Tile Repair Archives - North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Limestone Floor Restoration Burley in Wharfedale

Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Repair and Restoration in Burley in Wharfedale

The photos below are of a Limestone tiled kitchen floor with an inset of coloured stone at a 200-year-old cottage in Burley in Wharfedale near Ilkley. The stone floor was overdue a deep clean and seal and some of the inset flagstones were damaged and uneven. Looking for a solution, the owner had tried other companies before us so by the time I got to look at the floor some repairs had already been attempted although not that successful.

Limestone Floor Before Restoration Burley in Wharfedale

I popped over to survey the floor and recommended re-seating and repairing the cracked and uneven flagstones and then burnishing the floor with diamond burnishing pads to deep clean the stone and restore its appearance, then finally applying a fresh sealer to protect it going forward.

Happy with the quote I was asked to go ahead with the work and a date was scheduled.

Cleaning/Repairing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen

The first job was to repair the stone by carefully pulling out the uneven and damaged sections and then cleaning up the foundation. The existing stone was then cleaned up and fixed back in place, the cracks were then filled with epoxy mastic, colour matched to blend in with the original stone. It’s a lengthy process that requires a lot of attention to detail, but the alternative would have been to source matching replacement flagstones which given the age of the floor would have been tricky.

Limestone Floor During Repair Burley in Wharfedale

Once the repairs had set, work started on the burnishing by applying the first of a set of four diamond encrusted burnishing pads. The first pad is a coarse 400-grit which was worked into the floor using a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean for extra cleaning power and lubrication. This combination increases the effectiveness of the pad and together removed ingrained dirt and remaining old sealer. The pad is applied using a rotary machine which had extra weight added to further increase traction with the stone.

Next up the grout was treated to a good scrub with more Pro-Clean which was worked into the grout by hand to ensure the best result. The tiles were a reasonably large format so it didn’t take too long to go round the whole floor cleaning the grout with this method.

The floor was then rinsed with water and the slurry extracted with a wet vacuum before repeating the process with finer 800 and 1500-grit pads that build up a nice subtle polish on the limestone and are applied using only with water. After rinsing the floor and extracting the soiling the last pad which is a super fine 3500-grit was applied dried to the tiles using only a little water sprayed onto the tile. This the final step in the cleaning and polishing process and added a lovely subtle sheen to the floor. These pads bring up the appearance of the stone as well as helping the repairs to blend in.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen

Once the floor was dry as confirmed by a moisture meter the stone was sealed with a single coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal. This is a premium almost invisible impregnating sealer which soaks into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Limestone Floor After Repair Restoration Burley in Wharfedale

The result was a fully restored clean limestone floor with a subtle shine. My client was very pleased with the improvement and left the following testimonial:

“Very professional and pleasant. Willing to do what was needed to ensure the best job possible “

For the aftercare of polished and sealed stone floors I recommend Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is sealer friendly and contains a patina enhancer that will help the floor keep its polished appearance.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen in Northwest Yorkshire

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Old Terracotta Floor Restoration Skirpenbeck

Old Terracotta Tiled Hallway Floor Repaired and Restored in Skirpenbeck York

1 Comment / Terracotta Tile Cleaning, York Tile Cleaning / Chris Allen

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 Restoration Bingley

Original Victorian Tiled Hallway Repaired and Renovated in Bingley

1 Comment / Skipton Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Chris Allen

This client called me over to look at the original Victorian tiled floor in the hallway of their property in Bingley. The floor was due a clean and seal and there were a few tiling issues that needed resolving.

I went over to survey the floor and could see that except for a few broken tiles the floor was in a good condition considering its age. He wanted the broken tiles replaced and then the floor cleaned and resealed. There had been no maintenance over the last ten years which is when they purchased the property so a deep clean and seal was overdue.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Bingley

I worked out a quote for the work which was accepted and then started looking for replacement tiles which would be needed to complete the repairs.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Bingley

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway

When I returned to the property the first job was to replace the broken tiles which on a floor like this is intricate and careful work. Each broken tile has to be slowly prised up taking care not to disturb the adjacent tile and thereby making the job larger than it needs to be. With the broken tile out of the way the base is cleaned up and prepared to accept the replacement which has to be cut to fit and match the existing geometric pattern. Once I’m happy with the replacement it is then set in place with rapid drying adhesive.

Once the repaired tiles had set, I was able to make a start on getting the floor clean. To do this a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was sprayed onto the floor and left to soak into the tiles before being worked in with a coarse 100-grit diamond pad. The resultant slurry was removed with a wet vacuum and the process was repeated with a finer 200-grit diamond pad. The pads are run over the tiles using a buffer machine with weights added to improve traction. The floor was then rinsed, and the soiling extracted as before.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Cleaning Bingley

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Bingley

Next step was to give the tiles an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which further cleans up the floor by removing old grout smears and salt deposits that can be a common problem with floors of this age. This was worked in with a black scrubbing pad and rinsed off and extracted as before.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

A lot of water was used in the cleaning process so to speed up the drying process as much moisture as possible was removed with the wet vacuum after cleaning and a floor dryer was left in place.

I returned on day three to seal the tiles starting by testing the floor with a moisture meter to check it had dried sufficiently. All was well and I was able to confirm the floor was dry enough to seal for which Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra was applied. This will protect the tiles from ingrained dirt and gives the floor a nice finish. This product is also fully breathable which is an important consideration when sealing older floors that don’t have a damp proof membrane.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Bingley

The client was very happy and gave me a cup of tea and a biscuit as well as the following excellent feedback:

” The experience from start to finish was excellent. The Tile Doctor responded to my query quickly and allocated Chris to the job. Chris arrived promptly and provided a competitive quote. Once booked in Chris arrived on time and did a fantastic job. The hallway looks brilliant. Wouldn’t hesitate to use Chris and Tile Doctor again.”

For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective tile and grout cleaner. It’s important to avoid strong cleaner products which contain bleach as this will strip away the sealer.

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Thirsk

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

1 Comment / Thirsk Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Chris Allen

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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