sealing victorian tiles

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovated in Johnstone

Dirty Victorian Hallway Floor Tiles Renovated in Johnstone

This is another Victorian hallway floor we deep cleaned in Johnstone which is located to West of Paisley. Before quoting I visited the property to survey the Victorian tiles and ensure I had a complete idea of what would be needed to fully renovate floor.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Johnstone

After inspecting the floor, I could see there were no surprises such as loose or cracked tiles that would need replacing and that the main issue was it was just incredibly dirty. All that it needed would be deep cleaning including stripping of any remaining sealer, then cleaning and ultimately sealing.

This is a typical Tile Doctor job for us to carry out and having worked on many Victorian floors before I was very confident of a great result. The client was happy to go ahead with the quotation and we arranged to return a few weeks later.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The floor was given a pre spray of Tile Doctor Remove and Go diluted 50:50 with water and then left to soak in for10 minutes to give it time to break down the dirt and any previous coatings that may have been present on the floor. Then the floor was scrubbed using a rotary bonnet machine fitted with a silicon carbide brush. This is an effective brush that in combination with the Remove and Go released a lot from the pores of the tile to the surface where it could be extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was dirtier than anticipated and the process was carried out three times to ensure floor was as clean as possible.

Once the chemicals had done as much as they could the Victorian tiles were resurfaced using Tile Doctor 100 and 200 grit milling pads that remove stubborn ingrained dirt and staining. This process was carried out twice rinsing with water and extracted the soiling with a wet vacuum afterwards.

Last process was to give the tiles a mild Acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This was scrubbed in using soft brushes fitted to the bonnet machine and then extracted as before. This process further cleans up the tile and will counter any efflorescent salts that can build up in floors of this age which won’t had a modern damp proof membrane in place.

The floor was left to dry out for a few days with a fan left in place to speed up the drying times. The floor looked so much cleaner than when we started, and my client was already pleased with the results.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On my return the I took a few moisture readings with a damp meter to check it was dry enough to accept a sealer. We don’t recommend applying a sealer to a damp floor as from experience the results can be inconsistent so always best to check first.

The meter readings were fine, so I started applying the sealer, which for this floor Tile Doctor Colour Grow was chosen. Three coats were applied to fully protect the floor and bring the colours back after being cut back with the milling pads. This sealer works by soaking into the pores of the tile, occupying the pores, and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there going forwart. As the name suggest it’s a colour enhancing product that is also fully breathable which is important for floors with no damp proof membrane.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Cleaning Johnstone

For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is a mild pH neutral tile cleaner that is gentle enough for daily use and will ensure that the newly applied seal is not compromised and kept looking good, especially in such a high traffic area.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Glasgow

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Damaged Victorian Hallway Floor Fully Restored in Glasgow West End

Badly Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Fully Restored in Glasgow West End

The client had lifted the old floor in the hallway of their property in Glasgow’s West End and discovered original Victorian tiles underneath. The Victorian tiles had however suffered over the years and parts of the floor had been destroyed during the installation of new heating and electrics some years prior. Following the installation, the damage had just been back filled with cement to provide a level surface and then covered.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Restoration Glasgow West End

I visited the property to survey the hallway tiles and work out a plan for restoring them. The cement would need removing, and new replacement tiles would be required. Fortunately, these tiles are still popular today and there are several specialist suppliers in the UK where I can find a good match. The floor would then need deep cleaning and sealing to complete the restoration. I provided the clients with a price for the work, they were happy to accept my quote and we arranged a convenient time to return and carry the work out.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Restoration Glasgow West End

Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Glasow

The first job was to carefully knock out the cement backfill using a breaker and hammer/chisel for the more delicate bits to ensure not to damage the cables and pipes underneath. The rubble was removed, and the areas backfilled with a self-levelling compound at a height to provide a new base to lay the replacement tiles.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Glasgow West End Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Glasgow West End

Once the self-levelling compound had set the replacement tiles were laid which were about 250 in number combined with a mixture of spare original tiles the client had found in a box.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Glasgow

The full floor was then cleaned several times using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go worked in with 100 grit and 200 grit milling pads fitted to a rotary buffer. Handheld diamond burnishing blocks were also used along the edges and harder to clean areas that are a struggle to reach with the buffer. The floor was then rinsed with water and the soil removed with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to give the floor an acid rinse using a dilution of another Tile Doctor product called Grout Clean Up. Old Victorian floors tend to suffer from efflorescence issues which is where alkaline salts from the foundation are deposited on the surface. Modern floors have a damp proof membrane to prevent this however washing the floor with an acid-based product neutralises the alkaline salts and resolves the problem.

Afterwards we regrouted the full floor in order to help stabilise the other tiles which weren’t replaced or fixed by us and also fill any gaps etc.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Glasgow

The floor was left to dry for a week before returning and returning to apply a sealer. A lot of water was used in the cleaning process and the floor needs to be dry before applying a sealer. Sealing a damp floor will give you inconsistent results so it’s worth the wait.

To seal this floor a chouse Tile Doctor Colour Grow which ticks a lot of boxes for an old floor like this one. First, it’s a matt finish sealer which matches the requirements of the owner; second it contains a colour enhancer that improves colour and third it’s fully breathable so moisture can rise though the tiles and evaporate at the surface. Allowing a floor to breath as otherwise the moisture can build up under the floor and eventually reach out to the walls where it can result in rising damp.

Three coats of Colour Grow were applied, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. This sealer works by soaking into the pores of the tile, occupying the space, and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This makes the floor much easier to clean and adds durable protection which will last for years to come.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Glasgow West End Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Glasgow West End

As you can see from the photos the Victorian tiled hallway as restored back to its original condition and my client was over the moon. Finally, I like to recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor looking in great condition, its pH neutral so will not damage the newly applied seal.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Glasgow West End

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Glasgow

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Victorian Hallway Floor Restoration Newton Mearns

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Fully Restored in Newton Mearns, Glasgow

This old classic Victorian tiled hallway at a property in Newton Mearns, south of Glasgow, had seen a lot of wear over the years leading to a general degradation. Some of the major problems including loose and broken tiles and one area in particular under a radiator was so bad a previous owner had back filled it with cement instead of having it repaired.

I suspect the house had been reconfigured and central heating added at some point in its history, and this will have been when the damage was done. The current owner was aware of the value that original features can have on a property so decided it was time to have the whole floor restored.

Having worked on numerous Victorian floor restorations previously I knew the floor could be put back to its original condition if not better, so I was more than happy to take on work. Having visited the property and provided a quotation for the work I’m please to say we were intrusted to go ahead with the restoration.

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On day one the work started by carefully lifting, grinding and fixing back down the original tiles, this included repairing areas that had been back filled with concrete using originals recovered from another part of the floor that was no longer required.

Victorian Hallway Floor During Restoration Newton Mearns Victorian Hallway Floor During Restoration Newton Mearns

Once the adhesive had set the tiles were grouted and the floor left for a few days.

On our return the floor was given a deep clean using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go worked in with 100 and 200 grit diamond pads fitted to a rotary floor buffer. The soil generated was rinsed off and extracted using a wet vacuum. This process removes any old sealants and deep-seated dirt from the old tiles. This process was repeated, and some tiles needed to be spot treated by hand before they met the high standard I was looking to achieve.

The next step was to improve the tiles further by giving the floor an Acid Rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up. This final part of the cleaning process further cleans up the tiles by removing surface grout that can detract from the appearance of the tile and mineral salts. This is a common issue with floors of this age which don’t have a damp proof membrane installed under the floor and can lead to white salt deposits appearing as the tile dries out, a process called Efflorescence.

Victorian Hallway Floor After Restoration Newton Mearns

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The floor was then left for a week so it could fully dry out before returning to seal the tiles. Its important that the tiles are dry before sealing otherwise you risk a patchy appearance. Due to the fact this floor had no damp proof membrane I chose to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow which being fully a breathable will could cope with any moisture rising through the floor. Three to four coats of Colour Grow were applied which as its name suggests also intensifies the colours in the tile as well as adding the high level of protection that a busy hallway floor needs.

Victorian Hallway Floor After Restoration Newton Mearns

Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that penetrates into the tile occupying its tiny pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained. You can always tell the sealer is working as it will repel liquids which will then form beads on the surface of the tile.

Victorian Hallway Floor After Restoration Newton Mearns

The floor looked amazing once finished and lifted the appeal of the whole property. The client was very satisfied with the work we had carried out and before leaving I made a point to recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor looking in tip top condition. This product is pH neutral and will ensure that the newly applied seal is not compromised which is a problem when using stronger off the shelf cleaning products.

Victorian Hallway Floor After Restoration Newton Mearns

 

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Moroccan Encaustic Cement Tiles Barrhead After Cleaning

Moroccan Encaustic Cement Tiled WC Refresh in Barrhead

Similar in many ways to Victorian tiles, these are Moroccan Encaustic Cement tiles which come in a huge range of patterns and are ideal for indoor and external use although they should be sealed to protect against water penetration and dirt as well as making cleaning easier. Very popular in hot countries, they certainly add a nice flair which they have done to this ground floor WC at residence in Barrhead which is a town south west of Glasgow in East Renfrewshire.

Moroccan Encaustic Cement Tiles Barrhead Before Cleaning

Cleaning a Victorian Floor

The tiles were looking rather dull and in need of a deep clean and re-seal so the first job was to clean the floor and remove and remaining sealer by applying a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary bonnet machine, with all the excess extracted using a wet vacuum. This process was repeated three times until I was satisfied any remaining sealer had been removed and the tile and grout was now as clean as it could be. The floor was then given a rinse with water and cleaned again with Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to remove any trace of Pro-Clean; again the fluids were extracted using a wet vacuum.

Sealing a Victorian Floor Sealing

The floor was left to dry overnight and we came back the next day to seal it using six coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which works well on these types of tiles as it adds a nice subtle sheen as well as adding the necessary stain protection.

Moroccan Encaustic Cement Tiles Barrhead After Cleaning
 

Moroccan Tiled floor cleaned and sealed in Renfrewshire

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