Acid-Gel Archives - South Cumbria Tile Doctor

Flagstone Floor Renovation Ulverston Barn Conversion

Restoring a Rich Finish to a Tired Flagstone Floor in Ulverston

A customer from Ulverston was nearing the end of a house refurbishment and got in touch regarding the renovation of a Flagstone floor. A lot of contractors had been through the property and the stone was not looking its best. Happy to assist I arranged to visit the property and provide advice on its restoration.

I went over to survey the floor and could see it was suffering from heavy ground-in soiling. The stone had lost its colour and now looked dull and lifeless; the grout was also heavily soiled with ingrained dirt. We discussed the floor in detail and I recommended a deep clean to remove all the dirt and then applying a sealer to restore colour to the stone and prevent ingrained dirt.

Flagstone Floor Before Renovation Ulverston Barn Conversion

After measuring up I worked out a detailed quote and emailed it across to the customer for their review. Happy with quote I got the go ahead to restore the floor and agreed a date.

Deep Cleaning a Tired Flagstone Floor

To get the stone clean it was sprayed with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and this was left to soak in for a good fifteen minutes to give it time to start breaking down the ingrained dirt. The floor was then scrubbed with a rotary machine fitted with a coarse carborundum brush which lifts the dirt out of the stone and grout. The soiling was then rinsed off the floor and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Flagstone Floor During Renovation Ulverston Barn Conversion

To further clean the Flagstones and strip off old sealers and remaining surface residues the floor was further treated with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This time the solution was scrubbed into the stone using a coarse 200-grit diamond burnishing pad to refine the appearance of the stone.

After rinsing and extracting again the stone was given an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This neutralises the stone after the use of alkaline cleaners and further cleans the stone to remove grout smears and old mineral deposits to further refine the surface, improving clarity and tone within the stone

After a final review of the stone to spot clean any stubborn areas, it was given another rinse and dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Flagstone Floor

The floor was left to dry out overnight and work resumed the next day to finish the stone with the application of a sealer. First however the floor was checked for moisture, applying sealer to damp stone can result in a patchy appearance so best avoided.

The results were fine so work started to apply the first of what would be two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This sealer is an impregnator that soaks in the stone adding protection from within, this ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. Another feature of Colour Grow, as its name suggests, is to enhance and deepen the colour and features in the stone.

Flagstone Floor During Sealing Ulverston Barn Conversion

Once complete the flagstones were restored to a rich, natural finish with improved colour depth and a far more uniform appearance. The surface is now protected and significantly easier to maintain.

Flagstone Floor After Renovation Ulverston Barn Conversion

For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which will clean the floor without impacting the sealer which can be a problem with many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets.

Professional Restoration of a Black Flagstone Basement in Cumbria

Restoring a Rich Finish to a Tired Flagstone Floor in Ulverston Read More »

Terracotta Tiled Floor Renovation Hawkshead

Terracotta Tiled Flooring Stripped and Sealed in Hawkshead

1 Comment / Ambleside Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning / Chris Jones

The client from Hawkshead had used Tile Doctor previously to renovate a Terracotta tiled floor. Now eleven years later the floor needed attention again and so I went over to the property to survey the tiles and get a good understanding of any issues and requirements.

I went out to the client to assess the floor and could see the sealer had all but gone and dirt was becoming ingrained in the Terracotta. It turns out the client had been using flash floor cleaner which has a PH over 12 making it a strong alkaline and similar in PH to our own product Remove and Go which we use for stripping sealers off floors.

Terracotta Floor Before Cleaning Hawkshead

After discussing the floor in detailed I proposed stripping the floor back completely to its pre-seal state, deep cleaning to flush out the ingrained dirt then and re-sealing to bring the tiles back to their best condition. I worked out a detailed quote which was accepted and a date set for the work to start two weeks later.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Hallway Floor

Before stripping and cleaning time was spent adding protection to the kitchen island, skirtings, and exposed surfaces. This is necessary to prevent moisture and chemical exposure soaking into the woodwork which can result in warping and staining.

Next a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was sprayed across the entire floor and after leaving it to soak in for ten minutes scrubbed into the tile and especially the grout. This product is an effective Tile and Grout cleaner and served as an initial clean to the grout and Terracotta which is very porous.

Terracotta Floor During Cleaning Hawkshead

The floor was inspected and there was still evidence of sealer in the less used areas of the floor as well as deeply ingrained grime. To deal with these problems Tile Doctor Remove and Go was sprayed onto the problem areas and left to soak in as before. After ten minutes the solution was agitated using a deck brush and then worked into the Terracotta using a rotary scrubber fitted with a black pad. Each part of the floor was scrubbed five to six times to remove any remaining sealer and release the dirt. Afterwards the floor was rinsed with water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum and at this point you could really see the true colours of the Terracotta.

Next step was to give the tiles and acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which applied to the tiles and diluted with water whilst being brushed into the tiles. This removes residues, mineral deposits, old grout smears and remaining contaminants. Being acidic it neutralises the floor after the alkaline cleaning products used earlier. After being allowed to dwell briefly it was then removed using the wet vacuum. The floor was then rinsed with water and extracted again to remove any trace of product prior to the next step of sealing.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Hallway Floor

I left the floor to dry out overnight with multiple floor fans to accelerate drying and returned the next day to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This product is an impregnator that soaks into the pores of the Terracotta and acts as a barrier to prevent dirt from becoming ingrained there. It also contains a colour enhancer that really works well on Terracotta to bring out the natural red and orange colours in the tile.

Once that Colour Grow had dried which leaves a matt finish, I completed the sealing by topping it off with five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds a nice subtle shine to the tile. When complete the floor looked so much better with improved colour and depth and a lovely silky appearance.

Terracotta Floor After Cleaning Sealing Hawkshead

The outcome was very satisfactory and the client was extremely pleased with the result and the floor was ready in time for Christmas guests. For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective cleaning product that won’t affect the sealer.

Professional Renovation of a Terracotta Tiled Flooring in South Cumbria

Terracotta Tiled Flooring Stripped and Sealed in Hawkshead Read More »

Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Kirby Stephen

Renovating an Original Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor in Kirkby Stephen

1 Comment / Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Kirkby Stephen Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Chris Jones

A client from Kirkby Stephen had uncovered a heavily soiled and stained Victorian tiled floor in their hallway. The tiles were clearly quote old and included some lovely, patterned tiles as part of the design which were clearly handmade encaustic tiles that must have been over 150 years old.

Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Kirby Stephen

Keen to have the original floor restored to its full potential I was asked to call in and quote for completing a sympathetic restoration of the whole floor including cleaning and then sealing. Having inspected the floor and confident it could be restored to a very good condition I discussed the main issues and came up with a plan for the work which would be respectful of the floors age.

Happy with my plan and detailed quotation I was given the go ahead and we agreed a date for my return.

Deep Cleaning an Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor

Before starting cleaning, protective tape was applied to the stair carpet, new oak doors, skirtings, and other surrounding surfaces. This ensures all adjacent areas are safeguarded from moisture and chemical exposure.

The property had a cellar below and I was concerned that any excess liquids used during cleaning could seep through the floor, as a result I decided to clean the floor using low moisture gel cleaning products. This involved spreading Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel across the entire floor and then allowed the product to soak in for ten to fifteen minutes. The gel was then worked into the tiles using a deck brush initially and then a rotary scrubber fitted with a black pad.

The soiling was then extracted with a wet vacuum and then repeated until I was satisfied the tiles were as clean as they could be. In-fact the floor was so dirty this process had to be repeated five to six times to lift deep-set grime and reveal the original colours of the tiles. Once done the floor was given a quick rinse with water which was then extracted using the wet vacuum.

Last step was to give the tiles an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which is another gel cleaner which can remove cement-based residues, mineral deposits, and other contaminants. The gel was allowed to soak in briefly before being removed using the wet vacuum.

The last step in the process was to give the floor another quick rinse to remove any trace of cleaning products and then dried thoroughly with the wet vacuum and left to dry off fully with the aid of several floor fans.

Sealing an Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor

The next day I returned to inspect the floor and make sure it was dry using a moisture meter to confirm it was dry enough to be sealed. Sealers don’t cure well on damp floors resulting in a patchy appearance so it’s always a good idea to check for dampness first.

Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Sealing Kirby Stephen

To seal and protect the Victorian tile, a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied to the floor using a paint pad applicator. Colour Grow is a fully breathable, colour enhancing sealer which soaks into the tile, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

You can see from the photographs that the transformation was dramatic, I just wished I took more photos. Certainly, my client was extremely pleased with the final result. For aftercare I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild but effective floor cleaning product that’s designed for use on sealed floors.

Encaustic Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Kirby Stephen

Professional Renovation of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Cumbria

Renovating an Original Encaustic Tiled Victorian Hallway Floor in Kirkby Stephen Read More »

Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Kendal

1 Comment / Kendal Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning / Chris Jones

A homeowner from Kendal asked me to inspect an old Quarry tiled floor laid in the classic Red and Black Dorchester pattern. Several tiles were damaged or back filled with concrete and so needed replacing, but overall, the floor just required a deep clean and seal. I suspect something had been dropped on the damaged tiles at some point, causing them to deteriorate over time. With old floors like this, their history is often lost.

Red and Black Dorchester Pattern Quarry Tiled Floor Before Restoration in Kendal

I provided a quote for the work, which included replacing the damaged tiles, deep cleaning the floor, and sealing it for protection. Red and Black Quarry tiles are still popular, so I was confident I could find replacement or salvaged tiles that would match the floor. The homeowner accepted the quote, and a date was set for the work to begin.

Cleaning and Repairing a Quarry Tiled Floor

Upon arrival, we protected the areas near our work site and carefully removed the damaged tiles, ensuring not to dislodge adjacent tiles and expand the project unnecessarily. The foundation was cleaned to remove rubble and old adhesive, and the replacement tiles were shaped and dry-fitted. They were then secured with fresh adhesive and grouted. I was confident the repair would be invisible once completed.

Red and Black Dorchester Pattern Quarry Tiled Floor During Repair in Kendal

The tiles were left to set overnight. The next day, we deep cleaned the entire floor using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel. Old floors like this lack a damp-proof membrane, so I prefer gel cleaners that minimise water usage. The gel was applied neat to the quarry tiles and allowed to soak for about ten minutes before being worked in with a 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary buffer. This combination is excellent for cleaning old tiles, as there was a significant amount of carpet glue around the room’s edges that needed removal.

The slurry was extracted with a wet vacuum, and the process was repeated with another gel product called Tile Doctor Acid Gel scrubbed in with a deck brush. This product further cleans the tiles and being acidic dissolves any salts present in the tile, it also etches the tiles microscopically which helps to achieve a better bond with the sealer. The gel was then rinsed off and extracted with the wet vacuum, and the floor was left to dry overnight.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Floor

The moisture level readings were satisfactory the next day, and we proceeded to seal the floor with a coat of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This oil-based breathable sealer is ideal for old floors like this, as it leaves a light sheen and enhances the colour of the black and red clay.

The result was transformative; the repair was indeed invisible, and the Quarry tiles looked much cleaner and brighter. Needless to say, my client was very pleased with the work.

Red and Black Dorchester Pattern Quarry Tiled Floor After Restoration in Kendal

X-Tra Seal works by soaking into the clay tile, occupying the pores, and preventing dirt from becoming ingrained in the tile, where it can be difficult to remove. This effectively keeps dirt on the surface, where it can be easily cleaned away.

For aftercare cleaning, I recommended using a sealer-compatible tile cleaner such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This pH-neutral cleaner won’t erode the sealer, which can be a significant problem with many stronger products found in supermarkets.

Red and Black Dorchester Pattern Quarry Tiled Floor After Restoration in Kendal

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor in South Cumbria

Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Kendal Read More »

Victorian Floor Renovated in Windermere Lake District

6-inch Red Victorian Floor Tiles Renovated in a Windermere Kitchen

1 Comment / Victorian Tile Cleaning, Windermere Tile Cleaning / Chris Jones

These old Red Victorian floor tiles in the kitchen of a property in Windermere might appear to be Quarry Tiles on first inspection however they are not. One way of telling is to look at the grout lines, modern quarry tiles are always set with at least 4mm grout joints (sometimes a lot more). Victorian floor tiles are always rebated together as close as possible with only a millimetre of grout being put in place but as grout wasn’t around over a 100 years ago it was either white limecrete or grey screed cement which was used.

Old Victorian Period Red 6 inch floor tiles before cleaning in Windermere

It’s important to know what you are working on as standard Victorian tiles have no sand fillers in the clay unlike the much thicker contract and standard quarry tiles; these red Victorian tiles are pure clay all the way through which means we can go much deeper on the cleaning.

The floor had previously been covered in carpet for many years and to secure it and the underlay to the tiles a strong adhesive had been used. A self-levelling cement compound had also been applied and lastly there was red paint to deal with.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor

Before cleaning the first task was to run a line of silicone around all the kitchen unit edges. These are often made of MDF and not solid wood and any amount of water will blow the MDF within 5 to 10 minutes of contact. Clear silicone is used for this and left in place as it’s a great way to protect the units even from the water used in daily mopping of the floor tiles. Once that had been applied the units were then covered with a protective plastic sheet that was secured in place with tape.

To tackle the red paint and other contaminates, Tile Doctor Oxy Gel was applied and scrubbed into the floor, this softens the paint and worked well on the remnants of carpet underlay that were still firmly attached to the tiles.

Old Victorian Period Red 6 inch floor tiles during cleaning in Windermere

The cement screed was mostly scraped off and anything left over was loosened using Tile Doctor Acid Gel worked in with a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Some edging work was needed, and this had to be done by hand with small brushes. To finish off the floor was rinsed with water and a wet vacuum was used to extract all soiling and residue.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor

With the cleaning finished we left for the day and let the floor dry off overnight. The use of gel cleaning products ensured water was kept to a minimum and allow for a quicker drying time.

Next day the tiles were sealed with the tiles two coats of a breathable sealer called Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. This sealer is an oil-based product that adds structure to the tile and does a great job of lifting the colour in the clay tile. X-Tra Seal is also fully breathable and will cope well with any moisture rising through the floor. This is always a concern with old floors like this one that don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane.

Old Victorian Period Red 6 inch floor tiles after cleaning in Windermere

You will notice some patchiness on the after pictures of the clay tiles after the sealer had dried. With old floors like this you never know its full history and what might have been used on it before, in this case I suspect the patchiness is down to the miss use of a chemical cleaning product in the past, probably something with a strong acid base. These tiles are generally not acid sensitive but constant use of acid on any surface will deteriorate the finish as it opens the pores in the clay and lets the dirt in. Once the pores are open on a clay tile, they won’t close so we resolve this by using X-Tra seal and filling any cavities with oil.

Once done the floor looked so much cleaner and brighter and the new sealer will protect it from ingrained dirt well into the future.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor in Cumbria

6-inch Red Victorian Floor Tiles Renovated in a Windermere Kitchen Read More »