down around ten years and were now dull and due some maintenance which was not unexpected as inevitably the sealer wears down with use and without its dirt becomes ingrained in the pores of the stone.

I went over to measure up the floor and produce a quote for cleaning, polishing and then resealing the floor. The tiles were laid with a cream grout which had darkened in some areas with dirt and would also need cleaning. Whilst there, the owner confirmed they had been using Tile Doctor’s pH Neutral Tile Cleaner to maintain the floor which was good to see as it does help the sealer last longer. There were no other issues except a few stubborn stains that would need some extra attention.

Having surveyed the floor and noting it had become dull we quoted to restore the honed finish and seal using a clear sealer. This was accepted and dates agreed.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen

To restore the appearance of the limestone a weighted rotary buffing machine running at a slow 150 rpm was used to apply a set of Tile Doctor Diamond Burnishing Pads. The extra weight ensures good contact with the stone and is used to run each pad over the floor using only water for lubrication. The coarse pad removes dirt and old sealers whilst the finer pads restore the honed finish of the stone and build up a polish.

A wet vacuum is used after each pad to remove the soiling and then the grout lines were scrubbed using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a power brush.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen

Once fully dry, the last pad in the set which is a super fine 3500-grit was run over the floor to complete the honing. This last pad is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile to give the finished polished look.

Once complete, the next step was to protect the floor by applying a natural look breathable sealer called Tile Doctor Ultra Seal. The sealer works by occupying the pores in the stone thereby ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

I’m pleased to say my client was very happy with the result and left the following five-star feedback:

“Amazing, my limestone floor looks like it did when laid the process from start to finish was first class, Kevin explained everything then just got on with the job brilliant would definitely recommend him.”

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in South Lancashire

The post Ten-Year-Old Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Polished in Ramsbottom appeared first on South Lancashire Tile Doctor.

Restoring a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Ferndown

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:15:14 +0000

This client from Ferndown had decided to replace the carpets in the Kitchen and in the process discovered a Quarry tiled floor underneath. The tiles were in reasonable condition so rather than covering them up again they decided to contact Tile Doctor about having them restored.

I went over to inspect the floor and provide a quote for its restoration. I could see that the tiles were in need of a deep clean and seal which was certainly not an issue; however, the carpet had been secured to the Quarry tiles with double sided tape which had left adhesive staining. We have solutions for all these problems so I worked out a renovation plan to do this work and this fed into a detailed quote for the work.

The quote was accepted and we returned on the agreed date to begin the renovation.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen

Work started with scrubbing the floor with a black pad fitted to a rotary buffer to work in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This is a versatile tile and grout cleaning product that is especially useful for grout cleaning. Stubborn adhesive staining was then spot treated using Tile Doctor Remove & Go which is a strong coatings remover that’s safe to use on all types of tile and stone.

Unfortunately, the grout was badly stained in places, and I tried numerous products on this including Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. However, the stains were deep seated and it proved impossible to get it consistently clean across the floor. We therefore suggested to the client to recolour the grout using a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant which she agreed, and the results were transformational!

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen

The floor was left to dry off overnight and work resumed the next day to seal the Quarry tiles and protect them ingrained dirt going forward. To do this, three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go were applied allowing for 30 minutes drying time in-between coats. Seal and Go brings out the best on clay tiles and being water-based it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries.

Once complete the sealer added a subtle shine to the Quarry tiles and the along with the coloured grout the floor looked amazing. As you can imagine my client was very pleased to say the least.

Before leaving I took a little time to discuss aftercare cleaning and to make sure she was aware to use the right product. A lot of products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong for use on a sealed floor and can erode the sealer prematurely. For this floor I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a sealer safe tile cleaner.

Professional Renovation of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen in Dorset

The post Restoring a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Ferndown appeared first on Dorset Tile Doctor.

Grubby Unfilled Travertine Hallway Floor Renovated in Earlham

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 03:10:52 +0000

This client from the Norwich suburb of Earlham got in touch earlier this year for help with their Travertine hallway floor. The travertine was the unfilled variety and overtime the pits which are a natural feature of travertine became magnets for dirt which the owner had struggled to remove.

I’ve included a photograph above where you can see just how heavily soiled the deep pits had become, resulting in very dark and un-attractive staining. Less evident from the photograph were several light scratches hiding under the dirt that the client also wanted addressing.

Sometimes I can quote for the renovation of a floor from photographs and measurements but in this case, I felt it best to do a detailed survey of the tiles to understand the full nature of the work that would be needed and the clients’ expectations.

I quoted for deep cleaning the travertine tiles and grout lines, burnishing the stone to remove surface scratches, filling the larger pits and then finally sealing the floor to give a low-sheen finish that they wanted. Happy with the comprehensive plan and confident I was able to produce the result they wanted, the quote was agreed and a date set.

Renovating a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor

To get the floor clean I started by focusing on the grout lines which were sprayed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and left it to soak for ten minutes. Then using a long-handled grout brush the solution was vigorously scrubbed into the grout lines to release the dirt.

Next, attention turned to the Travertine tiles which were sprayed using the same Tile Doctor Pro-Clean solution. Again, I waited ten minutes before scrubbing in the solution but this time I used a heavy 40kg Klindex rotary machine fitted with an additional 20kg of weight and a coarse 60-grit carbide brush. All this weight ensures excellent traction with the floor and maximum contact with the pad to release all the dirt. The resultant slurry was then extracted with triple-vac Klindex wet vacuum. As you can see, I’m a fan of having the right equipment for the job as it saves time and guarantee’s the best outcome.

The floor was then inspected; any stubborn areas were treated with more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and hand scrubbing until I was confident the Travertine tile and grout was as clean as it could be.

To further improve the floor and remove light scratches I went over each tile with a 400-grit burnishing pad worked in with honing powder and lubricated with water to produce a low-sheen finish. Once done the larger pits were filled with BAL Jasmine flexible fine-joint grout which was a good colour match to the beige travertine tiles.

Sealing Travertine Floor Tiles

The floor was allowed to dry overnight, and I returned the next day to seal with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which has a colour enhancing formula that helps to bring out the brown tones in the Travertine. It is also a hard-wearing impregnator that works by filling the pores in the stone to ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away with a pH neutral tile cleaner like Tile Doctor Stone Soap.

The floor looked so much cleaner and lighter once complete, and the now filled pits will prevent the accumulation of dirt. My client was impressed and delighted with their better-than-new pristine travertine floor which will prove much easier to maintain going forward.

On the topic of maintenance cleaning, I recommended the use of another Tile Doctor product called Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a neutral Ph cleaner that’s safe to use on sealed floors.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Hallway in Norwich

The post Grubby Unfilled Travertine Hallway Floor Renovated in Earlham appeared first on Norfolk Tile Doctor.

Deep Cleaning and Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor in Uppermill

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:42:14 +0000

The photographs below are from a property in a Victorian terrace in Uppermill with an original tiled hallway floor. The client had been renewing the flooring in the house and discovered the tiles under the hallway carpet. Realising the tiles were original from when the terrace was built it was decided to see if they could be restored as an original feature.

I popped over to survey the floor and was able to report that the carpet had kept the tiles in good physical condition albeit there were some holes from where the carpet gripper rod had been secured through the tile. I created a quote for repairing the damage and a low moisture clean and seal which was accepted, and a date agreed for the work to start.

Old floors like this don’t have a damp proof membrane to prevent moisture rising from the foundation so they can suffer from damp and with it the appearance of efflorescent salts. Using a lot of water during intensive cleaning can make this worse so we opt to use gel cleaning products that reduce the use of water.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway

In this case work started by applying Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel to the floor, leaving it to dwell and then scrubbing it in with a rotary floor machine. This was then quickly rinsed off and extracted with a wet vacuum.

During the cleaning I realised some of the carpet must have been secured with glue and to deal with this I spot cleaned along the edges and glue staining with handheld burnishing blocks and Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a stripper that’s safe to use on tile and stone. The floor was inspected again and stubborn areas re-treated using this process.

Last step in the cleaning process was to give the tiles an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid-Gel which is another gel cleaning product. This was pasted on as before, left to soak in and then scrubbed in using the rotary fitted with a black pad. The acidic nature of this product has several advantages; it cleans the tile of grout smears and neutralises alkaline salts lurking in the floor that could lead to efflorescence appearing later. The floor was rinsed and extracted again and then left of several days to dry out.

Before leaving for the day, I spent some time going around the floor and filling the gripper holes with a specialist colour matched filler.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

When I returned some days later, I checked the floor for damp using a moisture meter. The readings were good, so we started with the sealing. For this I applied a couple of coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra seal which is a modern fully breathable oil-based sealer that adds texture to encaustic tiles, improves colour and generally lifts their appearance. I tend to mix in a little Tile Doctor Colour Grow into the X-Tra seal before application as this makes it more manageable.

Once done the floor was buffed with a white pad to remove excess sealer and bring up the appearance of the tiles further. X-Tra Seal is a hard-wearing impregnator that works by occupying the pores in the tile thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there, keeping it on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

My client was very pleased with the result and left the following feedback:

“Kevin was a very friendly and helpful person. He made my hall tiles come up almost like new. Where I used to be ashamed of my hallway, I now want to show everyone them. They look amazing now, thanks to Kevin. I will not hesitate to recommend to my friends and family. Thanks, you so much Kevin.”For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor’s Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective product that won’t impact the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Lancashire

The post Deep Cleaning and Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor in Uppermill appeared first on South Lancashire Tile Doctor.

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

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Hampshire

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

Green Limestone Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Grappenhall

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

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in Grappenhall

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

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

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

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in Cheshire

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

Dirty Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Balham SW12

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

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

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

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

Deep Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

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

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

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

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in South London

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

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Repair and Restored in Penarth

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

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

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

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

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Kitchen in Southeast Wales

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

Neglected Victorian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Wanstead

Thu, 29 May 2025 14:18:30 +0000

The photographs below are of an original Encaustic Tiled hallway floor at a Victorian period house in Wanstead. As you can see from the photos this floor had clearly suffered years of neglect. Originally it was covered with a carpet and more recently had vinyl tiles stuck to it. Multiple sections of the floor had damaged and loose pieces and one section next to the cupboard had a hole in it with all the tiles around it missing.

Having surveyed the floor, I came up with a restoration plan to repair the damaged areas and then restore the appearance of the tiles including applying a protective sealer. The quotation was accepted and a date set for the work to commence.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

First the sections of damaged substrate had to be rebuilt, so the original tiles had to be carefully removed so a new substrate could be installed and interlocked with the original to provide a structurally sound floor including the section with the hole.

Before this work started however, I went to great lengths to source the original salvaged encaustic tile pieces needed to make the floor whole again. It took a while to find some of the décor pieces as they are quite rare and in limited supply, but I found them. Once all the replacements had been sourced work started on the floor’s reconstruction the damaged and loose pieces were replaced and set in place with a modern adhesive.

After leaving the floor to set overnight work restarted the next day to clean the whole floor using 100 and 200-grit diamond pads which were worked into the tiles using water for lubrication. These pads do a great job of restoring the appearance of old encaustic tiles like these and will remove any patterns that have been ingrained into their surface from the previous floor coverings. The floor was rinsed after each pad had been applied and the soiling rinsed off with more water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

After an inspection the now clean floor was given a final rinse and dried as much as possible with a wet vacuum.

Sealing a Victorian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

The floor was left to dry out and I returned later to apply Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a protective sealer that improves the appearance of the tiles and prevents dirt from becoming ingrained in its pores. Tile Doctor X-Tra seal is an impregnating oil-based sealer that is fully breathable, an important consideration when dealing with old Victorian floors that don’t have a damp proof membrane.

The project took some time to complete but the result was transformational and my customer was very happy with the result. This old floor which is a valuable period feature has now been brought back to life and made good for another 100 years.

Before leaving I took time to mention the importance of using a pH neutral tile cleaner such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for after care cleaning.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Encaustic Tiled Hallway in East London

The post Neglected Victorian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Wanstead appeared first on East London Tile Doctor.

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Red Marble Tiled Patio in Newbury

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

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

Sealing a Red Marble Tiled Patio

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Red Marble Tiled Patio in Berkshire

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

Impressive Grey Limestone Hallway Renovated in Edinburgh New Town

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Ceramic Limestone Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

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

Resurfacing an Old Flagstone Kitchen Floor in Dorchester

Thu, 22 May 2025 14:24:36 +0000

This client lived on a farm on the outskirts of Dorchester and had a rustic kitchen with very old flagstones. The flags had been down a very long time and were uneven and some were in a very bad state due to the top layer of stone flaking away. They had found it very difficult to keep the rough stone clean and this was proving increasingly irritating.

I recommended that the best course of action would be to mill the stone to remove the rough areas and resurface the stone, this would also reduce the lippage between the flagstones. Milling is a process championed by Tile Doctor which utilises very coarse diamond pads to remove a thin layer of stone from the surface and then finer grit pads to refine the appearance of the new surface making it smooth and easier to maintain in the process.

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

Cleaning and Milling a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen

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

This is the slowest part of the job with each flagstone requiring five to ten minutes of milling before moving onto the next. A lot of water was used in this process which mixes with the cut stone to form a slurry which is then vacuumed away. It took a full day to cover all the floors, and I got through three of the 50-grit pads in the process.

The process from here ran significantly quicker. A finer 100-grit flexi pad was applied next, followed by a 200-grit flexi pad, a 200-grit soft diamond pad then 400 and finally 800-grit pads. Less and less slurry was produced as I worked through each of the finer grit pads. Again, using water for lubrication and removing the slurry with a wet vacuum as work progressed.

The floor was then rinsed and allowed to dry thoroughly overnight.

Sealing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen

The following day I returned to start the sealing process. I tested the floor with the damp meter, satisfied the result was within the correct parameters, I was ready to start. To seal two coats of Tile Doctor Colour-Grow were applied to bring out the colour and make the floor easier to clean going forward. Colour Grow is also a fully breathable sealer which is an important feature when choosing a sealer for an old floor like this one.

Once complete the floor looked so much healthier and my client was thrilled with results. For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to maintain the floor, this is pH neutral and so won’t harm the newly applied sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen in Dorset

The post Resurfacing an Old Flagstone Kitchen Floor in Dorchester appeared first on Dorset Tile Doctor.

Flagstone Flooring Restoration at 300-Year-Old Cottage in Standish

Mon, 12 May 2025 08:29:58 +0000

A client from Standish near Wigan contacted Tile Doctor about the Flagstone flooring in the dining room and kitchen of their 320-year-old cottage. The floor was approximately 50m2 and after sending over several pictures of the floor via email we had a call to discuss the issues in detail. The floor clearly needed a deep clean and there were gaps in the pointing that needed to be filled and then the whole floor sealed. The flags were the original flooring from when the house was built in the late 1600’s, he wasn’t sure if they were sandstone, or something else.

Having seen examples of similar floors on our website he was keen to understand more about our milling service which is an aggressive cleaning option we offer. The system utilises coarse abrasive pads to remove a thin layer of stone from the surface taking out flaking in the process and resulting in an unblemished fresh surface. I sent over a few photos of more recent work I had completed on flagstones showing the results of the process and he felt it was exactly the finish they were looking for.

Unfortunately, a burst pipe in the kitchen added to the issue requiring some flags to be lifted and re-laid recently, some repairs were also needed to the kitchen units, but he wanted to deal with floor first. He wanted to retain the original flooring as it was in keeping with his home so replacing it was not an option. Keen to help I agreed to pop round and take a more detailed look at the issues.

After surveying the floor and discussing the condition, requirements and budget we quoted on milling the flagstones in the kitchen, lounge and hallway floor using flexi diamond milling pads. Happy with the quote, we set a date for the work to start.

Milling a 300-Year-Old Flagstone Floor in Standish

Milling started by working over the flagstone with a coarse milling pad fitted to a specialised weighted rotary floor buffer. Using only water for lubrication and with the machine operating at low speed the pad was run over each flagstone several times to cut the stone back.

The process is so effective we often find that the pads are all you need to clean the stone so use very few chemicals are required with this process. Having said that I did have to scrub some Tile Doctor Remove and Go onto some stubborn staining during the process but in general the pads did most of the heavy lifting.

There are several pads used in the burnishing process, starting with coarse and then moving onto finer grits. It’s also worth mentioning that the water turns into a fine slurry that has to be rinsed with more water and then extracted with a wet vacuum after each pad.

Once the milling was complete the floor was given an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which was worked in with another pad to further clean the stone and counter any alkaline salts that can be an issue with old floors with no damp proof membrane.

Whilst the floor was drying attention moved to the mortar. For this the old and loose mortar was removed and then repointed using a modern permeable epoxy joint mortar.

Sealing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen, Lounge and Hallway Floor

Once the floor was fully dry it was sealed with Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is an impregnator that soaks into the pores of the stone protecting it from withing. This product also allows for vapour transmission so it will allow for any moisture to rise through the stone and evaporate at the surface. It’s important to use a fully breathable sealer on old floors like this to avoid damp building up under the floor where it can pool and reach out to the walls.

The floor was transformed by the process and now looks great, also the new sealer will ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily removed with regular cleaning. I was very happy with the result and so was my client who left the following feedback:

“We recently had our 300+ year old sandstone tiled kitchen and dining room professionally cleaned and treated by Kevin, our local Tile Doctor, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. The floors, which had dulled over time, have been brought back to life with care and expertise, revealing the natural beauty and character of the original stone. Although there may be cheaper options out there, we genuinely believe the quality of the work justifies the cost — it was money well spent. The attention to detail, professionalism, and clear passion for the craft were evident throughout. We’re absolutely delighted with the outcome and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Kevin and Tile Doctor to anyone looking to restore their stone floors to their former glory”

Before leaving, I took time to discuss aftercare which for this floor I recommended cleaning with Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is safe to use on sealed floors.

Professional Restoration of a Tired Flagstone Floor in South Lancashire

The post Flagstone Flooring Restoration at 300-Year-Old Cottage in Standish appeared first on South Lancashire Tile Doctor.

Stained Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor Renovated in Alloa

Tue, 06 May 2025 13:16:47 +0000

This client from Alloa has a small Victorian Tiled vestibule at the entrance to their property that needed attention. The lovely Victorian tiles had been stained with white paint during decorating by the previous owners. They had managed to clean most of the paint off themselves but this had stripped off the sealer in the process leaving it vulnerable to ingrained dirt resulting in the dull appearance you see now. Keen to have the vestibule looking its best the client contacted us to address the issue and restore the tiles to their former condition.

An inspection of the tiles revealed no damp proof membrane beneath the floor, likely due to the age of the property. Using a lot of water on a floor without a DPM can encourage the appearance of efflorescence (salt deposits) as the floor dries so we opted to use gel products instead of diluted strippers and cleaners. This approach helps reduce excess moisture during the cleaning process.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Entrance Vestibule in Alloa

After adding protection to the adjacent skirting work started on cleaning the tiling using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which was spread over the tiles and allowed to soak in for 15 to twenty minutes. This dwell times give the product time to break down the soiling and soften other contaminates. The product was then scrubbed into the floor using a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary buffer, passing over each tile at least four times to bring the dirt and soiling to the surface where it was removed with a wet vacuum. The floor was then given a rinse with water to remove any remaining soiling and extracted with the wet vacuum.

To complete the restorative cleaning process, the tiles were given and acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which was left to soak in got five to ten minutes before being scrubbed in, this time using a black pad. This product neutralises the alkaline cleaners used earlier and will also dissolve any salts that may be present in the floor. Next, I extracted the soiled solution and thoroughly rinsed the tiles with cloths and water to minimize moisture levels. After a final vacuum the floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Vestibule in Alloa

The next day, the floor was tested to ensure the Victorian tiles were dry enough for sealing. This is an important step as applying sealer to a damp floor will lead to an inconsistent finish.

The floor was dry and so ready for sealing with Tile Doctors Colour Grow, a tough colour enhancing breathable impregnator that’s well-suited for an entrance hall that will see heavy foot traffic and wet shoes. Two coats were applied, with any excess removed with clean cloths five minutes after each application. A forty-minute drying time was allowed between coats and then after two hours, a water test confirmed the sealer was working properly. The sealer becomes walkable in four hours and fully cured within twenty-four hours.

It’s crucial to maintain the floor properly and using regular tile cleaner on sealed tiles is inadvisable, as they can strip the sealer over time. Instead, a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner was provided for cleaning the floor. This pH-neutral cleaner effectively removes dirt and grime without damaging the sealer, helping to extend the sealer’s lifespan and protect the tiles.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Entrance Hallway in Stirling

The post Stained Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor Renovated in Alloa appeared first on Stirling Tile Doctor.

Neglected Flagstone Kitchen Floor Restored in Fareham

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

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

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

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

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

Resurfacing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Fareham

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

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

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

The floor was then rinsed and allowed to dry thoroughly.

Sealing a Flagstone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Fareham

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

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

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

Professional Renovation of a Flagstone Kitchen Floor in Hampshire

The post Neglected Flagstone Kitchen Floor Restored in Fareham appeared first on Tile Doctor Hampshire.

Damaged Art Deco Encaustic Cement Tiled Floor Fully Restored in Cardiff

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

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

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

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

Cleaning and Repairing an Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor

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

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

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

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

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

Sealing an Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor

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

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

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

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

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

The post Damaged Art Deco Encaustic Cement Tiled Floor Fully Restored in Cardiff appeared first on South East Wales Tile Doctor.

Restoring a Cracked Terrazzo Porch Floor in Bournemouth

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Terrazzo Tiled Porch Floor

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

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

Sealing a Terrazzo Porch Floor

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Porch in Dorset

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

Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Currie

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

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

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

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

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

Deep Cleaning Reclaimed Terracotta Floor Tiles

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

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

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

Sealing Reclaimed Terracotta Tiles

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of Reclaimed Terracotta Tiled Floors in Edinburgh

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

Stained Green Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovated in Pickmere

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

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

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

Burnishing and Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Floor

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Floor

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

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

Professional Renovation of a Stained Green Limestone Floor in Cheshire

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

Cleaning Polishing and Sealing a Dull Travertine Kitchen Floor in Saddleworth

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:40:22 +0000

Late last year a landlord got in touch with us about the in a rental property they owned in Saddleworth. The client informed us that unfortunately the last tenant hadn’t maintained the floor very well and now it looked neglected and in need of renovation. Numerous cracks had also developed which wasn’t due to previous tenant but more likely due to poor installation by the tiler who hadn’t bedded the tiles in properly.

My client was now considering selling the property and so naturally wanted the floor looking its best before putting it on the market. Happy to help I arranged a time to pop over and take a detailed look at the floor.

After surveying the floor, I recommended giving it a deep restorative clean, polish and then applying a fresh sealer. I worked out a quote for this and included filling the many holes and cracks as far as possible all of which would make the floor aesthetically pleasing and easier to maintain.

My quote was accepted and I agreed to start the work at the earliest date possible.

Cleaning and Polishing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

To deep clean and renovate the floor I applied a set of Diamond burnishing pads fitted to a rotary floor machine and run over each tile three of four times. Using only water for lubrication this process starts with the application of a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad attached to the floor buffer. This produces a lot of slurry which was removed with a wet vacuum.

This left the Travertine clean, but rather raw from the coarse pad so to refine the appearance of the stone the next two burnishing pads were applied which are 800 and 1500-grit. These pads polish the stone and close the pores, restoring the natural sheen in the process. After each pad was applied the slurry was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with the wet vacuum. Once complete the floor was left to dry off fully overnight.

The cracks and pits in the travertine were then filled using a special resin filler that was then rubbed down to get it as smooth as possible. The floor was then left to dry off overnight.

On day two work started with the application of the fourth diamond burnishing pad which is a fine 3000-grit. This pad further improves the polished appearance of the stone resulting in a satisfying sheen. This pad is applied with only a little water sprayed onto the floor as the pad is run over the stone leaving it completely dry.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen

The last step was to seal the floor with a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a natural look impregnating sealer that doesn’t change the appearance of the stone. The sealer works by soaking into the stone occupying the pores and thereby ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

The work really transformed the floor making it look much cleaner and inviting. My client was certainly happy and took the time to leave the following feedback:

Kevin did a lovely job restoring my Travertine floor. Kevin was great to do business with and he achieved what he set out to achieve. I’ll definitely be contacting him again to organise maintenance requirements in the future.

For the care and maintenance of polished sealed floors I recommend the use of Tile Doctor’s Stone Soap which is a gentle but effective cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and contains a patina enhancer that will help maintain the polished appearance.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in South Lancashire

The post Cleaning Polishing and Sealing a Dull Travertine Kitchen Floor in Saddleworth appeared first on South Lancashire Tile Doctor.

Chipped Marble Tabletop Repaired and Polished in Oxford

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

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

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

Cleaning and Repairing a Marble Tabletop

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

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

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

Sealing a Polished Marble Tabletop

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tabletop in Oxfordshire

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

Basalt Tiled Kitchen and Bathroom Floor Renovated in Chelmsford

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 06:54:14 +0000

I thought I would share the following case study which involved the renovation of Black Basalt tiles in the kitchen and bathroom on a property in Chelmsford Essex. The owner had the tiles installed ten years ago and since that time they had lost their appeal and now looked dull and flat.

Unhappy with the way they looked he decided to call me in to see what could be done to revitalise the tiles improve their appearance.

I called in on the property when I was next in the area to do some measurements and run some tests to work out the best way of proceeding. Basalt isn’t a very popular tile which is surprising as it’s a very hard stone and has a lot in common with Granite. Nevertheless, I was confident that by treating it in the same way as a hard stone I would be able to get the best out of the tiles and restore it to its original condition.

I worked out a renovation process and submitted a quote for the work which was accepted.

Cleaning a Basalt Tiled Kitchen and Bathroom Floor

I returned on the agreed date and set about cleaning the floor using Tile Doctor Remove and Go worked in with a 400 and then 800-grit burnishing pad fitted to a rotary buffer running at a slow 150 RPM.

Tile Doctor Remove and Go is a cleaner and seal remover, I had worked out that the previous sealer had worn off on most of the floor, so it now needed to be completely stripped off and replaced. The 400-grit burnishing pads are great for cleaning hard stone, the coarse pad got right into the basalt tiles lifting the dirt and what remained of the old sealer to the surface where it was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The 800-grit burnishing pad is a polishing pad and adds a slight sheen to the surface.

Next the tile and grout were treated using a weak dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, paying extra attention to the cleaning of the grout lines in the process. This is an acidic cleaner which also neutralises the floor following the use of Remove and Go which is alkaline.

After another rinse with water and extraction with the wet vacuum I left a blower in place to dry the floor for a couple of hours and asked the owner to put the under-floor heating on overnight to full.

Sealing a Basalt Tiled Kitchen and Bathroom Floor

The floor had dried by the next day, and I was able to start applying the first of what would be two coats of Tile Doctor Xtra Seal to give the basalt its correct look. X-Tra seal is a modern oil-based sealer that is rated for wet areas and puts colour and structure back into the stone.

Having two separate areas to seal worked to my advantage as I was able to start sealing the bathroom floor whilst the first coat to the kitchen floor was drying.

Once complete both Basalt floors looked great and my client was very happy with the difference we had managed to achieve. Additionally, the new sealer will ensure dirt remains on the surface of the stone making it easier to clean going forward.

On the subject of cleaning, I recommended the use of a PH neutral floor cleaner such as Tile Doctor Stone Soap going forward. This product won’t impact the sealer and contains a patina enhancer which will help the stone keep its polished appearance.

Professional Restoration of a Basalt Tiled Kitchen and Bathroom Floor South Essex

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Restoring the Appearance of Bleach Damaged Stone Tiling in Cowbridge

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

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

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

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

Renovating a Stone Bathroom Tiles

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

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

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

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

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

Refreshing Black Slate Bathroom Flooring

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

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

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

Marble Tiled Shower Cubicle Professionally Refinished in South Wales

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Renovating a Silver Travertine Kitchen Floor in Shenfield Brentwood

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:55:44 +0000

The tiles in the pictures below are Silver Travertine located in the Kitchen of a client in Shenfield which is an affluent suburb of Brentwood. Silver Travertine rich blend of Silver and Grey and displays lots of character when maintained. In this case the floor hadn’t been cleaned and sealed in some years and the previous sealer had now worn down leaving it vulnerable to ingrained dirt and resulting in a dull appearance.

Unhappy with how the floor now looked I was asked to quote for renovating it. The owner was struggling to keep it clean and wanted it cleaning and re-sealing, additionally the grout was stained in places and needed attention.

I called in to survey the floor and was able to see for myself the problems they were facing. I worked out a plan for renovating the stone and grout and discussed what sort of finish they wanted for the floor which would affect the choice of sealer.

The renovation plan led to the creation of a quote which was accepted and a date scheduled for the work to start.

Cleaning a Silver Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

On arrival I applied a 1:3 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to dwell for thirty minutes so it could soak into the pores and break down the dirt, grease, and any remaining sealer. The floor was then scrubbed with a rotary buffing machine fitted with a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad to get the stone clean and free of sealer.

The grout was then hand scrubbed to get it clean as possible; the pads do clean the grout but can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout line, so I always find following up by hand gets the best result. The slurry was then vacuumed off the floor using a wet vacuum and then rinsed with water and vacuumed again.

Next step was to apply the next burnishing pad in the series which is a medium 800-grit. This is the first step in the polishing process which improves the appearance of the Travertine and adds a pleasing shine to the tile. The pad is run over each tile several times using only water to help lubricate. Once done the floor is rinsed and extracted with the wet vacuum as before. This polishing process was then repeated using a fine 1500-grit.

After another rinse and extraction to the floor was left to dry off overnight with a turbo dryer left in place for several hours to speed things up.

Sealing a Silver Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning the next day, I completed the polishing of the Travertine using a very fine 3000-grit burnishing pad which is run over the floor dry using a little water sprayed onto each tile as you progress. This left the Travertine with a lovely subtle shine; it also leaves the floor dry and ready for sealing.

To get the best from Silver Travertine we had chosen to seal the floor using Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that contains a colour enhancing formula. Two coats were applied leaving around thirty minutes drying time between each coat. Tile Doctor Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that enhances and improves the colour and texture of natural travertine whilst providing durable protection.

My client was very happy with the improvement in the appearance of the floor, and I think you will agree the Travertine and Grout looks so much cleaner and inviting.

Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare and recommended the client to use Tile Doctor Stone Soap as a maintenance cleaner.

Professional Restoration of a Silver Travertine Tiled Kitchen in Essex

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Encaustic Cement Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Worcester

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

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

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

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

Cleaning and restoring an Edwardian Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

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

Sealing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of an Edwardian Tiled Hallway in Worcestershire

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Encaustic Cement Shower Tiles Renovation in a Whitechapel Bathroom

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:35:57 +0000

This client from Whitechapel E1 asked me to pop round to see if anything could be done to improve the Encaustic Cement tiles in the bathroom in the bathroom along with the grout which was also in need of renovation. They thought the tiles were ceramic however I suspected they were in fact a modern Encaustic cement tile which do need more maintenance and should be sealed.

As requested, I popped round to take a look and was able to confirm they were not ceramic but encaustic cement which were very popular in Victorian days but with new manufacturing processes and designs are back in fashion.

Having inspected the tiles and discussing the issues with the owner I discovered they had been using an acid based cleaner to remove the calcium staining from hard water that was evident on the tiles and shower screen. This will have stripped off any sealer that will have been applied leaving them vulnerable to ingrained dirt.

I was able to re-assure my client that the tiles could be renovated, and I worked out a plan and a quote for doing the renovation. Happy with the price, a date was agreed to start the work.

Renovating an Encaustic Tiled Bathroom

To remove the hard water staining, the tiles were scrubbed with a coarse six-inch 400-grit Tile Doctor burnishing pad fitted to a hand buffer using only water for lubrication. This did a good job of cleaning up the tiles and removing all the calcium and etching caused by the acidic cleaning product. The soiling was rinsed off and then I followed up with finer 800 and 1500 grit pads following the same process. These finer pads re-finish the tiles and build up a bit of a polish in the process.

I left the shower to dry out overnight and returned the next day to apply a sealer which for this installation we used Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is rated for use in wet areas. It’s a impregnating sealer that soaks into the tile, occupying the pores and preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there.

The last step was to replace the old silicone sealant which is impossible to get clean once its badly stained. The sealant was cut out with a sharp knife and replaced with new leaving the bathroom looking like a new installation.

The job went very well, and my client was very pleased with the difference, so much so they left the following feedback:

“Walter is an absolute professional. He has made my 10-year-old cement tiles look brand new. To be honest I never believed they could be so transformed as they had calcified over the years from hard water. He is also an absolute delight and reliable and trustworthy to have in your home. It took me some time to book him as he is very sought after, but persistence proved to be the right move. “

Before leaving we discussed on-going cleaning, and I re-iterated the need to avoid using strong cleaning products on sealed tiles. I also suggested mopping up any pools where water was collecting and using a Tile Doctor Aqua Pro for daily cleaning.

Professional Restoration of an Encaustic Tiled Bathroom in East London

The post Encaustic Cement Shower Tiles Renovation in a Whitechapel Bathroom appeared first on East London Tile Doctor.

Renovating an Old Terracotta Floor at a Victorian School House in Potter Heigham

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 06:21:53 +0000

This converted Victorian schoolhouse in Potter Heigham on the Norfolk Broads had a lovely old Red and Black Terracotta tiled floor which had been badly maintained over the years. The owner wanted to use the original tiled floor and so I was asked to pop by and quote for its renovation.

The Terracotta floor was in what was originally the cloakroom of the school however, at some point in its long history, it had been covered with self-levelling compound and vinyl. As part of the work there were some large areas of cement infill and an old toilet waste to remove. After discussing it with the client it was decided to leave the cement in place and disguise it with paint. My preference was to remove the cement and replace with tiles however that would have been a lot of extra work and more expense.

Having agreed the scope of the renovation I worked out a quote which was accepted and a date set for our return.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Terracotta Tiled Floor

The old toilet waste was cut out using an angle grinder and then backfilled with sand and cement level to the surrounding cement base. The floor was then cleaned up and left to dry out overnight.

The next day the remnants of the self-levelling compound were scraped away from the tiles and then cleaned off with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go. The solution was left to soak into the tiles for ten minutes before being worked in with a Klindex rotary fitted with a coarse 80-grit silicon carbide brush. 40kg of extra weight was added to the machine to increase traction with the tiles. The floor was then rinsed and extracted using an industrial wet vacuum.

Some of the self-levelling compound proved stubborn so these areas were then spot treated with a hand-held polisher fitted with a 3″ 100-grit pad. Once I was satisfied the floor was clear, the surface of the tiles were then further refined with a 200-grit diamond pad fitted to the Klindex.

The last step in the cleaning process was to give the floor an Acid Wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up diluted 10:1. This further cleans up the tiles, neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline and counters efflorescence salts which is a common problem with older floors. After a final rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was left to dry off overnight.

The next day the sections of missing tile were painted in a matching shade of Terracotta and Black using Sandtex masonry paint. The effect worked quite well and once sealed I was confident that it would be difficult to spot.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Cloakroom

Once the paint had dried, the floor was checked with a damp meter in several places to ensure it had dried. Applying sealer to a damp floor can result in patchiness so it’s always worth checking.

The moisture readings were positive and so work to sealing the floor started with the application of Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra. This is a modern acrylic sealer that gives a nice finish and is fully breathable (allows for moisture transmission) which is an important consideration when selecting a sealer for an old floor which doesn’t have a damp proof membrane. Terracotta is a very porous material, so it managed to absorb seven coats of sealer before I was satisfied it was fully sealed.

The results were transformative and given its age and amount of wear these tiles had seen in the past I think it came out very well. The most important thing is my clients were pleased and left the following feedback:

“The floor looks stunning! Nick and Sally did an amazing job restoring the Victorian tiles in our old school. They worked so hard to deal with the stubborn levelling compound and the final result is way beyond what we thought could be achieved. It was a pleasure to have them working in our house. They are very dedicated to their work and take great pride in it. Thank you!”

Before leaving I took time to discuss maintenance cleaning and recommended the use of a Neutral Tile Cleaning product to clean the floor such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. Many of the floor cleaning products you find in supermarkets are too strong and simply not suitable for use on sealed tiles.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Cloakroom in Norfolk

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Glue-Stained Victorian Tile Floor Restored at Balloch Loch Lomond

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:56:24 +0000

The client in Balloch at the South end of Loch Lomond had purchased a property with a Victorian tiled floor hidden beneath worn carpet in the entrance hall. The property was in the process of being converted into a residential home where my client planned to live.

The Victorian floor was well-preserved however the tiles were obscured by thick, stubborn carpet glue, as well as soiling and a chunk of concrete at one of the doorways. To add to the challenge, two of the tiles were damaged and needed repair. My client had attempted to remove the carpet glue using various cleaners and paint strippers, but none had been effective.

As per usual practice I went over to survey the floor and work out a detailed restoration plan that would transform the entrance hall into a striking focal point of the property. I used the plan to work out a quote which was accepted and a date set for my return.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Work began by focusing on removing the hardened glue by carefully scrapping off as much as possible by hand. Then a mixture of Tile Doctor’s Oxy-Gel and Nanotech HBU Remover was applied and let to sit for twenty minutes. This combination started breaking down the glue, allowing most of what remained to be scraped off, leaving only small deposits. The process was repeated and the floor further scrubbed using a Black pad fitted to a rotary buffer machine to remove the last of the glue and leave the floor clean.

The next task was to remove the cement covering the tiles at one of the doorways, I suspect this had been added to resolve an issue at some point in the property’s long history. The cement was carefully chiselled out to avoid damaging the adjacent tiles. The meticulous nature of this process took approximately 30 minutes to complete, with frequent inspections to check for any tile damage.

Fortunately, the cautious approach ensured that no tiles were harmed. However, a thin layer of concrete remained on the tiles, which was subsequently removed using water and a 200-grit coarse pad fitted to the buffing machine.

Since the floor lacked a damp-proof membrane, the next step was to counter any potential efflorescence (salt issues) trapped in the floor. To accomplish this, Tile Doctor’s Acid Gel was applied by brushing it across the entire floor. The gel was allowed to seep into the tiles for ten minutes, then scrubbed in with a deck brush, adding a little water as we went. Once completed a wet vacuum was used to lift the soiled solution.

Once finished the floor was thoroughly rinsed with water to remove any trace of product or remaining dirt and then vacuumed again. Finally, the floor was left to dry out overnight.

Prior to sealing, we had to repair two tiles. One tile was brown, while the other was white. We used epoxy resin sticks to complete the repairs. To achieve a matching brown colour, we mixed various resin sticks. Fortunately, the white tile repair was straightforward.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The next day, we tested the floor to ensure it was dry enough for the sealer application. Tile Doctors Colour Grow sealer was chosen as it is a tough, water-repellent product that also enhances the tile colour. Two coats were applied forty minutes apart to allow the first coat to fully dry and soak into the tiles.

The work took two days and completely restored the floor back to its original condition much to the client of my client.

For aftercare of sealed floors like this one we recommended the pH-Neutral Cleaner from Tile Doctor which will keep the floor clean without affecting the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Sterling

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Original Minton Tiled Floor Damaged by Cable Installation Restored in Rugby

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

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

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

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

Repairing a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Rugby

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

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

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

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Rugby

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Warwickshire

The post Original Minton Tiled Floor Damaged by Cable Installation Restored in Rugby appeared first on Warwickshire Tile Doctor.

Carpet Covered Terrazzo Hallway Floor Restored in Morningside Edinburgh

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

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

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

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

Cleaning and Repairing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in Morningside

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in Edinburgh

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Encaustic Tiled Victorian Floor Renovated in West Bridgford

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

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

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

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Encaustic Tiled Floor

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sealing an Encaustic Victorian Tiled Floor

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

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

Professional Restoration of an Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway in Nottinghamshire

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

Neglected Marble Tabletop Restored in Wargrave Reading

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

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

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

Cleaning a Marble Tabletop

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

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

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

Sealing a Marble Tabletop

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Marble Table in Berkshire

The post Neglected Marble Tabletop Restored in Wargrave Reading appeared first on Berkshire Tile Doctor.

Badly Stained Vinyl Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restored in Wallingford

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Bathroom in Oxfordshire

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

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Chelmsford

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 08:28:50 +0000

Earlier this year I paid a visit to a client in Chelmsford who had a large that needed attention. The floor had been installed twelve years ago when a extension was added to the rear of the house.

Discussing the floor on the phone my client had said that the floor always seemed dirty and was proving hard to keep clean. This to me is a sign that the protective sealer that keeps dirt on the surface of the tile had failed. It is important to maintain the sealer on a stone floor as without it the dirt becomes ingrained in the pores of the tile where it is difficult to shift. With stone floors like Travertine, I always recommend our annual maintenance program to ensure the floor keeps looking its best.

I paid a visit to the property to survey the large floor and came up with a renovation plan that would deep clean the floor, remove the ingrained dirt from the tile and grout and then re-seal. Keen to improve the appearance of the floor my quote was accepted, and a date set for the work to start.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen

To remove what was left of the original sealer and get the tiles clean I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to soak in for ten minutes. Then the floor was scrubbed using a rotary buffer machine fitted with a Black pad running at a slow 150 rpm. The black pad was then changed to a poly brush which would be better at cleaning into the recesses of the grout lines. The floor was then rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

Once clean I was able to inspect the floor and spot clean any stubborn areas. With the cleaning finished the floor was given a final rinse and then dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum. The floor was then left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen

I returned the next day and checked the floor was dry using a damp meter. I always like to do this as applying sealer to a damp floor can result in a patchy result. The moisture readings were fine, so I went ahead and sealed the floor with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer.

This is a colour enhancing impregnator that works by soaking into the pores of the stone, improving colour and preventing dirt from residing there. Tile Doctor Colour Grow is ideal for characterful tiles like travertine as it helps bring out the brown shades in the stone. It certainly did the trick on this floor and helped bring out its character.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle yet effective tile and grout cleaner that won’t impact the sealer. This is important as many of the tile cleaning products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong for use on a sealed floor and will quickly degrade the sealer.

Professional Cleaning of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in Essex

The post Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Chelmsford appeared first on South Essex Tile Doctor.

Smooth Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Rawtenstall

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 13:28:37 +0000

We were contacted by a new homeowner in Rawtenstall, which is in the borough of Rossendale, who having just moved in decided to contact us about her Sandstone kitchen floor. The stone floor was terribly dirty and was proving impossible to clean.

The stone was very smooth and having discussed it locally she had been told it was Kerridge Sandstone. I suspected from our conversations that it had not been sealed successfully as apparently even water from wet shoes would soak straight into the stone and cause staining.

I went over to survey the floor and discuss its renovation. Whilst there I was able to confirm the issues with the sealer and recommended deep cleaning the stone floor, stripping off what was left of the old sealer in the process and then re-sealing with something more durable.

I worked out a renovation plan and price, which was agreed, and scheduled a date for the work to start. Due to the unknown history of the floor, I expected the plan was going to require some adjustments to achieve the best result.

Stripping and Cleaning a Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

Working in sections the initial focus was to get the floor clean which started by soaking the sandstone floor in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This product is a coatings remover and was left it to soak into the stone for ten minutes so it could get a head start breaking down the dirt and old sealer.

The solution was then agitated with a rotary buffer machine fitted with a coarse 200-grit diamond pad. This action released the dirt from the pores of the stone bringing it to the surface and turning the cleaning solution black. The grout was also given a scrub by hand to make sure it was as clean as possible. During the process the soiled solution was rinsed off the floor with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum as needed.

After another rinse and extraction, the floor was given and acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This further cleans the stone and neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline.

After another rinse with water and extraction with the wet vacuum a 400 and then 800-grit burnishing pad was run over the floor to refine the appearance of the stone following the use of the coarser pads earlier. Only water is used during this process to help with lubrication, and this turns into a creamy liquid which is rinsed and extracted after each pad.

The floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum before being left to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

The day after the floor was tested with a damp meter to check it was dry and then sealed with Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a modern oil-based product that enhances colour and adds a slight sheen appearance that really lifts the floor. This product is an impregnator that works by soaking into the sandstone occupying the pores and thereby ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Once complete the difference was extraordinary, the natural veins in the stone were now visible and the floor was completely transformed by the work, much to the pleasure of the new owner who left the following feedback:

“I have recently moved to a lovely cottage in the country, my dream, but my stone kitchen floor was not a dream when I found that it was impossible to clean with years and years of ingrained dirt. However, this is no longer the case!! My kitchen floor looks brand new and now compliments the rest of the room. I can’t recommend Kevin highly enough; he is professional and very skilled. Thank you, Kevin.”

For the aftercare cleaning of Sandstone flooring, I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which ideal for cleaning sealed stone. It has a pH neutral formula so won’t prematurely erode the sealer like many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets.

Professional Restoration of a Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen in South Lancashire

The post Smooth Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Rawtenstall appeared first on South Lancashire Tile Doctor.

2023 Tile Doctor of the Year Winner

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

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

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

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

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

2024 Tile Doctor Conference Delegates

The post 2023 Tile Doctor of the Year Winner appeared first on West Cheshire Tile Doctor.

Cement Screed Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Cranleigh

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

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

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

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Living Room

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Living Room

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor in Surrey

The post Cement Screed Covered Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Cranleigh appeared first on West Surrey Tile Doctor.

Old Quarry Tiled Pathway Restoration in Pontcanna Cardiff

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

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

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

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

Repairing a Quarry Tiled Path in Cardiff

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

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

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

Deep Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Path in Cardiff

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

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

Sealing a Tiled Pathway

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Path in Cardiff

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

Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Refurbished in Kidderminster

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

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

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

Cleaning and Repairing an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

Sealing an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway in Worcestershire

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a 200-Year-Old Quarry Tiled Floor

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

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

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

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

Sealing a 200-Year-Old Quarry Tiled Floor

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

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

Professional Renovation of Period Quarry Tiled Floor in West Cheshire

The post Neglected 200-Year-Old Quarry Tiled Floor Renovation in Tiverton appeared first on West Cheshire Tile Doctor.

Renovating a Badly Stained Brick Slip Floor in a Barking Kitchen

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 04:11:03 +0000

This unusual kitchen floor at a property in Barking comprised of Brick Slips laid in a herringbone pattern. As you can see, they were very badly stained and clearly contained a lot of ingrained dirt. Having spoken to the owner on the phone I went over to inspect the floor and come up with a plan to improve their appearance.

Whilst at the property I decided to run a cleaning test on a small area of the badly stained floor. I did this on an inconspicuous pre-agreed section and the results were very encouraging. From this I was able to work out a cleaning plan and presented the owner with a quote for giving the floor a deep clean and then sealing to protect it going forward.

Happy with the quote and relieved something was going to be done about the state of their kitchen floor I got the go ahead to do the whole floor and returned to the property a few days later.

Cleaning a Brick Tiled Kitchen Floor

My first task was to protect the kitchen units by covering them with a plastic sheet. Then the floor was soaked in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. I used this product as testing had revealed a sealer was present and Remove and Go is designed for removing coatings such as these. After 20 minutes of dwell time the solution was scrubbed in, using a 240-Grit Tile Doctor Carbide brush which removed about half of the dirt with a few passes. The cleaning solution turned black with the dirt that was removed from the bricks and was extracted with a wet vacuum.

I knew the dirt would not draw out easily, so I repeated the process multiple times until I was satisfied that all the old sealer and ingrained dirt had been removed. Some of the staining was very deep and unfortunately could not be removed through cleaning however with these brick slips being so thin my options to remove it were limited. After a final rinse the floor was dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum and then left to dry out for two days.

Sealing a Brick Tiled Kitchen Floor

On my return I started by testing the floor for moisture using a damp meter. The results were satisfactory so I set about applying the first of what would be two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This is a modern oil-based sealer that soaks into the brick, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This keeps it on the surface where it is easily cleaned away.

Once complete the floor looked so much cleaner and was a complete transformation from when I first arrived. It wasn’t perfect but it certainly had lots of character, and the customer was very happy with the end result.

Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare for which I recommend maintaining the floor with another Tile Doctor product called Neutral Tile Cleaner. Many of the products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong for use on a sealed floor and can strip the sealer off so are best avoided.

Professional Restoration of Brick Flooring in East London

The post Renovating a Badly Stained Brick Slip Floor in a Barking Kitchen appeared first on East London Tile Doctor.

Grubby and Scratched Portland Limestone Conservatory Floor Renovated in Docking

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 15:11:49 +0000

The pictures below are of a White Portland Limestone floor with Grey Slate inserts taken at a large Manor House in the village of Docking. This is a beautiful location in the heart of the North-West Norfolk countryside near Kings Lynn.

The floor was situated in the large wood-framed conservatory that ran along the full width of the property and had seen a lot of wear and contamination. The stone floor was heavily soiled with deep scratches from metal table and chairs. It had never been properly sealed when originally laid and the owner was at the point of lifting and replacing the floor as so far no one had been able to offer a solution to significantly improve it.

The challenge was to remove all the soiling, significantly improve the areas of deep scratching and provide an even matt finish to minimise the sunlight reflection in the room and seal against oil and fluid spills. Undeterred by the scale of the project I worked out a quote for the renovation which was accept and a date set for the work to start.

Deep Cleaning a Limestone and Slate Tiled Conservatory

Cleaning started initially with the application of a strong 3:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was sprayed onto the floor and left for ten minutes to soak in and giving it time to break down the soils.

The floor was then scrubbed in with a 17″ Klindex rotary fitted with a coarse silicon carbide brush to release all the ingrained soils in the stone. The brush is a good choice for cleaning tiled floors as it gets into the grout lines.

The resulting slurry was then rinsed with water and extracted with a 3-stage industrial wet vacuum to reveal a clean tiled floor.

Removing Scratches from White Portland Limestone Flooring

To remove the scratches the stone was then milled with the Klindex machine fitted with a coarse 200-grit diamond pad and an additional 20kg weight to improve the traction. You have to be careful with these pads as they cut into the stone and can create “dished” areas across the floor surface if you overwork the patches.

Once done the floor was rinsed and extracted as before, and the process repeated using a 400-grit diamond burnishing pad to refine the appearance of the stone. After a final rinse and extraction then floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Limestone and Slate Tiled Conservatory

The next day the floor was checked for moisture to ensure it was dry enough for sealing, this is an important check as applying sealer to damp stone can result in a patchy appearance.

Once I had confirmed it was dry Tile Doctor Ultra Seal was liberally applied to the whole floor with a lambswool applicator. A use a floor fan to assist with drying and after thirty minutes the excess sealer was removed with a white paper towel. After a further thirty-minute drying time the floor was spray buffed with a White pad to bring up its appearance.

Ultra-Seal is an impregnating sealer that works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. This ensures that dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

To confirm the effectiveness of the new sealer I conducted a fluid resistance test on various parts of the floors. This is a simple test using a drop of water which if the tile is sealed properly will cause the water to form a bubble.

The client was very impressed with the result and greatly relieved that he didn’t have to go to the potentially much greater expense of replacing the floor. Before leaving I took time to discuss maintenance cleaning and the importance of using a cleaning product that won’t damage the sealer. In this case I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Stone Soap which is a gentle but effective cleaner that helps build a patina on the stone.

Professional Renovation of a Limestone and Slate Tiled Conservatory Floor in Norfolk

The post Grubby and Scratched Portland Limestone Conservatory Floor Renovated in Docking appeared first on Norfolk Tile Doctor.

Incredibly Dirty Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation in Church Minshull

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

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen in West Cheshire

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

Neglected Victorian Tiled Hallway Rebuilt at Mablethorpe Air B&B

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 13:54:08 +0000

Last year I was asked to restore a Victorian tiled floor in the hallway of a property in Mablethorpe which was let out to Holidaymakers. Mablethorpe has a beautiful long sandy beach and is very popular seaside resort, however being so close to the coast does leave it exposed.

Like many old floors it had certainly seen a lot of wear and as well as a deep clean and seal I identified numerous tiles that would need replacing. None of this was an issue and as part of my quote for restoring the floor I agreed to source the tiles from a specialist supplier.

Happy with my quote a date was set for the end of the main season for my return to do the work.

Repairing a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Mablethorpe

Work started with the repair work and I set about carefully removing the broken and loose tiles, I say carefully as its quite easy to disturb adjacent tiles when doing this and I didn’t want to make the job any bigger. Unfortunately, I discovered that the base beneath the tiles had crumbled in several areas so there was nothing for it but to remove large sections of tiling so it could be rebuilt.

As many of the original tiles were cleaned up for re-use as possible and once the base had been repaired, I was able to start reconstructing the tile floor to march the original pattern. This is careful work and involves cutting and shaping a lot of replacement tiles to match the original pattern and dry fitting them until I the design had been reproduced.

Once I was happy with the pattern the tiles were stuck into place and grouted. It was meticulous work and took several days to complete.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Mablethorpe

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

Next the floor was given an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which was pasted onto the tiles and then brushed in. This product also cleans the floor and being acidic this product neutralises the floor following the use of Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline. It also dissolves any salts that may be lying dormant in the floor which is a common problem with floors of this age that don’t have a damp-proof membrane.

After this the floor was rinsed and wet vacuumed to remove as much moisture as possible. Once done the floor was left to dry out for a couple of days.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The last step in the restoration was to apply a protective sealer to the tiles which would improve the finish and add protection. Sealers work by keeping dirt on the surface where they can easily be cleaned away and for this floor, we had chosen Tile Doctor Colour Grow.

Colour Grow is a hard-wearing impregnator that soaks into the pores of the tile protecting it from within and as its name suggests improves the colours in the tiles in the process. This product is also fully breathable which is an ideal feature when choosing a sealer for old floors like this one.

Once complete the floor was structurally sound and should last another 100 years. It also looked much cleaner and brighter and most importantly my client was very happy with the result.

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

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Lincolnshire

The post Neglected Victorian Tiled Hallway Rebuilt at Mablethorpe Air B&B appeared first on North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor.

Heavily Soiled Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovated in Crianlarich

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:23:04 +0000

Earlier this year I attended a home in Crianlarich to work on a Limestone Kitchen floor. The stone floor was pretty grubby and proving difficult to keep clean. It was clear to me that the sealer that had once protected the stone had been worn away leaving it vulnerable to ingrained dirt. This process happens so slowly you don’t really notice it.

I carried out a small test clean to demonstrate just how bad the problem was and the improvement made by the cleaning was quite a contrast. Impressed by this and now looking forward to a transformed floor I was asked to provide a price for the renovation.

I worked out a quote which included deep cleaning the tile and grout, polishing the Limestone and then sealing the whole floor with a hard-wearing sealer. They were happy to go ahead, and we scheduled a date in for the work, it was only a small area so would not take too long.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

To get the tile and grout clean I started with a 1 to 4 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was sprayed onto the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes. The dwell times gives the product time to breakdown the dirt and old sealer before being worked into the floor using a Black Scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary buffer machine. The pads are run over each tile multiple times to lift the dirt from the pores of the stone.

After rinsing the tiles and extracting the soiling with a wet vacuum it was time to refine the appearance of the Limestone using a set of diamond burnishing pads of different grits. This process starts with a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad and then repeated with a medium 800-grit pad and a fine 1500-grit pad. The floor is rinsed and extracted after each pad to remove the slurry generated during the process.

The next step was to scrub the grout lines using more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. I find this is best done manually, as the pads can struggle to reach the recesses of the grout lines. Once complete, the floor was rinsed and extracted multiple times to neutralize it and remove any remaining product.

The floor was then left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

On my return the next day work started with the application of the last of the four burnishing pads which is a an extra-fine 3000-grit. This pad further refines the stone and is applied dry to the floor, with only a light misting of water sprayed onto the tile – a process we call a “Spray Burnish”. This leaves the floor nice and dry, and ready for the final step of sealing.

Having discussed sealers and the difference finishes that can be achieved with the customer earlier we had decided upon Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal. This is an almost invisible sealer that leaves the Limestone looking very natural. It works by seeping into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. Only two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal were needed to fully seal the stone, leaving around 30 minutes of drying time between coats.

I think you will agree from the photographs the Limestone floor was transformed by the renovation process and now looks so much cleaner and lighter in colour. The Kitchen now looks much more appealing and inviting much to the delight of my customers.

For the ongoing care of this polished stone floor, we recommend using Tile Doctor Stone Soap. It is a gentle yet effective cleaner that helps maintain the patina without damaging the sealer, ensuring the floor’s finish lasts for a long time.

Professional Cleaning and Polishing of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Stirling

The post Heavily Soiled Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovated in Crianlarich appeared first on Stirling Tile Doctor.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Satin Sealed in Woodham Walter

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 03:33:44 +0000

The photos are of a large Quarry tiled Kitchen floor at a property in Woodham Walter which is a small village between Danbury and Maldon. The floor had been installed 20 years ago by the current owners and although in reasonable condition they felt it was time to have them renovated as the tiles had lost their sheen and now looked flat and unattractive.

I went over to survey the floor and quote for deep cleaning and then re-sealing. The photographs don’t really show it, but it was clear to me that the sealer had worn off and it was the sealer that had brought the depth and colour to the quarry tiles.

We discussed the process which would take two days and decided on a sealer that would best match their expectations. They were happy with my quote and the work was booked in.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

On arrival I set about prepping the floor for cleaning which for this floor primarily meant removing the kick boards from underneath the kitchen units.

Working in sections I set about cleaning the quarry tiles using Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This as the name of the product suggests is a coatings remover that cleans the floor and removes any sealer left on the tiles. Although it had been some time since it was last sealed its important that all the previous sealer is removed before applying a new sealer. This ensures you don’t end up with different levels of sealer and some areas appearing darker than others.

The Remove and Go was left to soak in for ten minutes before being worked in with a rotary buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The grout was also scrubbed into the grout lines by hand using more solution and a stiff brush. This action lifts the dirt out of the floor and turns the cleaning solution and old sealer into a slurry, this is then rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Next, I treated the tiles to an acid rinse using a 1:5 dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This further cleans the tiles and will neutralise the pH level of the floor following the use of Tile Doctor Remove and Go earlier which is a strong alkaline. The acidic nature of the product microscopically etches the tiles to ensure a stronger bond with the sealer.

The Grout Clean-up was brushed into the floor and then rinsed off with more water before being extracted with the wet vacuum. After another rinse with water the wet vacuum was then utilised to get the floor as dry as possible before leaving it to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen and Dining Room

The next day the moisture level of the Quarry tiles was checked using a damp meter to ensure the floor was dry enough for sealing. This is always worth doing as applying sealer to a damp floor can result in a patch appearance.

The moisture readings were fine and so work started on sealing the tiles using Tile Doctor Seal & Go which works really well on Quarry tiles and results in a warm satin sheen finish. This product is also water based so you don’t get that solvent smell being given off as it dries.

Sealers work by keeping the dirt on the surface of the tile where it can be easily cleaned away and on the subject of aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. It’s important to use a neutral tile cleaner on sealed floors like this as stronger bleach-based products will wear the sealer off prematurely.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen and Dining Room in Essex

The post Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Satin Sealed in Woodham Walter appeared first on South Essex Tile Doctor.

Terrazzo Floor Discovered under Hallway Carpet Restored in Neath

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

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

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

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

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

Restoring a Terrazzo Floor in Neath

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

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

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

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

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway

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

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

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

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in South Wales

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

Polishing and Sealing a Dull Limestone Tiled Floor in Colne Burnley

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 06:09:14 +0000

Earlier this year I received an enquiry from Colne regarding a Limestone tiled floor that needed attention. The floor had been installed a few years earlier throughout much of the ground floor including the utility, hallway and large kitchen diner. It was last sealed by the installer and since then it had become quite soiled in parts, particularly the heavy traffic areas and grout. The client hoped for a lighter finish, with a light sheen/semi honed finish to the stone and cleaner grout.

The protective sealer had clearly worn down and was now letting dirt into the pores of the stone making it difficult to clean effectively. After surveying the floors, I recommended burnishing the Limestone with a set of diamond pads and then re-sealing the stone with a suitable modern sealer that would give the finish they were looking for. Happy with my quote we set a date to start the work.

Cleaning and Polishing a Limestone Tiled Floor in Colne

Diamond burnishing pads are the best tool for renovating honed stone floors like Limestone and after setting up the equipment work started with the application of a coarse 400-grit pad.

The pad is fitted to a weighted buffing machine and applied to the floor at low speed with water to lubricate the process. This coarse pad strips off old sealers and cleans the stone and is run over each tile three times, once done the resultant soiling is rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

The burnishing process was then continued with finer 800 and 1500-grit pads which slowly restore a honed finish to the stone. After each pad is run over the floor the dirty water was extracted using the wet vacuum as before.

The next step was to scrub the grout joints using a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. The solution is left to soak into the grout for ten minutes before being scrubbed in by hand with a stiff brush. Once done the now dirty solution was rinsed off with more water and extracted using the very useful wet vacuum.

The floor was then reviewed and any issues spot cleaned using a repeat of the various processes. Part of this work included hand finishing the edges and corners using a set of small hand burnishing blocks of different grits.

A lot of water was used during the cleaning process and the floor needs to be dry before applying the sealer. So once all the work was done the floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum and then left to dry out for 24 hours.

Sealing a Polished Limestone Tiled Floor in Colne

On my return I set about polishing the Limestone using the last pad in the burnishing pad set which is an extra fine 3000-grit. This last pad is applied to the floor dry with only a little water sprayed onto the stone as you progress. It adds a lovely deep shine to the Limestone and leaves the floor dry and ready to be sealed.

To finish Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal was then applied to the Limestone, this is an impregnating sealer that provides a natural look finish. It works by soaking into the stone occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there, this ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

The floor looked much cleaner and lighter once done and my client was very happy with the result and left the following comment on our review page:

“Thoroughly professional job from start to finish with fantastic results!”

For aftercare I recommended using Tile Doctor Stone Soap for polished stone floors like this, it is a gentle effective cleaner that’s ideal for cleaning sealed floors and helps to maintain the patina.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor in South Lancashire

The post Polishing and Sealing a Dull Limestone Tiled Floor in Colne Burnley appeared first on South Lancashire Tile Doctor.

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

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

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

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

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

Cleaning a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen

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

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

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

Sealing a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen

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

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

Professional Renovation of a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen in Nottinghamshire

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

Removing Limescale from a Granite Worktop in an Oxford Kitchen

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 12:27:02 +0000

A client from Oxford was in touch recently regarding their Granite worktop which was heavily stained with limescale build-up and she simply couldn’t get it clean. Oxford is a known hard water area with high readings of calcium carbonate in the water.

Normally granite needs little maintenance however the calcium deposits in the water (often referred to as limescale) are deposited on the worktop surface and over time this slowly builds up.

There are several household products on the market that can remove limescale however you need to be very careful when using these on natural stone as they can make the problem much worse so wisely, we were asked to resolve the problem.

Removing Limescale from a Granite Worktop and Sink

Granite is not as acid sensitive as Limestone and Marble so to start I carefully applied Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This was rubbed into the limescale then rinsed off with water.

This was followed up with a set of six-inch Tile Doctor Burnishing pads applying them in sequence from coarse to extra fine over each part of the Granite countertop. The pads are fitted to a hand buffer and the soil generated by the pads was rinsed off between pads with water.

Granite Kitchen Worktop Aftercare

The granite worksurface does not require an actual sealer to be applied so to finish I sprayed on Tile Doctor Stone Patina Spray and buffed with a cloth to give it a high shine finish. This product is designed for cleaning stone worktops and contains a special ingredient that maintains the lustre so ideal for maintaining the worktops going forward.

Granite is an expensive material and makes the most beautiful and practical worktop you can install in a kitchen. In this case though the Limescale had ruined its appearance, once I had finished buffing the stone however I was pleased to see the kitchen had regained its wow factor.

Professional Renovation of a Limescale Stained Granite Worktop in Oxfordshire

The post Removing Limescale from a Granite Worktop in an Oxford Kitchen appeared first on Oxfordshire Tile Doctor.