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Scratched Limestone Floor Polishing Horncastle

Dull and Scratched Limestone Floor Polished in Horncastle

Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing /

Here we have a beautiful Limestone tiled floor installed in the kitchen and adjacent dining area at a property in Horncastle. We were asked to polish the floor in order to bring up the finish and also remove the fine scratched and etching caused by furniture and pets.

Scratched Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Horncastle Scratched Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Horncastle

Polished stone floors like this one do need regular polishing to keep them looking their best and, in this case, it had been a while since had last been done. After measuring up and investigating a few problem areas we discussed the plan to renovate the floor and worked out a quote for the work. Happy with the quote we set a date for my return.

Polishing Limestone Flooring

To remove the light scratches and bring up the polished appearance of the stone the best course of action is to hone the stone with a set of diamond burnishing pads of different grits. After adding protection to vulnerable areas, the burnishing work then started with a coarse 400-grit pad fitted to a rotary machine which had extra weight added to increase traction with the floor.

Scratched Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Horncastle

The 400-grit pad removes old sealers, light scratches and opens the pores in the stone so the dirt can be flushed out. Once the pad has been run over each tile several times the floor is rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

The pad is then swapped out for a medium 800-grit and the process repeated and then again with a fine 1500-grit pad. These pads close the pores and build-up the polished appearance of the Limestone.

The burnishing process is then finished off with the application of a very fine 3000-grit pad which is applied in the same way but with only a little water sprayed into the floor.

Once complete a floor fan was setup and left to run overnight to ensure the floor would be nice and dry and ready for sealing the next day.

Saling a Polished Limestone Floor in Horncastle

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

I used a colour enhancing sealer called Tile Doctor Colour Grow for this which helps bring out the natural colours and shades in the stone. It’s also an impregnator which means it works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores, and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can easily be cleaned away.

Scratched Limestone Floor After Renovation Horncastle Scratched Limestone Floor After Renovation Horncastle

Once complete the scratches were gone and the floor looked amazing with a lovely deep polish that reflected the light. The customer was delighted, and the new sealer will ensure the floor is easier to keep clean in future.

Scratched Limestone Floor After Renovation Horncastle

On the subject of maintenance cleaning, we recommend Tile Doctor Stone Soap for polished stone floors, it won’t impact the sealer, and contains a patina enhancer that will help maintain its appearance.

 

Limestone Tiled Floor Professionally Polished in Horncastle

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Riven Slate Tiled Floor Renovation Boston

Replacing a Failed Sealer on a Riven Slate Tiled Flooring in Boston

Boston Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning /

The pictures below are of a Riven Slate Tiled floor in the Kitchen and adjacent Dinning area at a property in Boston. The customer was very unhappy with the state of the Slate flooring and was at the point of taking the tiles up as they couldn’t keep it clean.

I paid a visit to the property so that I could understand all the issues and work out a quote for restoring its appearance. Whilst there I was able to confirm that the existing sealer had worn away so much and was now letting dirt into the stone. The Slate also looked dull and permanently dirty.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Boston

The solution would be to remove the old sealer, deep clean the floor and then apply a fresh sealer that would give the desired finish. The new sealer will prevent dirt from becoming ingrained in the stone, keeping it on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Happy with the plan and quote the work was booked in.

Removing a Failed Sealer from Multi-Coloured Riven Slate Tiling

To remove what was left of the old sealer a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the tile and grout and then left to soak in for ten minutes. We find this gives the product time to break down the old sealer and soils and makes the cleaning easier.

The floor was then scrubbed with a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine working it into every part of the floor several times. The grout was also scrubbed by hand with a stiff brush and more Pro-Clean. The floor was then rinsed with water and extracted with an industrial wet vacuum.

With the soiling removed from the floor, the Slate and Grout was inspected and then the process repeated as needed until I was satisfied all the old sealer and dirt had been removed.

Once the cleaning was done I setup a Turbo Dryer so speed up drying times and left the floor to dry off overnight.

Sealing Multicoloured Riven Slate Floor Tiles

The following day I used a damp meter to test the slate and confirm it was dry before applying the sealer. The results indicated the Turbo Dryer had done its work and the floor was ready for sealing.

The sealer chosen for this floor was Tile Doctor Seal and Go, it works well on Slate and results in a very attractive deep shine. The area was a busy kitchen dining space so I applied enough sealer to ensure it was fully sealed making use of the Turbo Dryer to speed up the drying time. The sealer didn’t let us down and added a durable finish that brightened the whole area brought out the natural tones in the slate.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor During Sealing Boston Riven Slate Tiled Floor Sealer Drying Boston

My customer was delighted with the results and before leaving I took time to discuss floor maintenance. I explained that with the fresh sealer in place it should only need a quick mop to keep the tiles clean. I also explained that its important to use a PH neutral cleaner when cleaning a sealed floor as anything overly strong will strip the sealer from the floor.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor After Renovation Boston

 

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

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Limestone Floor Renovation Grantham

Dull Limestone Floor and Wall Tiles Polished and Sealed in Grantham

Grantham Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing /

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

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

Limestone Floor Before Polishing Grantham Limestone Floor Before Polishing Grantham

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

Burnishing Limestone Floor Tiling

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

Limestone Floor Before Polishing Grantham

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

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

Burnishing Limestone Wall Tiling

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

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

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor and Shower Cubicle

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

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

Limestone Floor After Renovation Grantham Limestone Floor After Renovation Grantham

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

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

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

Limestone Shower Tiles After Renovation Grantham

 

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

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Dirty Limestone Floor Renovation Sleaford

Party-Stained Limestone Floor Renovated in Sleaford

Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing /

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

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

Dirty Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Sleaford Dirty Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Sleaford

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

Polishing Limestone Flooring

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

Dirty Limestone Floor During Cleaning Sleaford

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

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

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

Dirty Limestone Floor After Cleaning Sleaford

Limestone Floor Tile Sealing

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

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

Dirty Limestone Floor After Cleaning and Sealing Sleaford

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

 

Limestone Tiled Floor Professionally Polished in Sleaford

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Travertine Floor Polishing Boston

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

Boston Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning /

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

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

Travertine Floor Before Cleaning Boston

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

Travertine Floor Before Cleaning Boston

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

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

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

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

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

Travertine Floor During Cleaning Boston

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

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

Travertine Floor After Renovation Boston

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

Travertine Floor After Renovation Boston

 

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

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Minton Hollins Victorian Floor Restoration Spalding

Restoration of an Original Minton Hollins Victorian Floor in Spalding

Spalding Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning /

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor Before Cleaning Spalding

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor Before Restoration Spalding

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor After Restoration Showing Manufacturers Mark

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

Deep Cleaning a Large Victorian Hallway

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor During Restoration Spalding

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

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor During Cleaning Spalding

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

Sealing Victorian Tiles

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor After Restoration Spalding Minton Hollins Victorian Floor After Restoration Spalding

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

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor After Restoration Spalding

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

 

Professional Renovation of a Large Victorian Tiled Floor in Lincolnshire

Restoration of an Original Minton Hollins Victorian Floor in Spalding Read More »

Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration Boston

Multiple Victorian Tiled Floors Restored in Boston

Boston Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning /

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

Victorian Hallway Floor Before Restoration Boston Victorian Hallway Floor Before Restoration Boston

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

Victorian Hallway Floor Before Restoration Boston Victorian Tiled Floor Before Restoration Boston

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

Restoring Victorian Floor Tiles in Boston

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

Victorian Hallway Floor During Restoration Boston

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

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

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

Sealing Victorian Floor Tiles in Boston

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

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

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

Victorian Tiled Floor After Restoration Boston

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

Victorian Hallway Floor After Restoration Boston

 

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