Dursley Tile Cleaning

Dursley Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find examples of the cleaning and renovation of tiles carried out in Dursley.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Dursley

Edwardian Hallway Floor Tile Restoration in Dursley

This client from Dursley got in touch regarding their hallway floor tiling which had been badly damaged in two sections during the installation of heating pipework. With the tile and base chopped out the pipes has been laid and backfilled with concrete up to the level of the original floor so it could be covered with laminate. The property was Edwardian and now unhappy with the laminate wanted the floor restored to its original state.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Restoration Dursley

I’m based in Dursley so it wasn’t long before I was able to head over to the property and recommend a way forward. Having inspected the problems first hand I was able to create an accurate quote that would involve removing the backfilled concrete, bringing up the base to the right level and then replacing the missing tiles with matching. The whole floor could then be deep cleaned and sealed to ensure the new tiles matched perfectly with the existing. My quote was accepted, and a date agreed for the work to commence which would take four days.

Cleaning and Repairing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

Before starting the work, I had managed to source replacements, sizing can be a problem with these older imperial sized tiles however they are usually not too difficult to find.

The first day started with the removal of concrete from the damaged area, this proved difficult as there were water pipes just under the surface and naturally, I didn’t want to disturb these. So with just the use of hand tools I moved slowly and carefully to remove the concrete. Before leaving I brought up the level of the exposed subfloor using self-levelling cement which covered the exposed pipework and formed a level flat base on which I could fix the replacement tiles

Day two was spent tiling, followed by grouting. It wasn’t a large area but there were some intricate cuts to manage and a black and white chequered border to replace. Needless to say, this took up most of the day.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Dursley Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Dursley

I left the floor to settle a couple of days then returned to deep clean the hallway using Tile Doctor Acid Gel worked in with a 200-grit pad fitted to a buffing machine. This was then rinsed off with minimal water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was inspected and any stubborn areas re-treated. After a quick final rinse and extract the floor was left to dry off fully.

You do have to be careful with these old floors which don’t have a damp proof membrane though as using too much water can take a long time to dry out, hence the use of a gel cleaning product and minimal water.

Sealing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

Once cleaned I left the floor to dry out for 2 days before returning. I know from experience its not a good idea to apply sealer to a damp floor as the results can be patchy so its always a good idea to allow plenty of time for this.

To seal the floor, I used multiple coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which has a modern acrylic formula that will allow the floor to breathe and ensure any moisture can pass through the tile and evaporate at the surface. The sealer will protect the tiles from dirt becoming ingrained in its pores and enhance their appearance; the new sealer also makes it easier for the new and old tiles to blend better.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Dursley Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Dursley

My client was very pleased with the transformation and so happy that the floor had been restored to its original condition. Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare and for this floor I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, it’s a mild but effective cleaner that is ideal for maintaining sealed tiles.

 

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Black Limestone Patio Restoration Dursley

Ruined Black Limestone Patio Restored in Dursley

Earlier this year a client from my home town of Dursley phoned Tile Doctor in an emotional state having just had a Black Limestone patio laid and then immediately ruined when the tiler tried to clean it with brick acid. Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate which can be dissolved in acid, so using acid on Limestone is never a good idea.

Black Limestone Patio Before Renovation Dursley Black Limestone Patio Before Renovation Dursley

I went along to survey the patio and could immediately see that the stone had been bleached white by the acid and looked terrible. Whilst there I completed a test clean to work out the best method for renovating the patio. Much to the relief of the owner the results were very encouraging and so she was happy to accept my quote and I was booked in to do the work.

Black Limestone Patio Before Renovation Dursley

I needed a couple of warm and dry days to do the work but fortunately the weather this summer was exceptional, so it wasn’t long before an opportunity arrived.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Patio Floor

I spent the first day burnishing the tiles with 200, 400 and 800-grit diamond pads using the rotary machine in sequence, these pads renovate the surface of the stone and remove the etching caused by the acid. Water was used to lubricate the process and the floor was rinsed with fresh water after each pad and the soil extracted with a wet vacuum.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Patio Floor

The patio was left to dry off overnight and I returned the next day to finish the renovation checking first that the stone was dry with the use of a damp meter. The readings were good, so I went ahead and applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Stone Oil which puts the oil back in the stone.

Black Limestone Patio During Sealing Dursley

The Stone Oil was left to dry for an hour and then this was followed up with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to add protection. Tile Doctor Colour Grow is a colour intensifying impregnating sealer that allows the surface to breath and enhances the colour as well as providing durable protection. The patio will now be able to withstand the outside weather and the stone will be protected from the elements. For maintenance we recommend the patio to be cleaned and resealed annually which will keep it in great condition and extend its’ life.

Black Limestone Patio After Renovation Dursley

The results were amazing, you would not have thought it was the same patio, needless to say, my client very pleased by the transformation. Apparently, she has now managed to squeeze in a few late summer barbeques with friends to show off her lovely new patio.

Black Limestone Patio After Renovation Dursley

 

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Patio in Gloucestershire

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Terracotta Flooring Before After Renovation Dursley

Removing Wax from 30-Year-Old Terracotta Flooring in Dursley

Our client contacted us to find out if anything could be done about his Terracotta tiled floor which has been laid thirty years prior in the Conservatory and Kitchen of his house in Dursley. I went over to survey the floors and conduct a test clean on part of the floor to see what would be needed to renovate it. Fortunately, the customer knew the maintenance history of the floor and had told me for the last thirty years they had been applying wax which can be tricky to remove.

Terracotta Conservatory Floor Dursley Before Cleaning Terracotta Conservatory Floor Dursley Before Cleaning

The test clean went well and he was amazed how clean I managed to get the tile so confident in a good result a date was booked in for us to return to do the whole floor. We find surveying the floor before pricing is the most accurate way to provide a quotation as there are no surprises for all concerned.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Conservatory Floor

On arrival the first task was to cover all the skirting boards, walls, and units to protect them. The floor was really dirty, and I could see we would need to conduct a lot of rinsing with water to remove the soiling. Having been informed about the wax covering from my earlier visit I was able to start stripping off the old layers of wax using a Tile Doctor product called Wax-Away which is made for this type of work. The product was mopped onto the floor, left to soak in for ten minutes and then scrubbed in with a black burnishing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffing machine. The soil was then rinsed away with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

This process was repeated until I was happy the wax had been removed and then I turned my attention to the grout which was really ingrained with dirt. For this I sprayed on Tile Doctor Remove and Go, left it to dwell for ten minutes as before and then set about scrubbing it clean. Once this was complete and I was happy with the results the floor was washed with fresh water twice to remove any trace of product and the floor dried with the wet vacuum.

The floor was then covered with dust sheets so the customer could carry on using the floor as normal whilst we left it to dry out for three days. Terracotta is very porous and needs to be bone dry before sealing to achieve the best result.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Conservatory and Kitchen Floor

On our return 3 days later, I did a moisture test to ensure the floor was dry. The results were good, so I set about sealing the Terracotta with Tile Doctor Seal and Go which was the best sealer for this type of floor. I applied seven coats which takes some time as you need to ensure each coat has dried before applying the next. This sealer leaves a nice sheen but also allows the Orangey/Red colour in the Terracotta to come through.

Terracotta Conservatory Floor Dursley During Sealing Terracotta Kitchen Floor Dursley During Sealing

Once complete it was clear the deep clean and fresh seal had given the rooms a new lease of life and my client could not believe how well it had come up. For aftercare I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is designed for the day to day cleaning of sealed tiles.

Terracotta Conservatory Floor Dursley After Sealing Terracotta Conservatory Floor Dursley After Sealing

 

Professional Renovation of a Terracotta Tiled Conservatory and Kitchen Floor in Gloucestershire

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before and After Restoration Nailsworth

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Nailsworth

This Victorian tiled hallway floor at a property in Nailsworth needed repairs to four areas and then required a deep clean and seal. The client was unsure if this was something, we would be able to help with but after speaking to him on the phone and review the photographs he sent over I reassured him it should be possible.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Renovation Nailsworth Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Renovation Nailsworth

The owner was keen to progress to I arranged an appointment to visit the property and survey the floor to get a better idea of the issues and provide a price for fully restoring the floor to the best condition possible. As the pictures show the Victorian tiles looked dull and washed out, there were also white paint spots on the tiles. I was confident the floor could be saved, and the owner was happy with my quote, so we scheduled a date for the work to start.

Repairing and Cleaning and a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I spent the first day repairing the floor which in most cases requires carefully lifting the old tiles, scraping out the adhesive and cement and then re-fixing the original tile or a replacement back in place. We are usually able to source replacement tiles, either reclaimed or reproduction and we had managed to find some to match this floor. It’s a slow process and with four areas of Victorian flooring in need of attention so this step took up much of the first day. The floor was left to dry overnight so the adhesive would set.

On the second day I deep cleaned the tiles with a 200-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary buffer using water to lubricate. The resultant slurry was then extracted with a wet vacuum and the process was repeated with a 400-grit burnishing pad. All the edges were done with water and small handheld diamond blocks as the rotary machine was too large to reach the corners and edges.

To finish the cleaning I treated the tiles to an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up which as well as removing any old grout smears would neutralise any efflorescent salts contained within the floor which can be problem on old floors like this that don’t have a damp proof membrane installed. Another advantage of doing this is that you achieve a stronger bond between the sealer and the tile.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The floor was left to dry for 3 days after which I returned to seal it. Before starting thought I took some moisture readings with the damp meter. Once I was satisfied, I started applying the first of what would be five coats of sealer and for this floor I chose Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. There were several reasons for choice including the satin finish however my main thought was the age of the floor which meant it would not have a damp-proof membrane installed so any moisture would need to rise through the tile without being impeded, Seal and Go extra allows for this.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Repair Nailsworth Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Repair Nailsworth

My customer was really pleased with the result and happy to have the floor restored back to its original state.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Nailsworth

 

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Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor Before After Renovation Dursley

Raspberry Stained Flagstone Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Dursley

I recently helped a homeowner from my home town of Dursley who got in touch about her kitchen Flagstone floor. The problem revolved around an accident she had with raspberries which had stained the flagstones and the problem became compounded when a house hold cleaning product was applied neat to clean up the mess. If you follow any of our Tile Doctor blogs, you will know that using strong household cleaning products can damage the sealer and, in this case, it had left white marks on the floor.

Flagstone Floor Before Cleaning Dursley

I called round to the property to survey the floor as was surprised to find out that the floor had been cleaned and sealed only four months prior by another company. I don’t like to comment on other people’s work, but I found the grout lines and flagstones were still badly ingrained with dirt, so it wasn’t a thorough job.

Flagstone Floor Before Cleaning Dursley Flagstone Floor Before Cleaning Dursley

I completed by survey and demonstrated the process I would follow to resolve the issues on one of the flagstone tiles. She could not believe the difference I was able to make and booked me in straight away to restore the entire floor.

Cleaning a traditional Yorkshire Stone internal floor

My first task was to protect the wooden kitchen units from splashing that can happen when cleaning the floor. Once that was done, I set about stripping the sealer from the floor and deep cleaning the tile and grout with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. Pro-Clean is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner, stripper and de-greaser which is safe to use on all types of tile, stone and grout including natural stone.

Working in sections across the Kitchen and adjacent dining room I diluted one part Pro-Clean to two parts water and mopped it onto the flagstones and grout where I left it to soak in for roughly fifteen minutes. Then using a rotary floor buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad I scrubbed the solution into the floor into the old sealer and trapped dirt came away turning the cleaning fluid black in the process. The soil was then rinsed off with water and then extracted with a powerful 3,000 watt wet and dry vacuum. This process was repeated until I was satisfied the floor was clean and I ran a stiff grout brush along the grout lines to ensure they also received a good scrub. After I was satisfied the section was clean, it was rinsed thoroughly with water to neutralise the floor and remove any trace of product and then dried with the wet and dry vacuum.

The cleaning process took up the whole day, but the flagstones would need to be dry before sealing so after giving the owner an update I left the floor for two days, so it could dry out thoroughly.

Sealing a traditional Yorkshire Stone internal floor

On my return I tested the floor was dry in multiple places with a damp meter to ensure it was ready to be sealed. The readings showed that the wet and dry vacuum had done a good job in removing the moisture, so all was well. To seal I applied several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go allowing each coat to dry before applying the next, however with such a large area to cover I was able to work in sections around the floor.

Seal and Go works really well on Flagstones and leaves a very appealing sheen finish, also being water based it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries.

Flagstone Floor After Cleaning Dursley Flagstone Floor After Cleaning Dursley

The results were amazing, and the customer thanked me for making such a massive improvement on her floor. Before leaving I made sure to discuss after-care and to avoid the use of harsh cleaning products.

Flagstone Floor After Cleaning Dursley

 

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