Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of Encaustic Tile Cleaning and Renovation work carried out in Worcestershire

Cleaning and Renovating Encaustic Tiles

Made from layers of cement modern production methods and stunning geometric designs have seen a resurgence in the popularity of Encaustic tiles of late. Traditionally these tiles were hand painted with patterns hydraulically pressed into the surface resulting in a large range of beautifully artistic tiles with some companies offering a bespoke design service. They are known for their durability making them a popular option for floors.

Like Ceramic, Encaustic tiles are generally very easy to clean and generally need little maintenance, however these tiles are generally micro-porous and so should be sealed to avoid dirt becoming ingrained in the tile which will make them difficult to clean. Once sealed make sure you only use a neutral pH cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to clean the tiles as stronger products (especially acidic) will reduce the life of the sealer.

If regular cleaning proves to have little impact its likely the sealer has worn down and dirt has penetrated the pores of the tile. If this is the case we recommend burnishing the Encaustic tiles with a set of diamond pads and then resealing with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which will enhance the colours in the tile.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products.

Encaustic Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Worcester

Encaustic Cement Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Worcester

1 Comment / Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Worcester Tile Cleaning /

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.

Edwardian Tiled Floor Before Restoration Worcester

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.

Edwardian Tiled Floor During Restoration Worcester

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.

Edwardian Tiled Floor After Restoration Worcester

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

Encaustic Cement Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Worcester Read More »

Edwardian Tiled Floor Renovation Kidderminster

Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Refurbished in Kidderminster

1 Comment / Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Kidderminster Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning /

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.

Edwardian Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Kidderminster

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.

Edwardian Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Kidderminster

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.

Edwardian Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sealing Kidderminster

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.

Edwardian Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sealing Kidderminster

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

Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway Refurbished in Kidderminster Read More »

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