Elmbridge Tile Cleaning Archives - Worcestershire Tile Doctor

Slate Tiled Floor Before After Renovation Bromsgrove

Slate Floor Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Bromsgrove

Earlier this year I visited a customer in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove who was considering replacing their Slate tiled floor due to the fact it was looking grey and unappealing. Realising this would be an expensive option I was asked to pop round and quote for renovating it instead.

Slate Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Bromsgrove

After visiting to survey the floor and quote for the renovation I explained that my renovation plan was to use diamond pads to resurface and clean the slate and flush and clean the grout lines. I could then seal the Slate to restore the colour and protect the stone from ingrained dirt and staining. A quote was sent, excepted and a date agreed to start the work.

Removing Old Sealer and Deep Cleaning Slate Tile and Grout

There was still evidence of the original sealer on the floor and this would need to be removed before applying a fresh sealer. So, to bring the Slate tiles back to life my first step was to spray the Tile and Grout with a strong cleaning and coatings remover called Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was worked into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The floor was then rinsed with water and the slurry extracted with a wet vacuum.

With the old sealer removed I then moved onto to deep cleaning the tile and grout using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which being a gel is extremely easy to control and is great for treating stubborn areas. This was worked into the tile and grout with diamond encrusted burnishing pads of different grits until I was satisfied the Slate was as clean as it could be.

After another rinse and extraction, I turned my attention to the Grout, pads can struggle to get into the recesses of the grout line so I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean onto the grout and worked it by hand with stiff grout brushes.

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

Sealing Slate Floor Tiles

The sealer stripping and cleaning took up most of the first day so day two I returned on day two to seal the floor, first checking the stone was dry enough to accept a sealer. I use a damp meter to check the moisture levels on various parts of the stone and all the readings were within tolerance. We do not recommend applying a sealer to a damp floor as the results can be patchy.

To seal the Slate and get the appearance my client was looking for I applied Tile Doctor X-Tra seal which is a very modern oil-based sealer that works well on dark Slate enhancing the black colours and giving a deep but subtle shine to the stone.

Slate Tiled Floor During Sealing Bromsgrove

Once done the floor looked transformed and before leaving, I left a bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap with the client and gave them information about how best to maintain the floor. This product is pH neutral and cleans whilst maintaining the patina on the stone helping to keep the Slate in good condition.

Slate Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sealing Bromsgrove

Professional Restoration of a Honed Slate Tiled Ground Floor in North London

Slate Floor Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Bromsgrove Read More »

Salt Damaged Quarry Tiled Floor Before After Cleaning Hartlebury

Quarry Tiled Dining Room Floor Renovation in Hartlebury

1 Comment / Elmbridge Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Mark Conway

I was contacted by the new owner of a property in Hartlebury who needed help renovating a Quarry tiled floor in their dining room. The house was full of original period features however the Quarry tiles had experienced a lot of wear over the years and were now in need of a deep clean and seal. Hartlebury by the way is a lovely village close to the larger town of Kidderminster and famous for Hartlebury Castle which was built in the mid-13th century.

There were a few tiles which had experienced salt damage in the past and I explained that as a Tile Doctor I could change these tiles for her to give the best finish. The customer however, decided she would like to keep the original floor without changing the tiles and just concentrate on the clean and seal. I conducted a test clean on part of the floor to demonstrate the difference we could achieve and also work out the best products for the floor. The test went well and happy with the results my quote was accepted, and the work scheduled.

Salt Damaged Quarry Tiled Floor Before Renovation Hartlebury

I have mentioned this before but it’s worth pointing out again that damp proof membranes did not become common until the 1970’s. Properties built before then were subject to damp rising through the sub floor drawn up by evaporation at the floor surface. Alkaline salt deposits would also be brought up with the moisture and leave a white deposit on the surface of the tile. This process is commonly known as efflorescence and can cause damage to tiles which are coated with a non-breathable coating. In extreme circumstances where the whole floor is trapping moisture under the surface then it can spread outwards into the walls leading to rising damp.

Deep Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Dining Room Floor

My first step was to concentrate on the edges of the floor using a wire brush and Tile Doctor Remove and Go on the difficult areas and paint marks. I then sprayed the rest of the floor with some more Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to dwell for ten minutes. Once the dirt had started to lift, I used my rotary scrubber with a black pad and worked the solution in. The soiled product was then rinsed off the floor with water and vacuumed away using a wet vacuum.

The next step was to remove the white efflorescence from the surface of the Quarry tiles and neutralise any alkaline salts within the tile. The best way to do this is to give the floor an acid wash. I use Tile Doctor Acid Gel for this purpose and being a Gel it’s very easy to control. Again, the product is worked into the floor using a rotary machine and black pad. The floor was then rinsed thoroughly and then vacuumed to remove all the soil and as much moisture as possible. After I had finished the floor looked much brighter.
Once I was happy the floor was clean and any trace of efflorescence removed, I finished for the day and left the floor to dry out fully overnight. I arranged to return the following day to seal the tiles.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Dining Room Floor

The customer had requested a gloss finish however the inherent damp issues meant I would need to apply a fully breathable sealer that would allow moisture to rise thorough the Quarry tiles unimpeded. The solution was to apply Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra, this a semi-gloss topical sealer which is fully breathable. This sealant leaves a beautiful finish and allows the natural colour of the tiles to shine through.

After using my damp test meter and making sure the floor was fully dry, I started the sealing process. The Quarry tiles were treated to five coats and the customer was very pleased and left some great feedback which I’ve copied below.

Mark was very efficient and professional. Worked hard and did a good job. Very pleased with results. Sue R., Hartlebury

Salt Damaged Quarry Tiled Floor After Renovation Hartlebury

Although we didn’t replace the damaged tiles, they were much improved and added character to the floor. Also, the new sealer will make them much easier for the customer to keep clean. For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor looking pristine, unlike harsher products you find in supermarkets it won’t damage the sealer prematurely.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Dining Room Floor in Worcestershire

Quarry Tiled Dining Room Floor Renovation in Hartlebury Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before After Restoration Rushock

St Michaels Church Floor Restoration Rushock

1 Comment / Elmbridge Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Mark Conway

I recently completed a Victorian floor restoration at St Michaels Church in Rushock which is a very small village in Worcestershire in the Wyre Forest District. The church is a listed building that dates to 1758 however I suspect the floor was installed in 1872 when the building was subject to a major restoration. Interestingly its most famous as the resting place of Jon Bonham from Led Zeppelin who is regarded as one of most influential rock drummers in history.

I was contacted by the church as the floor had become dull and the floor was experiencing efflorescent salt issues. The chairman of Rushock church was unhappy with its appearance and was keen to have it restored to ensure the church looked it’s best for the residents and the churches parishioner’s.

I completed the inspection of this beautiful church and you can see from the pictures why the chairman was so keen to have the floor renovated. Confident we could significantly improve the floors appearance and restore the feature aisle for them I costed out a plan for the work.

Victorian Floor Before Cleaning St Michaels Church Rushock

The quote was accepted, and we arranged a mutually convenient date to fit round their service schedule. An extra pair of hands would be required to meet their schedule, so I arranged to work on this floor with the Warwickshire Tile Doctor Mick Gayton. Mick has a wealth of knowledge and experience and we often team up on bigger projects. With over sixty Tile Doctors in the UK it’s hugely helpful to have a network of Tile Doctors you can call upon when you need extra help.

Cleaning and Restoring a Church Tiled Floor

The first day was spent cleaning the floor both by hand and with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad paying particular attention to the salt issues. Tile Doctor Remove and Go was applied first to tackle the dirt and remove what remained of the previous sealer. This was then rinsed off the floor and the soil extracted using a wet vacuum.

We then treated the floor to an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel, this was applied to the floor and left to dwell for a short time before more scrubbing in with the rotary machine. This made short work of cleaning the salt minerals and grout haze, it would also neutralise any alkaline salts inherent in the tile that could cause problems later. The wet vacuum was employed again to remove the resultant slurry.

We also used a steam cleaner on some of the stubborn areas where the dirt had been ingrained for some time! Once we were happy the floor was clean, we left the floor to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Church Tiled Floor

We returned the next day and got to work on some areas where the grout had perished, replacing as needed with a matching flexible grout. Once the grout had dries and any haze polished off the tiles the floor was ready for the application of a protective sealer.

The sealer chosen was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating colour enhancing product that works by occupying the pores in the tile preventing dirt from becoming lodges in there. This sealer is also fully breathable which is an essential feature for old floors that were laid without a damp proof membrane. Using a non-breathable sealer would trap moisture under the floor where it can spread to the walls resulting in rising damp. Four coats of Colour Grow were required in total and the colour enhancing nature of the product really brought out the colours in the tile restoring it to its original condition.

Victorian Floor After Cleaning St Michaels Church Rushock

The chairman was extremely satisfied with the restored floor and he was sure the parishioners would be to.

Professional Restoration of a Church Tiled Floor in Worcestershire

St Michaels Church Floor Restoration Rushock Read More »

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Bewdley Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Droitwich Tile Cleaning, Elmbridge Tile Cleaning, Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Evesham Tile Cleaning, Fireplace Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning and Sealing, Grout Colouring, Kidderminster Tile Cleaning, Leigh Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Malvern Tile Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Pershore Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Stourbridge Tile Cleaning, Tenbury Wells Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Upton upon Severn Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Vinyl Tile Cleaning, Worcester Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Mark Conway

Worcestershire Tile Doctor

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