Colour Grow 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.

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Beautiful Victorian Tiled Hallway Maintenance Bowness Windermere

Maintaining a Victorian Tiled Hall Floor at a Stately Home in Bowness

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

Recently I paid a visit to a client who lived in an impressive stately home near Bowness on Windermere and had asked for help renovating the Victorian tiled hallway floor. It was a very grand property and the hallway floor mainly consisted of red clay tiles with a decorative cream and black tile border.

Beautiful Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Bowness Windermere

After inspecting the floor, I could see it was in excellent physical condition for its age, it just needed a deep clean to flush out ingrained dirt and then sealing to protect it. There were also a few stains that were mainly visible on the cream tiles that would need spot cleaning to get the best out of them. After discussing the clean and seal process I worked out a detailed quote which was accepted and then it was just a question of agreeing a start date.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Four weeks later I returned to begin the project which started with adding protection to the impressive and beautiful wooden skirting and door surrounds that were a feature of this period property.

With the protection in place, I began the cleaning with a vacuum of the floor to remove any surface grit. A strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was then sprayed onto the tiles and left to dwell and soak in for twenty minutes. This gives the product time to soak into the tile and break down the dirt. The tiles were then scrubbed with a rotary floor scrubber fitted with a 200-grit diamond pad. This action pulls the dirt out of the tiles and any remaining sealer; the diamond pad is also good at removing surface marks. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and the soiled solution extracted with a wet vacuum.

Beautiful Victorian Tiled Hallway During Cleaning Bowness Windermere

Beautiful Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Bowness Windermere

The pad can struggle to have an effect in the doorways and edges so for this I use a 200-Grit Diamond hand burnishing block and more Pro-Clean. It was needed as they were particularly ingrained and needed further attention. Again, once done the soiling was removed using the wet vacuum.

Next step was to give the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which further cleans the floor by removing any mineral based staining such as grout smears and plaster cement leaving the tiles really clean. Being acidic it also neutralises alkaline salts which are a common problem for these old Victorian tiled floors which don’t have a damp proof membrane. Finally, this this product also helps the sealer to achieve a better contact with the tile. Once done, the floor was rinsed with water and then dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The following day I returned to seal the floor and started by taking moisture readings from the tiles. A damp meter is used for this and is needed to confirm the tiles are dry enough to accept a sealer, applying a sealer to damp tiles can result in a patchy appearance.

The client had previously requested a low sheen finish, so I recommended we apply Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a matt sealer that improves colour and results in an appealing subtle finish. Five coats of sealer were needed to ensure the tiles were fully sealed as confirmed by performing a water test.

Beautiful Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Sealing Bowness Windermere

It’s difficult to see the improvement from the photos as red tiles hold the dirt quite well however you should be able to see a difference in the lighter borders. I was certainly happy with the result, and my client was equally pleased.

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild but effective tile and grout cleaner that won’t impact the sealer. Stronger bleach-based products will prematurely erode the sealer and are best avoided.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Cumbria

Maintaining a Victorian Tiled Hall Floor at a Stately Home in Bowness 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 »