Grout Cleaning. Stone Polishing Archives

Deep Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Dursley

Travertine is a beautiful and characterful natural stone however like all natural stone it does need maintaining and this Kitchen floor in Dursley was no exception. The tiles were installed twenty years ago, and it had been some time since it was last cleaned and sealed. The sealer had now worn off and dirt had become lodged in the pores of the stone turning some of the natural pits black and unsightly.

I’m based in Dusley, so it wasn’t long before I was able to pay the owner of the house a visit and survey the floor. I’ve maintained numerous Travertine floors over the years, so I quickly recognised the problems and was able to come up with a plan to deep clean the stone, restore its appearance and renew the sealer.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Dursley

After taking measurements, I was able to calculate the quantiles of products needed to do the work and provided the owner with a detailed quote for the renovation work which was accepted.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Dursley

Deep Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Dursley

Before starting I applied masking film and tape to the kitchen units to protect them during the cleaning process. MDF is well known for absorbing moisture and can be ruined so I always take time to do this.

The floor was then burnished using a set of burnishing pads of different grits. I covered this in detail in other posts on my website by essentially this involves applying diamond encrusted pads to the stone. The process starts with a coarse 400-grit, and you move up through the grits to 800 and 1500. Only water is used to lubricate the process and the slurry generated is rinsed off and extracted afterwards with a wet vacuum.

The grout lines were then cleaned with Tile Doctor Remove and Go scrubbed in with a stiff brush. Once I was happy the grout was as clean as it could be the soiling was extracted with the wet vacuum, and I left the floor to dry out overnight. The owners still needed access to the kitchen so I left dust sheets over the floor so they could move around as normal.

Sealing Travertine Kitchen Floor Dursley

On my return the next day I applied the last of the burnishing pads which is an extra fine 3500-grit pad really bring up the polish on the stone. This pad is applied dry with a little water sprayed onto the stone using a method we call a Spray Burnish.

The owners wanted a natural look to the Travertine so they floor was then sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal. This is an almost invisible sealer that will prevent dirt from becoming lodged in the pores of the stone thereby keeping it on the surface where it can be easily removed with regular cleaning. The floor was left to dry and then buffed with a soft white buffing pad to bring up the finish.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Dursley

My clients were very pleased with their renovated Travertine floor, it looked so much cleaner and healthier. For aftercare I advised them to use Tile Doctor Stone Soap, it’s a gentle but effective stone cleaner that won’t impact the sealer which can be the problem with stronger supermarket cleaners.

Restoring the Appearance of Travertine Floor Tiles in Gloucestershire

Travertine Kitchen Tiles Before After Polishing Cheltenham

Restoring Polish to a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Cheltenham

1 Comment / Cheltenham Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Malcolm Crowther

These photos are of a Travertine Tiled Floor installed in the Kitchen and Dining area of a property in Cheltenham also known as Cheltenham Spa. The property is situated in a lovely location with Cheltenham being located on the edge of the Cotswolds, which is well known as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ in Gloucestershire.

The floor which was installed 15 years prior had sadly not been maintained correctly over the years and was not looking its best, any sealer that may have been present on the floor had long since worn off with wear and now dirt had penetrated the pores of the Travertine making it difficult to keep clean and giving it a flat uninteresting appearance. The customer was specifically unhappy with what appeared dull looking marks all over the floor and the grout lines which were heavily ingrained with dirt and had now become black.

Travertine Floor Cheltenham Before Cleaning

Travertine is a natural stone material that has unique colours and features that no other stone can offer. The distinctive designs and natural patterns found within Travertine make it very popular as a flooring material and if treated properly it can look beautiful. I discussed with the client what Tile Doctor could do to improve the appearance of the floor, we agreed the cost and organised a date to get started.

Cleaning Travertine Kitchen Floor Cheltenham

Before starting I protected the wooden skirting and kitchen units with plastic sheeting to ensure they did not get damaged. The floor was then burnished using a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads of different grits using our usual process of lubricating with water and rinsing between each pad. Working my way through the different pads I started with the coarse 400-grit pad, then the 800-grit and finished on the 1500-grit.

The grout lines were then cleaned with Tile Doctor Remove and Go this is a multi-purpose stripper formulated with a long dwell-time that can clean whilst removing most sealers, coatings, synthetic finishes, adhesives and paints; pretty much most things that could have be left on the floor over 15 years! I then rinsed of the now soiled cleaning solution off the floor with water which was then extracted using the wet vacuum. I then left the floor to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing Travertine Kitchen Floor Cheltenham

On my return the next day I applied the last of the burnishing pads which is an extra fine 3000-grit pad really bring up the polish on the stone. This pad is applied dry with a little water sprayed onto the stone using a method we call a Spray Burnish.

The floor was then sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, this product is a colour intensifying sealer which enhances the natural colours in the Travertine whilst adding durable stain protection. I highly recommend colour grow for sealing Travertine as it really does bring out the natural brown shades in the stone. The floor was left to dry and then buffed with a soft white buffing pad to bring the shine further.

Travertine Floor Cheltenham After Cleaning

My customer was very impressed with the result and left the following comment on the Tile Doctor feedback system:

“Our travertine floor has been transformed from a dull, impossible to clean surface to one that looks better than it did fifteen years ago. Every time I walk into the kitchen I stop just to look at it. I am delighted with what you have achieved! Thank you.
Laura C. “

Polishing & Sealing Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles in Gloucestershire

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