Diamond Pads Archives - North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Old Terracotta Floor Restoration Skirpenbeck

Old Terracotta Tiled Hallway Floor Repaired and Restored in Skirpenbeck York

I was asked to visit a 250-year-old cottage in the old Yorkshire village of Skirpenbeck on the outskirts of York to view a Terracotta hallway floor that was in quite a state. We think the Terracotta tiles were around forty years old but it had clearly seen some history and interior remodelling had left gaps in the flooring.

During my visit I surveyed the terracotta which suffered from ingrained dirt and measured up the areas of missing tiling. The new owner of the property requested that all the tiles were deep cleaned, missing areas of tile replaced in best match possible and then the whole floor sealed to protect it.

Old Terracotta Floor Before Cleaning Skirpenbeck

The problem was always going to be finding matching replacements for the original Terracotta tiles however I did find a supplier who was able to come up with a close match. With the prices for the tiles confirmed I worked out a detailed quote that included all the products and work needed to do the restoration. The quote was accepted and a date set for the work to begin.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Hallway Floor

The first job was to repair the floor which involved cleaning up the gaps in the flooring and applying cement to bring the level of the floor ready for tiling. The replacement Terracotta tiles were then cut to shape and secured in place. Once set the tiles were grouted in using a combination of sand and lime mortars that matched the original pointing.

When the tile and mortar had set, a dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up was mopped onto the floor and left to soak in. This product is acidic cleaner that also removes mineral stains such as grout haze and efflorescent salts. For maximum effect the cleaner was then worked in using a coarse 100-grit diamond pad and then a finer 200-grit diamond pad. These pads are applied using a rotary buffer fitted with extra weights and scrubs the dirt out of the floor generating a lot of dark soiling in the process. The soiling is then rinsed off with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

Old Terracotta Floor During Restoration Skirpenbeck

The floor was inspected, and any problem areas retreated using the same process until I was happy with the floor. Once done the tiles came up to their original colour and looked new.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Hallway Floor

I left the floor to dry out and returned the next day to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Seal & Go. This product is ideal for Terracotta which is very porous and really drinks the sealer so multiple coats were needed, being a water-based product however it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries.

Seal & Go is a specially formulated water-based blend of acrylic polymers that provides both a stain resistant surface seal and a durable low-sheen finish. It restored the natural colour of the terracotta and gave the floor the lovely sheen that the customer originally wanted.

Old Terracotta Floor After Restoration Skirpenbeck

Once done the floor looked much healthier and the new tiles weren’t an exact match but blended in well and the difference wasn’t that noticeable. My customer was highly delighted and made us loads of teas throughout the work and a few biscuits too, they also left the following feedback:

“You should be proud to have an excellent employee. He was very professional. From initial enquiry to completion of work, very prompt and was able to answer all my questions. I would certainly recommend him.”

I’m actually self-employed but feedback is always welcome.

For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective cleaning product that won’t affect the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Hallway in Northwest Yorkshire

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Thirsk

Damaged 135-Year-Old Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Fully Restored in Thirsk

This Victorian tiled hallway floor at a property on the outskirts of Thirsk was approximately 135 years old and was in need of deep cleaning and repair. As far as the owners were aware it had never been professionally cleaned but was sealed many times before with some type of varnish/linseed oil.

Unsurprisingly for its age the tiles were fairly worn and unfortunately had some suffered damaged due to the installation of heating pipework that was run under the floor. This area had simply been backfilled with cement and my client asked for this to be replaced with tiles that match the existing type and pattern. The was floor was then to be restored to the best condition possible given its age.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Restoration Thirsk

I’ve worked on these sorts of issues before so more than happy to take on the project. It took a little time to track down the replacement tiles but once I had everything costed, I was able provide an accurate quote to the owner who gave the go ahead to start the work.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

To start I gave the whole floor a deep clean with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go combined with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to remove the several coatings from the tiles worked in with coarse 100 and 200-grit diamond pads fitted to a rotary machine. I also used hand-held diamond blocks around the edges. The soiling was then rinsed off with water and extracted with a powerful wet vacuum.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Cleaning Thirsk

Next, I turned my attention to the damaged areas where the tiles had been dug out and backfilled with cement. This cement was at the same height as the floor, so it had to be carefully removed and then replaced with a lower screed mix with protection over the pipes to stop any corrosion.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Repair Thirsk

Once the screed had set the area was re-tiled using the replacements I had managed to source earlier making various cuts as required to achieve the original geometric pattern.

The repaired and cleaned floor was then left for approximately four days until it was dry enough to seal. These old floors don’t have the benefit of a damp proof course and sealers work best when applied to dry tiles, so it is always worth waiting if there is any doubt.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

On my return I used a moisture meter to confirm the floor was dry and ready to be sealed.
The hallway is above ground level and away from the problems of rising moisture, however it is important to use a breathable sealer on these old floors that will allow any moisture to evaporate at the surface and not get trapped underneath where it could cause problems.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Sealing Thirsk

So, for this floor we used Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is breathable and results in a nice shine finish which the client requested. Four coats where needed before the tiles were fully sealed.

The client was very pleased with the result and even added a tip to their payment.

“Thanks Chris, all paid. – I added something extra for some beers or a meal down at Piece Hall as a thank you!”

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Thirsk

The new sealer will keep the dirt on the surface of the floor where it can be easily cleaned away. For which I recommend using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, it’s a gentle but effective product that won’t impact the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in North Yorkshire

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