hallway Archives - North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Victorian Floor Before and After Cleaning Sealing York

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in York

1 Comment / Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History, York Tile Cleaning / Nigel Stoker

This client had just moved into a property in York and having pulled back the old carpet revealed a lovely old period Victorian tiled floor she didn’t know existed when she bought the house!

I went over at the beginning of this year to survey the floor and could see that fortunately, no glue or carpet grips had been used to secure the carpet; additionally the floor was in good physical condition considering its age with no cracks or loose tiles. The tiles were however very dusty and dirty with ingrained dirt and so had probably been covered with carpet for a very long time. The hallway was quite dark I’m afraid with little natural light so apologies for the photographs.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning York

With old houses like this you never know what you are going to find so whilst I was there surveying the floor, I took some moisture readings with a damp meter on the floors and walls. The readings came back low so no sign of damp which was a relief to the owner.
We agreed a price for the work, and I arranged to come back the following week.

I must admit I do like York, its steeped in history and famous for its Cathedral and Viking museum. The houses in the city have loads of character and period features like this floor are quite common.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in York

I deep cleaned the floor with a strong 1:3 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. Initially the solution was left to soak into the tile before being agitated by the machine. The soil was then rinsed off with minimal water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

I followed this up with an Acid Wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel to further clean up the tiles and help inhibit any potential efflorescent salt issues which are common in floors of this age due to the absence of the damp proof membrane. The floor was given a further rinse and extraction and allowed to dry out fully overnight. I needed the floor to be dry for the next day so it could be sealed.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I came back the next day and started by taking more damp readings which showed similar readings to the day before. Given the low readings I was able to move straight onto sealing which was done using four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. This product works really well on old Victorian Tiles like these and being water based it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries.

Once the final coat of sealer had dried there was a significant improvement in the appearance of the floor which was much appreciated by client who was very happy with the end result.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning York

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to maintain the floor, it has a nice fresh smell and can be used regularly due to its pH neutral nature which won’t prematurely erode the sealer like stronger bleach based cleaners.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Yorkshire

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before and After Cleaning Leeds

Paint Spotted Victorian Tiled Hallway Deep Cleaned in Leeds

1 Comment / Leeds Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

Details below of a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor that I deep cleaned and sealed at a house in Leeds. It has previously been covered in carpet which had been removed before I got there.

The tiles were in good physical condition, just looking dull and there were traces of paint spots and glue residue from double sided tape that had held down the carpet. Worse of all there an imprint had bleed into the tiles from under lay that must have been damp. Dampness can be a problem for these old floors which were laid before the invention of damp proof membranes.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Leeds

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Normally I use a series of Tile Doctor chemical products to deep clean Victorian tiles however I felt this would not deal with the imprint. Therefore on this occasion I started with the application of a coarse 200 grit diamond pad fitted to a weighted rotary machine and lubricated with a little water. The pads can struggle to reach into the edges and corners so to get those clean I used a 200 grit hand held block.

This removed the imprint, paint spots and glue residue and I was then able to lift the ingrained dirt out of the floor by applying a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. The Pro-Clean was left to soak into the floor for a good ten minutes before working it in with a black scrubbing pad.

I extracted the soiled cleaning solution using a wet vacuum and then gave the floor a rinse with water, again using the wet vacuum to remove as much moisture as possible. The result of my cleaning efforts was excellent with 95% of the marks now removed and just a faint imprint left on a few tiles.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

I left the floor to dry overnight and was able to return the next day, checked the moisture levels using a damp meter and then proceeded to seal the floor.

To seal I applied four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds a lovely satin finish that really lifted the look of the Victorian floor tiles.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Cleaning Leeds

Needless to say the customer was delighted with the finish and difference.

Professional Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration in West Yorkshire

Paint Spotted Victorian Tiled Hallway Deep Cleaned in Leeds Read More »

Old Victorian Tiled Floor Before Atfer Restoration in Knaresborough

100 Year Old Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored back to Life in Knaresborough

1 Comment / Harrogate Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

The photographs below are of a Victorian Tiled Hallway at a house in the historic market and spa town of Knaresborough. The tiles were actually over a hundred years old and as you can see in a terrible state. As well as looking dull and unloved they were traces of plaster, oil based paint and even chewing gum.

Old Victorian Tiled Floor Before Restoration in Knaresborough

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The first job was to tackle the chewing gum with a sharp flat metal scraper taking to keep the blade level with the tile and not to scratch the tile. Once this was done the next task was to remove the paint by treating the affected areas with a product called Remove and Go which basically does what it says on the bottle. I find it works best by allowing it to soak into the affected area for about ten minutes before scrubbing it in and then rinsing it off with water.

The next step was to give the whole floor a good deep clean with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-clean, which deep cleans the tiles without damaging them. Again, you leave the product to soak into the tile before scrubbing it in and then rinsing it off and extracting the now soiled solution with a wet vacuum.

After that we gave the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which removed the plaster and also adds a slight acid tint into the base of tile which helps to eliminate a problem we sometimes get with these old tiles called efflorescence which is where mineral salts rise up through the floor leaving white marks on the surface.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Once cleaned and fully dried a damp test was conducted to confirm the floor was dry before sealing. The customer has requested a satin finish, however we only apply this if there is no immediate damp issues or mineral salts present, if so we use a sealer called Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is fully breathable and soaks into the pores of the tile leaving a matt finish. On this occasion, everything was in normal state so we applied four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which provided the satin finish the customer wanted.

Old Victorian Tiled Floor Atfer Restoration in Knaresborough

We pretty much through the book at this floor to restore it and I’m sure you will agree the effort was well worth it as the floor now looks brand new.

Last thing to do before leaving the customer was to provide them with some advice on how to clean the floor going forward. On this occasion, I explained that the floor will maintain its appearance as long as the sealer remains intact; now sealers will wear down over time however you can maximise their life by using a PH neutral cleaning product as anything stronger will cause premature erosion. To get them off on the right track I left them with a free 500ml bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral cleaner which is PH neutral and will not damage the sealer.

Professional Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration in North Yorkshire

100 Year Old Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored back to Life in Knaresborough Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before and After Cleaning Hebden

Restoring the Colour and Appearance of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Hebden

1 Comment / Skipton Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

The colourful and diverse geometric patterns of a Victorian tiled floor can give a property a regal, elegant and timeless feel, making it a popular choice even in the 21st century. However, as time passes without regular care and maintenance, Victorian tiles can quickly lose their colour and appear deadened by the buildup of dirt and dust over several months (and sometimes years).

This property owner in Hebden a very small village in North Yorkshire of less than 300 people, had this common problem. Her Victorian tiled hallway had not been adequately maintained and was now more difficult to keep clean than ever. To add to the problem, most of the tiles along the edges were either broken, cracked, or filled with holes, probably I suspect from the installation of carpet grippers at some point in the past.

Victorian tiled hallway before cleaning Hebden

At this point, the property owner turned to Tile Doctor to see what could be done.

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Before beginning a deep clean of the entire length of the hallway, it was first necessary to source and install replacement tiles for those that had been broken and damaged. I also relaid any that were loose.

When finished, I left the tiles to set and returned the next day to start the clean. My choice of cleaner in this situation was Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which was scrubbed into the floor with a special pad fitted to a rotary machine to break down ingrained dirt and stains. Pro Clean does this very effectively on all types of tile, including natural stone and of course Victorian tiles.

The floor was then rinsed with water and the soiled cleaning solution extracted from the floor using a vet vacuum. Stubborn areas were re-treated with more Pro Clean, and when I was satisfied with the condition of the tiles the floor was given a final but thorough rinse to remove any trace of cleaning product.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The floor was then left to dry completely overnight to ensure all excess moisture had disappeared, leaving it fresh to be sealed. I returned in the morning for a third day of work to seal the Victorian tiles with four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, a topical sealer which provides a rich satin finish to really add depth to the colours in the tile while protecting it against dirt and stains.

Victorian tiled hallway after cleaning Hebden

The customer was delighted with the restoration and couldn’t quite believe the huge improvement in the appearance of the tiles, especially in regards to the enhancement in the different colours. Another satisfied customer!

Professional Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration in North Yorkshire

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Quarry Tiles In Great Ouseburn After Cleaning

Quarry Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Great Ouseburn

1 Comment / Knaresborough Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Nigel Stoker

This Quarry tiled floor was in the hallway of a residence in Great Ouseburn near York, the tiles were in a dreadful state with plaster, carpet glue and what appeared to be one hundred years of dirt. Were often being asked to restore old tiled floors that have been hidden under carpet since the 1970 when taste’s changes and this one seemed no different.

Quarry Tiles In Great Ouseburn Before Cleaning

Cleaning Hallway Quarry Tiles

To tackle the glue the floor was covered with a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was left to dwell on the floor for an hour to soften before being scrapped off with a paint scrapper. I should mention Remove and Go is a powerful coatings remover which is safe to use on tile and stone. Once happy with that all traces of the glue had been removed the floor was washed down with clean water and the solution was removed using a wet vacuum.

The plaster was then attacked with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is an Acid based product that we normally use for removing grout smears from tiles however it works just as well with plaster and can also remove mineral deposits and rust stains. You have to be quick with an acid on tile though as prolonged exposure can damage the tile, once done the tiles were washed down again.

The next step was to scrub the whole floor using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and a strong one to one dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to ensure we have removed all the dirt and grime for the tile, again once done the floor was rinsed with clean water to neutralise the tile before sealing. The wet vacuum was used again to remove the soiled cleaning solution and reduce the drying time of the floor.

Sealing Hallway Quarry Tiles

We returned the next day to seal the floor which we did using four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which will provide protection going forward and also leaves a beautiful satin finish on the surface of the tile. The customers were very surprised and happy with the results, it’s a great bonus when you exceed a customer’s expectations.

Old Quarry Tiles Restored in Great Ouseburn near York

Quarry Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Great Ouseburn Read More »