Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Balcony

This balcony in St John's Wood, London, NW8, which had been clad in Limestone floor tiles, had not been professionally cleaned for 15 years and was now covered in mould which the customer was unable to remove. Stripping the Limestone Tiled Floor To get the Limestone clean I used a neat solution Read more...

Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration

This Victorian tiled hallway and kitchen floor in Teddington, Middlesex, was in need of a deep clean including stripping out the old sealer and re-sealing to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tiles had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years, there was Read more...

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration in Richmond

Set of photographs here from a Victorian Tiled floor in a block of flats in Richmond Upon Thames. The floor was in the communal hallway and as a result had seen a lot of traffic and was looking very dull and in need of a good clean and re-seal. Cleaning the Victorian Tiled Floor The floor was cleaned using a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which had been left to dwell for 20 minutes before being agitated using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. We use a wet vacuum to Read more...

Removal of Grout Haze on a Quarry Tiled Floor

These photographs are from a recently laid Quarry tiled floor in Woodford. East London where the tiler had smothered the tiles with grout and left it on the surface too long where it had then dried and he was unable to remove it. Unable to rectify the problem the Quarry tiles were then sealed, Read more...

Black Chinese Slate Tiles Successfully Restored

You can see from the photograph below how dirty these Black Chinese Slate tiles and grout had become; the old sealer protecting the tile and grout from stains had virtually vanished because the customer in Basingstoke had been using washing up liquid to clean them. Generally speaking washing up Read more...

Quarry Tiles Restored in Cheshire

This terracotta floor was in a 1950's style property in the village of Cringleford near Norwich. In total there was 13m2 of tile laid in the kitchen and conservatory around fifteen years ago. The floor had been given very little treatment since then resulting in the tiles looking faded and dull. Read more...

Kitchen Terracotta Floor Transformed in London

We had our work cut out for us restoring this Terracotta floor installed in the kitchen of a house in Clapham, south west London. Over the years it had been covered with many layers of metallised emulsion polish, this had been put on without a primer and Terracotta being porous it had soaked Read more...

Restoration of Slate Tiles in the Kitchen and Conservatory

The Slate floor in the kitchen and conservatory of a house in St. Albans was laid around five to six years old and now required deep cleaning and re-sealing. Previously a grout repair had been carried out but unfortunately after the initial clean the grout applied was the wrong colour and needed Read more...

Worst Grout Haze Removed From Quarry Tiled Patio

This customer based in New Cross South East London had a significant problem with their patio. Their home is a period Victorian property so when choosing a stone for the patio, they bought reclaimed quarry tiles to marry up with the period of the house, and proceeded with their DIY project. Read more...

Limestone Floor Maintained in Coventry

This Limestone Tiled Floor was installed in the hall and kitchen of a residence in Coventry. The floor had scratch damage in the middle of the kitchen and was dull from the previous use of the wrong cleaning products, the house had recently been sold and the new owners wanted the damage removed Read more...

Victorian Tile Cleaning in Hampton Court Village

This was a straight forward strip and re-seal of a Victorian tiled hallway floor at a residence near the historic Hampton. The floor I suspect was an original feature of the house and the owners had maintained it well but like any Victorian floor they will show the effects of wear especially in Read more...

Limestone Tiled Floor Strip and Seal in Wimbledon

Details below of a Limestone tiled floor strip and seal job we did recently for a lady in Wimbledon, South West London. It was a fairly common Limestone problem which had lost its polished appearance and was looking dull. Stripping the Limestone Tiled Floor To resolve we had to stripped back the Limestone surface using a set of burnishing pads, these diamond encrusted pads come in a number of different colours each one does a different job from scrubbing to polishing. I started with the red Read more...

Restoring Victorian tiles in South London

This post is from a house in Balham where the owner was doing some renovation work and after deciding to change the flooring in the hallway they discovered an original Victorian tiled floor. They planned to restore the floor unfortunately however their builders did not listen and didn't bother Read more...

Slate Tile Colouring

This Slate tiled kitchen floor at a house in Royal Leamington Spa needed a full clean and seal plus some of the tiles were reclaimed having been used originally outside and as well as loosing colour were suffering from salt damage. Cleaning Slate Tiled Flooring To remove the sealer, clean the Read more...

Saltillo Terracotta Floor Transformed in Essex

Pictures below of a job we did cleaning and re-sealing a 25m2 Saltillo Terracotta tiled floor installed in the kitchen of a house on a working farm outside Abridge, Essex. The owner had been applying coats of sealer for the last 10 years or so and over the course of time a bad build-up of layers Read more...

Tiled Shower Clean and Seal in Caterham

Shower problems must be the most common problem we come across at Tile Doctor where we often here of issues with discoloured shower tile and grout usually combined with a build up of mould. Discolouration problems tend to come from the dyes in bathroom products such as body washes and shampoo, where as mould is due to inadequate ventilation or extraction magnified by our cold damp climate as we keep the windows shut and increase insulation to reduce drafts and keep warm. Removing Mould and Read more...

Tiled Limestone Hallway Cleaned, Polished and Sealed

This Limestone tiled floor was located in the entrance hall of a residential property in Burford. I popped round following a cleaning enquiry to provide a quote and did a sample clean on a test area, I was then asked if I could do the whole floor there and then and not wanting to disappoint I Read more...

Maintaining Quarry Tiled Hallway

These photographs are from a Quarry Tile Cleaning job we did for a lady in Brixton recently, as you can see from the early pictures they were not only dirty but there was also evidence of an old sealer and splashes of paint on them as well both of which would have to be removed first. Cleaning Read more...

Victorian Tiled floor restoration in Lewisham

I'm not sure if Tile Doctor is the reason for this but there seems to have been a marked increase in the restoring of floors that have been found hidden under carpet; this particular floor was Victorian Tiles and the lady who owned the house had discovered it after lifting the carpet that had been down for 15 years and wanted to make a feature of it. The carpet had done a reasonable job of protecting it but it was dull and there were what appeared to be white paint spots on the surface. Read more...

Deep Cleaning Terracotta Tiles

This customers Terracotta tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in Great Missenden and had become ingrained with dirt and soiling over the last twenty years leaving an unsightly black greasy appearance which was impacting the sale of the property. Cleaning Terracotta Tiles On the Read more...

Deep Cleaning Limestone Floor

This was a Limestone tiled floor that had seen better days, unfortunately the customer had not been given the right advice and had been cleaning the floor with a popular supermarket floor cleaning product which being slightly acidic had over time stripped all of the sealer off the tile. With no Read more...

Slate Flagstone Cleaning

These Slate flagstone tile were installed in a conservatory in the town of Fareham. The flagstones and grout were reasonably clean and in good condition but the previous sealer had all but worn off and they were looking dull and in need of revamp. Slate Flagstone Cleaning As the previous sealer Read more...

Victorian Tiled Hallway restored near Coventry

Popular as they are in the UK it wasn't long before I was called back to refurbish another Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor this time in the town of Allesley near Coventry. This tiles were heavily soiled and had been splashed with paint from decorating, on top of this there was evidence of Read more...

Maintaining Old Quarry floor tiles

Customer had these Dennis Ruabon Quarry Tiles fitted over 20 years ago in the WC of his house in Low Bentham, various cleaning and sealing products have been used since however this left a build-up of contamination on the Tiles which was detrimental to their aesthetic appeal and also left a Read more...

Slate Floor Cleaning at a Central London Office

I was asked by a building company to look at some slate flooring that was laid during a refurbishment to the offices of a German television station based in central London. The architect was not happy because there appeared to be some grout haze and some grout along the ridges that you get in slate. I carried out a demonstration to the building manager and she was pleased with the result and we were awarded the job. Because of the nature of the business I had to do the job out of hours, Read more...

Restoration of Terracotta Tile and Grout

Limestone Tiled Floor and Grout Rejuvenated

This Limestone tiled floor was installed at a property in Fulham, I was asked round to quote for cleaning the floor and whilst I was there I did a patch test. The test worked very well and the owner couldn't believe that the grout was actually white not dark grey. Cleaning Polished Limestone Read more...

Removing Paint and Plaster from Slate tiles

If your hiring a decorator beware, for some reason were seeing an increase in floors splattered with paint due to a lack of care. This was certainly the case on this Riven Slate tiled floor in Bury, Greater Manchester where decorators had made a right mess of this floor with plaster and paint. Read more...

Restoration of Terracotta Floor in a Kitchen Area

This Terracotta tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in Fareham. The floor was in need of a deep clean especially in the high traffic areas where the sealer had worn down and on the tiles near the kitchen units there were some stubborn stains from spillages. Cleaning Terracotta Read more...

Slate Tile Cleaning in Staffordshire

This slate tiled floor was installed in a Kitchen in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. The owner of the house felt it was time to get it cleaned and re-sealed so gave us a call. Cleaning black slate floor tiles We set about cleaning the kitchen floor with a mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed Read more...

Restoring Quarry Tiles in South London

I recently completed this Quarry Tile restoration work for a young couple in Grove Park, South London. They were refurbishing their property and wanted to keep as much of the original features that they could. In the kitchen they had the original quarry tiles and had attempted to clean the floor Read more...

Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration in Fulham

Details below of a Victorian tiled floor that we cleaned and sealed for a gentleman in Fulham South West London after he had refurbished his house and the workmen had left it worse for wear. Victorian Floor Cleaning I used a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted with hot water and applied to the floor and agitated using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. This worked to clean the floor and strip the existing sealer from the whole area, I then got on my hands and Read more...

Dirty and Cracked Limestone Floor Tiles Cleaned and Polished

This customer from Louth had a very dirtyLimestone tiled floor with some cracks evident installed throughout the kitchen, hallway and conservatory. It was dull and not looking it's best so she had asked several companies in the local area to quote but they did not feel able to help. Fortunately Read more...

Cleaning Victorian Mosaic Tiles in Glasgow

These unusual period Victorian mosaic tiled floor at a residence in the west end of Glasgow were far from looking their best and well overdue for a deep clean and re-seal. Cleaning a Victorian Floor I'll try and keep the details short so as not to lose your attention but basically the tiles Read more...

Restoring an Antiqued Style Travertine Tiled Floor

I had a call from a lady who wanted the Travertine tiled floor in her kitchen cleaned, the Travertine tiles actually extended further into the adjacent room but in this case it was only the kitchen she was concerned with. The sealer that had been used on the floor was 'Lithofin Stain Stop' which Read more...

Victorian Tiles Renovated in the Lake District

This job was at a house in near Windermere in South Cumbria, a place which is very popular amongst tourists to the Lake District. My client had a Black and White Victorian tiled floor in dire need of a clean and re-seal. Cleaning a Victorian tiled floor Prior to the application of any cleaning Read more...

Soot damaged Grout cleaned and re-coloured in Warlingham

This job was completed to resolve an Insurance claim for a lady who lives in Warlingham whose bathroom tiles and grout had been damaged from smoke and soot. A building company had attempted to clean the tiles however the lady was not satisfied and told the insurance company it was to be done properly. On inspection the grout was still a bit dirty but I told her it was possible to clean it up, but could not guarantee it would be a uniform finish. I suggested that she could have the grout Read more...

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaning and Sealing

A regular customer of mine in Beckenham was having some work done in his house and insisted the builder use my services to seal their newly laid travertine tiled floor. We do see a lot of installation problems at Tile Doctor so I can only commend his foresight. Cleaning Travertine Tile Once the Read more...

Kitchen Terracotta Tile Maintenance

This Terracotta tiled floor was laid in the kitchen of a property located in Shepperton, Middlesex. It had been laid eight years prior and had an initial sealer applied. Over the years the customer had applied polish to help maintain a shine however the sealer and polish were now in a bad state Read more...

Victorian Black and White Tiles Cleaned and Sealed in Windermere

This job was at a house in near Windermere in South Cumbria, a place which is very popular amongst tourists to the Lake District. My client had a Black and White Victorian tiled floor in dire need of a clean and re-seal. Cleaning a Victorian tiled floor Prior to the application of any cleaning products, my first task was to run damp tests to make sure there were no inherent damp problems. With old floors of this type it's good to know if there is a damp problem as this will affect the Read more...

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Transforming old Victorian Quarry Tiles

These old red and black Victorian quarry tiles at a house in Leek, Staffordshire, were in a bit of a state as you can see from the photographs below. Cleaning old Quarry Tiles To clean the floor I applied a 50/50 mix of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and NanoTech Ultra Clean diluted with water which was Read more...

Limestone Tiled Floor problems resolved in Knightsbridge

Details below of a Limestone Tiled Floor we cleaned and polished in the kitchen of a flat in Knightsbridge, the customers were waiting to move into their new home and the kitchen floor was dirty, especially after they had some new tiles fitted and looked out of place. They had other companies in Read more...

Cleaning Slate Tiles in Staffordshire

This slate tiled floor was installed in the Kitchen of a house in the town of Bridgenorth which is in the Severn Valley Staffordshire. The owner of the house wanted to have the floor deep cleaned and re-sealed and so gave us a call. Cleaning black slate floor tiles We set about cleaning the Read more...

Travertine Wall Tile Shower Restored

These travertine wall tiles were laid in a brick pattern in a large shower cubicle in a house in Wandsworth, South London. As you can see the tiles hadn't been cleaned for a couple of years and had become discoloured from the shampoo dyes etc, there was also some mould which is a common problem Read more...

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Milton

Not too long ago I visited a client who had just moved into a lovely old cottage in Milton, Oxfordshire. She wanted to restore many of the antique features of the building, including a fantastic Quarry tiled floor in the kitchen. Quarry is typically a robust, hard wearing stone, but in a high traffic area like a kitchen, the tiles will need regular maintenance. These tiles clearly hadn't seen a thorough clean and fresh seal in a long time, and so I was called in to provide just that. Deep Read more...

Putting the Shine Back on Quarry Tiles

Not too long ago I visited a client who had just moved into a lovely old cottage in Milton, Oxfordshire. She wanted to restore many of the antique features of the building, including a fantastic Quarry tiled floor in the kitchen. Quarry is typically a robust, hard wearing stone, but in a high Read more...

Paving and Driveway Cleaning

Although it's not something we do a great deal of were occasionally asked if we can clean driveways and paving. This is especially relevant for the elderly where paths can become slippery and treacherous with moss etc. if not cleaned regularly. Cleaning Paving Stones The requirements for this job were to clean the external paving leading up to the house and around the side. We already have the tools and products required for this work and so it's well within our capability. The process for Read more...

Maitaining a slate wet room

This bathroom in Richmond, Surrey was tiled in Slate on the walls and floor to create a wet room effect. Overtime the old sealer had perished allowing soiling and shower products to stain tile and grout there was also evidence of heavy Limescale deposits. Cleaning the Slate Tiled Floor We Read more...

Restoring Limestone tiles in West London

This Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Hampton, Middlesex, was proving troublesome to keep clean and was now in need of a deep clean and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tile and grout had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years and the Read more...

Maintaining Terracotta Kitchen tiles

This Terracotta tiled floor was laid in the kitchen of a property located in Horncastle, Lincolnshire. The tiles were well maintained and in reasonable condition compared to some floors I have worked on but they had started to look tired and dull in some areas and so the customer wanted them Read more...

How to Lighten Grout Colors

Being able to lighten grout colors is a fast, effective way to improve the look of any area by bringing the grout lines back, or close, to their original color. This is a very easy project that will require a small amount of time, but be aware that certain safety precautions need to be taken because the bleaching compound can be harmful to your skin.

What You'll Need

• Tile cleaner
• Clean rags
• Gloves
• Grout bleacher

Step 1: Clean the Grout

Use a strong tile cleaner and clean all of the grout lines. Be sure to use a clean rag and scrub the lines out as well as you can. If the area is dirty to start with, be sure to sweep up any large crumbs first with a broom or brush.

Step 2: Prepare

Open any windows that are close to the area that you are working on and get your rubber gloves on. Grout bleachers are very strong chemicals that can be harmful to the skin and lungs. If you are sensitive to smells, also put on a simple painter's mask to deflect some of the fumes.

Step 3: Apply the Grout Bleacher

Apply the grout bleacher with a clean rag, making sure that all of the lines are completely coated. Allow it to dry for the directed time before continuing.

Step 4: Wipe the Area

Use another clean rag to wipe up the dried grout bleach. To not scrub too hard, but you want to get all of the film that was formed off of the floor. Allow to completely dry for at least 24 hours before applying any moisture to it.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Removing Glue From Victorian Floor Tiles

This Victorian Tiled Hallway at a house in Radford near Coventry had been well preserved under a carpet for many years and the owners of the house now wanted it brought back to life. Physically the tiles were in good condition however they did suffer from the usual issues of paint splashes and Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Stripping and Resealing a Flagstone Tiled Living Room in Grafton Underwood

This property was situated in the tiny, yet picturesque village of Grafton Underwood in Kettering, Northamptonshire. The village has only a population numbering a few hundred and, interestingly enough, is the childhood home of the famous 'Bridget Jones' character. I have previously worked on a number of floors in Grafton Underwood, and on this particular occasion I was called to complete the job through a recommendation - which is always welcome! This particular customer had two floors that Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Deep Cleaning a Filthy Limestone Tiled Kitchen

Recently I visited a client in the town of Maidenhead, Berkshire who needed assistance restoring a very dirty pitted Limestone tiled floor which had suffered over the years due to poor maintenance choices. The pressures of a busy family life had, understandably, prevented my client from Read more...

Marble Tiled Floor Polish and Grout Refresh near Croydon

These photographs were taken at a house in Forestdale near Croydon in Surrey where we were engaged to clean and buff a dull Marble tiled floor; we were also asked to re-colour the grout which had become stained. Marble Tiled Floor Polishing We used a set of diamond encrusted Twister Burnishing Pads fitted to a rotary buffing machine to polish the floor. The pads come in a set of four; you start with the Red pad together with plain water and this cuts through and removes surface grime and Read more...

Refreshing the Sealer on a Flagstone Floor

This property was situated in the tiny, yet picturesque village of Grafton Underwood in Kettering, Northamptonshire. The village has only a population numbering a few hundred and, interestingly enough, is the childhood home of the famous 'Bridget Jones' character. I have previously worked on a number of floors in Grafton Underwood, and on this particular occasion I was called to complete the job through a recommendation - which is always welcome! This particular customer had two floors that Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of a Sandstone Flagstone Floor

This property was situated in the tiny, yet picturesque village of Grafton Underwood in Kettering, Northamptonshire. The village has only a population numbering a few hundred and, interestingly enough, is the childhood home of the famous 'Bridget Jones' character. I have previously worked on a number of floors in Grafton Underwood, and on this particular occasion I was called to complete the job through a recommendation - which is always welcome! This particular customer had two floors that needed re-finishing; the first was a polished Limestone tiled conservatory (which I will cover in a separate post as the process was different) and the second a Flagstone tiled living room; so on a rather dull day in November, I began my work.

Stripping a Flagstone tiled floor

The sealer on the Flagstone tiled living room had failed in certain places, resulting in the floor becoming difficult to clean due to dirt becoming ingrained in the stone. The decline in the sealer is not uncommon, as they do wear down over time - especially in an area of high traffic like a living room. To resolve this issue, the old surface seal needed to be stripped back and re-sealed.

To remove what was left of the old sealer, I applied a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and scrubbed it into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with black stripping pads. I then gave the floor an initial rinse, before paying special attention to scrubbing the stubborn spots, making sure all of the sealer was removed. I then gave the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up in order to remove grout haze and other mineral deposits which were evident. Due to its acidic properties, you have to be very careful with this product on any type of stone, so I didn't let it dwell for too long and made sure the floor was thoroughly rinsed down afterwards, with all solutions extracted using a wet-vac machine.

Sealing a Flagstone tiled floor

The floor was left to dry for more than 24 hours, before I returned to re-seal it using Tile Doctor Seal & Go. This product provides both a stain resistant surface seal and the durable low-sheen finish requested by my client. Seal & Go is suitable for use on internal unsealed, porous surfaces.


I guess the photographs don’t really do the transformation justice however the freshly re-sealed Flagstone living room certainly brightened up what was a very dreary autumn day!


Source: Sandstone Flagstone Cleaning and Sealing Service in Northamptonshire

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Limestone Tiled Kitchen floor in Kensington

The photographs on the page come from a house in Kensington, London which had recently been decorated. The Limestone Tiled floor was already in need of clean however to make things worse the decorators had managed to get paint splashes on the floor which they had removed using white spirit, this resulted in a patchy appearance which you should be able to make out in the photo below: Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Floor To clean the floor we applied a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a Read more...

Deep Cleaning a Filthy Limestone Tiled Kitchen

Recently I visited a client in the town of Maidenhead, Berkshire who needed assistance restoring a very dirty pitted Limestone tiled floor which had suffered over the years due to poor maintenance choices. The pressures of a busy family life had, understandably, prevented my client from Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Limestone Tiled Kitchen floor in Kensington

The photographs on the page come from a house in Kensington, London which had recently been decorated. The Limestone Tiled floor was already in need of clean however to make things worse the decorators had managed to get paint splashes on the floor which they had removed using white spirit, this resulted in a patchy appearance which you should be able to make out in the photo below: Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Floor To clean the floor we applied a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Deep Cleaning a Filthy Limestone Tiled Kitchen

Recently I visited a client in the town of Maidenhead, Berkshire who needed assistance restoring a very dirty pitted Limestone tiled floor which had suffered over the years due to poor maintenance choices. The pressures of a busy family life had, understandably, prevented my client from Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Filthy Limestone Tiled Floor Restored in a Maidenhead Kitchen

Recently I visited a client in the town of Maidenhead, Berkshire who needed assistance restoring a very dirty pitted Limestone tiled floor which had suffered over the years due to poor maintenance choices. The pressures of a busy family life had, understandably, prevented my client from undertaking regular cleaning and the products and methods used for cleaning were by and large unsuitable for this type of natural stone. In addition, the pits in the tiles had been filled with grout; however, Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Travertine Tiled Kitchen floor in Beckenham

A regular customer of mine in Beckenham was having some work done in his house and insisted the builder use my services to seal their newly laid travertine tiled floor. We do see a lot of installation problems at Tile Doctor so I can only commend his foresight. Cleaning Travertine Tile Once the floor was laid I gave the Travertine tiles a thorough clean to remove dirt and grout residue using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean followed by a rinse with water. A rotary machine fitted with a scrubbing pad Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Deep Cleaning a Filthy Limestone Tiled Kitchen

Recently I visited a client in the town of Maidenhead, Berkshire who needed assistance restoring a very dirty pitted Limestone tiled floor which had suffered over the years due to poor maintenance choices. The pressures of a busy family life had, understandably, prevented my client from Read more...

Victorian Tiled Floor in Putney Cleaned and Sealed

Attached are photos from a Victorian tiled hallway floor I completed recently in Putney, South West London. The owner had asked if we could do anything to improve her floor because she has been renovating her house for 2 years since she bought it and had left the floor until last. She didn't know when it was last cleaned or what products had been used, it's handy to know a floors history when you're cleaning it so you know what issues you might face. Victorian Tiled Floor Cleaning The first Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Restoring Limestone tiles in West London

This Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Hampton, Middlesex, was proving troublesome to keep clean and was now in need of a deep clean and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tile and grout had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years and the Read more...

Uncovered Victorian Floor Tiles Restored

Photographs below from the restoration of Victorian Floor Tiles in the hallway of a house in the town of Garstang near Preston. The owner of the house had discovered the tiled floor during renovations and was keen to repair and restore it as a period feature. The carpet had done a reasonable job of protecting the floor and I have come across floors in much worse condition in the past so we were confident it could be restored. Cleaning a Victorian Floor Tiles The floor was stained from Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Restoring Limestone tiles in West London

This Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Hampton, Middlesex, was proving troublesome to keep clean and was now in need of a deep clean and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tile and grout had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years and the Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Sandstone floor restored in Leyland

These pictures are of a Sandstone floor installed in a house in Leyland, the dog seems quite content with the floor but the owner wasn't; the trouble with Sandstone is that is a relatively soft sedimentary stone which doesn't provide the best foundation for a sealer causing it to breakdown faster. To counteract this I usually apply as much sealer as the floor will accept and then leave any spare with the customer so they can top it up when the shine starts to wear off. I find this works Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Limestone Tiled Floor Cleaning in Fulham

This Limestone tiled floor hadn't been cleaned properly for 5 years and we were asked to clean and reseal, hopefully you can appreciate the improvement in the photographs. Cleaning Limestone Floor Tiles The first step was to scrub the Limestone tiles with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong multi-purpose alkaline cleaning product designed for use on stone. A strong dilution of Pro-Clean can remove sealer however it was Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Cleaning & Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Heytesbury

A client from the village of Heytesbury contacted me to see whether we could improve the look of her Victorian tiled hallway floor. It turns out that a competitor had previously cleaned and sealed it two years prior but she was disappointed with the result once she realised that the floor still had dirt ingrained in the tile. As per our normal practice we ran a test clean and she booked us in immediately. Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Floor We started by wetting the floor using a strong Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Application of Anti-Slip Treatment at a Derbyshire Golf Club

I recently paid a visit to a Golf Club in Derbyshire to assist local Tile Doctor Steve Carpenter with the application of Anti-Slip treatment to the 6inch porcelain tiles in the men's changing rooms. This is the advantage of being a member of a large network, if a fellow member needs assistance on a time consuming job they can just ask for assistance. In this case the floor was only around 12m2 but the Golf Club were hosting a Tournament later that afternoon and needed the work completing Read more...

Restoring Limestone tiles in West London

This Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Hampton, Middlesex, was proving troublesome to keep clean and was now in need of a deep clean and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tile and grout had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years and the Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Restoring Limestone tiles in West London

This Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Hampton, Middlesex, was proving troublesome to keep clean and was now in need of a deep clean and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tile and grout had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years and the Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Terracotta Tiled Floor Sealing

We were consulted on this Terracotta Tiled floor because the owner complained that whenever she cleaned and sealed them they always got dirty quickly. I asked how many coats of seal was used on the floor and as it turns out only two coats were used because that was the instructions on the bottle. I suspect the bottle hadn't listed Terracotta specifically and I informed the owner that with this type of floor the minimum amount of coats would be seven, she was very surprised by this but the Read more...

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Kendal Tile and Stone

I took the photographs below at Kendal Tile and Stone who we are one of the local suppliers we use to source replacement tile and grout etc. We have built a good relationship with Kendal Tiles since they started their operation over 7 years ago, it's run by a small team of very experienced tile retailers including co-owners Rob Milligan and James Turner in fact Rob used to be an employee at the shop and he liked the business so much he bought the business. Kendal Tiles are not just retailers Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Restoring Limestone tiles in West London

This Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Hampton, Middlesex, was proving troublesome to keep clean and was now in need of a deep clean and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tile and grout had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years and the Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Flagstone Floor in a Victorian House in Lancaster

Restoration of Flagstone Floor in the Kitchen Details of an original Flagstone Floor cleaning job below from a Victorian House in the City of Lancaster, we often find flagstone floor tiles in kitchens and hallways and in this case they were in the hallway. You can see from the photographs below that the flagstone floor tiles were in a very bad state and it became clear that no amount of cleaning was really going to remove the decades of trapped dirt embedded in the pores of the Sandstone. Read more...

Renovating Black and Red Quarry Tiled Hallway

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

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Black and Red Quarry Tiled Ffloor Restored in Riseley

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional maintenance. My client commissioned me to strip off the old sealer from the floor and replace it, but not before providing a thorough clean, including tackling some adhesive staining and inherent grout Read more...

Quarry Tile Floor Restoration at a School in Leatherhead

This Quarry Tile floor was found under carpeting at a school in Leatherhead, Surrey during a refurbishment; you can see from the photograph what a terrible state it was in however the school was keen to keep the tiles and we were brought in to restore them. Cleaning Quarry Tiles There was a lot of dirt on the tiles so a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the floor and left to soak in for around 20 minutes; Pro-Clean is a multipurpose alkaline cleaning product designed Read more...

Restoring the appearance of a Quarry Tiled Hallway in Bedfordshire

Details below of a restorative clean and seal that I recently completed on a Quarry tiled hallway at a house in the small village of Riseley, North Bedfordshire. The floor was a mix of fantastic black and red tiles; however, it had lost its character after a long period without professional maintenance. My client commissioned me to strip off the old sealer from the floor and replace it, but not before providing a thorough clean, including tackling some adhesive staining and inherent grout haze.

Cleaning a Quarry tiled floor

The first task involved mixing our high alkaline cleaner, known as Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, with water to form a strong solution. The solution was applied to the tiled floor and left to dwell for a short period. This dwelling time allows for the Pro-Clean to seep into the stone to get underneath the ingrained dirt and lift it out. Pro-Clean also contains stripping properties, and thus helped to break down the old (and now ineffectual) sealer. After completing this initial clean I rinsed the floor using a standard mop and bucket method. With the old sealer removed, it became evident that there was also plaster residue marking the tiles, as well as inherent grout haze on the surface of the tile probably from the original installation. To tack these problems I used Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up, which is an acid-based cleaner that dissolves the adhesive and the grout. Being an acid you have to be careful and ensure the floor is rinsed thoroughly after use and if you’re considering using this product yourself read the label and make sure you use the right protective equipment.

Sealing a Quarry tiled floor

After the floor was thoroughly rinsed with water it was dried as much as possible using a wet vacuum which literally sucks the water off the floor. The floor was then left to dry for four days, with the help of several air movers. By the time I returned to the house, the floor was completely dry and ready to take the seal. I opted to use a combination of sealers, including one coat of our colour enhancing, impregnating sealer, known as Colour Grow, followed by three coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go to provide a truly robust and aesthetically pleasing surface seal. The photographs demonstrate the finished results better than words can and I think you will agree the floor is quite transformed.     Source: Quarry Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in Bedfordshire

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Red and Black Victorian Tiles Stripped and Sealed in Biggleswade

Here are the details of a job I recently completed in the town of Biggleswade, which lies on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire. My client had a fantastic red and black Victorian tiled floor with a topical seal. However, she also had a new addition to the family in the form of a new puppy and, as I'm sure most of you reading will know, puppies can be very messy and additionally urine contains Uric acid which can eat away at sealers. Therefore, my client asked me to strip off the old topical Read more...

Maintaining Chinese Slate tiles

On this page you will find a good selection of photographs taken during the cleaning and sealing of a Chinese Slate tiled floor in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The floor had been installed in the kitchen and the lounge and both the slate and the grout was in need of a deep clean. Read more...

Restoring Limestone tiles in West London

This Limestone tiled kitchen floor in Hampton, Middlesex, was proving troublesome to keep clean and was now in need of a deep clean and re-seal to ensure easy maintenance in the future. Being a high traffic area the tile and grout had accumulated a high amount of soil over the years and the Read more...

Victorian Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Southport

Southport is an interesting seaside town with many Victorian terraced properties so it came as no surprise when I was asked to maintain a Victorian Tiled hallway in the town. Cleaning a Victorian Floor Tiles The floor was in good condition for its age and just in need of a clean and re-seal to keep it looking good, hallway area's as you can imagine get more footfall than other parts of the house so are more likely to need a regular deep clean. To get the floor clean and remove any remaining Read more...

Travertine Floor Repolished

Photographs below of a Travertine tiled floor we were asked to re-polish in the kitchen of a house in the village of Hook in Hampshire. The main problem was the floor had been sealed very badly and made worse when the tiler tried to rectify the problem leaving a dull and stained floor. Stripping Read more...

Transforming old Victorian Quarry Tiles

These old red and black Victorian quarry tiles at a house in Leek, Staffordshire, were in a bit of a state as you can see from the photographs below. Cleaning old Quarry Tiles To clean the floor I applied a 50/50 mix of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and NanoTech Ultra Clean diluted with water which was Read more...

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration in Wiltshire

This customer had just brought a house in Chippenham which they were renovating and it had come to their attention that Victorian tiles had been laid under the hallway carpet. Keen to restore them the customer called us in to see if we could enhance the appearance of their floor. Cleaning Read more...

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Cleaned in Leatherhead

Details below of a Quarry Tiled kitchen floor that were cleaned and sealed for a lady in Leatherhead. As you can see it was quite a large area and the quarry tiles were looking dull and tired, there was some staining to the grout. Cleaning Kitchen Quarry Tiles A solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied to the floor and left to soak for a short while before being scrubbed in with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The grout also need attention, unfortunately we don't Read more...

How to Refinish Bathroom Ceramic Tile

Refinishing bathroom ceramic tile is not as hard as it looks, but careful consideration should be given, to ensure that the process is done correctly. Understand the fact that bathroom ceramic tiles are not suited for painting applications, and need to be sanded prior to refinishing. This will ensure that the paint will adhere to the surface, and prevent the occurrence of shedding, peeling or cracking paint. You also need to pre-treat the surface with acrylic latex primer, to guarantee a beautiful finish.

What You'll Need

• Tile cleanser or cleaner (preferably trisodium phosphate)
• 180-grit sandpaper
• Coarse sponge
• Acrylic latex primer
• Latex paint
• Roller brush
• Latex paint brush
• Cotton rags

Step 1 – Clean the Ceramic Tiles Thoroughly

Wash the ceramic tiles with trisodium phosphate cleanser, or any type of commercially available cleaner that is suited for bathroom ceramic tiles. This will help remove any traces of soap, dirt and grease from the tile surface. Rinse the tiles after treating with the cleanser. Wet rags can be used in the rinsing process. Let dry for at least 3 hours.

Step 2 – Scour the Ceramic Tiles                                      

Use 180-grit sandpaper to chafe the surface of the ceramic tile. This will help the primer adhere firmly to the surface of the tile. Sand the surface, until coarse or slightly rough to the touch. Take time to carefully sand the surface, as this will be detrimental to the success of the project. Never apply primer to bathroom ceramic tile surfaces until the whole area has been sanded. This will help prevent peeling and flaking.

Step 3 – Protect the Surrounding Area

Use newspaper, painter’s tape or pieces of drop cloth to protect nearby areas, prior to applying primer and paint. This will better facilitate the cleaning process after the project, and will protect other bathroom furnishings and fixtures from paint and primer stains.

Step 4 – Apply Acrylic Latex Primer

Use a roller brush to apply an even coat of acrylic latex primer to the tiles. Use a latex paint brush to get rid of roller marks on the tile surface. Use soft strokes, until the latex primer creates a smooth, even surface. Wait at least 2 to 4 hours for the primer to dry.

Step 5 – Apply Latex Paint

Use a separate roller brush to apply a coat of latex paint over the entire tiled surface. Similar to the process of applying primer, use a paint brush to smooth the coat of paint over the tiles. Let the paint dry for 2 to 3 hours before applying a second coat. It would be best to apply 2 to 3 thin coats, to ensure maximum coverage. Let the paint dry completely.

You can choose from a wide variety of colors of paint that will match the overall theme and design of your bathroom. Remember to consider using epoxy paint when refinishing ceramic tiles in the shower, to create a permanent waterproof finish. Using acrylic floor paint is highly recommended when refinishing ceramic tile floors, as floor paint is more durable and resistant to skid marks caused by heavy foot traffic.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Removing Wax Sealers from Terracotta

This terracotta floor installed in a house in Denham, at the southern end of Buckinghamshire, had become discoloured with ingrained soil and a mix of old sealers and wax coating leaving an unsightly looking kitchen floor that was in need of stripping, deep cleaning and reseal. Cleaning Read more...

Victorian Tile Restoration Tips

This owner of this house built around 1900 in Cardiff had asked me if I could make their look any better following their attempt at renovating their original Victorian Tiled floor. I examined the floor and established that they had sealed the floor without testing for moisture also it seemed it Read more...

Porcelain tile cleaning in a Car Showroom, Weybridge

We were asked to visit a prestige car showroom near Weybridge in surrey to see what could be done to improve the appearance of the Porcelain Tiles in the showroom. As well as foot traffic the floor also had to cope with the rubber from car tyres; naturally they had been cleaning the floor regularly themselves but were not happy with the results. Cleaning Porcelain Tiles Porcelain is quite a durable material that likes ceramics don't usually need a sealer so we prescribed a Deep Clean was in Read more...

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Replaced and Polished Travertine Tiles

The owner of this home in Ascot had 75m2 of travertine tiles installed on the ground floor and around 10 tiles were damaged and needed replacement; this can be difficult as like most things tiles are created in batches and it can be tricky to find an exact match. Fortunately we managed to source Read more...

Welcome to the Oxfordshire Tile Doctor

We are your local specialist for tile cleaning, stone cleaning, grout cleaning and tile, stone and grout sealing covering the restoration of all types of stone and tiled flooring including Ceramic, Limestone, Marble, Porcelain, Quarry, Sandstone, Slate, Terracotta, Terrazzo, Travertine and Victorian tile. Were professionally trained and have the equipment and experience to solve any problem, were also part of a national network that enables us to share industry knowledge and expertise. Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing tiles at a French chateau in Arcis-le-Ponsart, France

It's not often that we get called abroad for a job, but when we do, it's always a fantastic experience. We have done a few jobs abroad in the past, including the restoration of Terracotta tiled restaurant floor at a hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This job was closer to home at a chateau in the town of Arcis-le-Ponsart near Reims, located in the Champagne-Ardenne region of North Eastern France. As its name suggests, the Champagne-Ardenne region is famous for its champagne. The owner of the Read more...

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Dealing with Limescale on Slate

Recently we were asked to resolve an unusual problem with Limescale deposits on Black Slate floor tiles installed in a WC at a house in Hove on the East Sussex coast. You can see from the photograph below how Limescale has left an unsightly white haze and water marks on the surface of the slate Read more...

Cleaning and Polishing Classic Limestone Flagstones

These rather dirty but beautiful classic Minster Limestone flagstones had been installed in the Kitchen of a house in the village of Austwick. They were now overdue for a deep clean and polish and so we were asked to do to the work. Stripping and Polishing Limestone Floor Tiles To restore the Read more...

Restoring Quarry Tiles in Cambridge

These photographs are from a Quarry Tile Cleaning job we did for a house owner in Cambridge, I'm afraid my photographs are not the best but I think you can see how the Quarry tiles were looking discoloured and worn. Cleaning Kitchen Quarry Tiles Working in sections the floor was wetted with a Read more...

Travertine Conservatory Floor Maintenance

These photographs are of a the Travertine tiled floor installed in a conservatory at a house in the historic town of Louth in Lincolnshire. The travertine was starting to dull and the grout was in need of a good clean so we were asked to maintain it. Cleaning Travertine Tiles Hard stone tiles Read more...

Bicester Indian Sandstone Swimming Pool Surround

The large outdoor pool was situated in the garden of a large house in Bicester, as you can see it was surrounded by large Indian Sandstone flagstones which had become soiled with dirt. Indian Sandstone Swimming Pool Surround Before I was not allowed to use any chemicals as the client had dogs and so it was cleaned with Diesel powered high pressure washer. Indian Sandstone Swimming Pool Surround after cleaning Read more...

Cleaning Black Slate with White Marble Inserts in Southport

An unusual but attractive combination of semi riven black Slate with white Marble inserts had been installed in the hallway of this residence in the town of Southport. This floor had not been cleaned properly in some time, in fact the local Tile Shop had given the customer the incorrect tile cleaning product for the job which had slowly stripped the sealer off the tile leading to dirt becoming ingrained into the tile and making it difficult to clean which resulted in the deteriorated Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Terracotta floor tiles in Sussex

This Terracotta Tiled floor was located in a house in the town of Ringmer, East Sussex, it had been a while since it had last been thoroughly cleaned and re-sealed and was now well overdue for some extra attention. Terracotta Tile Cleaning To get the tiles clean we applied a strong dilution of Read more...

Restoring Tiles Scratched by a Piano

Recently I was contacted by a man in the town of Bedford who was worried that he had damaged his Victorian tiled hallway as a result of dragging a piano across the floor. I went round to the property to get a better look at the problem and, on closer inspection, realised that the tiles were Read more...

Welcome to the Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

We are your local specialist for tile cleaning, stone cleaning, grout cleaning and tile, stone and grout sealing covering the restoration of all types of stone and tiled flooring including Ceramic, Limestone, Marble, Porcelain, Quarry, Sandstone, Slate, Terracotta, Terrazzo, Travertine and Victorian tile. Were professionally trained and have the equipment and experience to solve any problem, were also part of the largest specialist tile and stone cleaning network in the UK that enables us to Read more...

Cleaning a Sandstone Fireplace Surround in Thame

Details below of a Sandstone Fireplace surround from a house in Thame, Oxfordshire. The fireplace had never been cleaned as the customer did not know where to start and so gave us a call. Sandstone Fireplace Cleaning To clean the fireplace I used a diluted mixture of Tile Doctor Pro Clean and NanoTech Ultra Clean which combines the cleaning power of Pro-Clean with the tiny abrasive particles in Ultra Clean to produce a very effective cleaning product that is safe to use on Stone. This was Read more...

Victorian Floor in Lancaster

Victorian Floor Restoration in Lancaster Details below of a Victorian Floor in the hallway of a house in Lancaster which the owner wanted restoring after it was discovered in poor condition under a carpet. Removing the Carpet from the Victorian Floor We removed the old carpet and applied a 50/50 mix of Remove and Go and Nanotech Ultra-clean which we left to soak for a couple of hours. We then cleaned the floor with a Steamer to remove all the dirt and muck and get any old sealer and waxes Read more...

Original Sandstone Floor Milled and Sealed in Sedbergh

I had arranged to work on an original Sandstone floor in an old barn conversion in the town of Sedbergh, Cumbria, however I had to delay the visit due to the poor conditions of the roads in this area at the time due to Storm Desmond which you may recall brought a substantial amount of flooding to Cumbria. Sedbergh was historically considered part of the West Riding of Yorkshire - sitting just within the Yorkshire Dales National Park - but in more modern times, it has come to be part of Read more...

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School Quarry Tile and Grout Refurbished

Before and after photograph below of a Quarry Tiled floor at a school in Dunstable that was in such a bad state we had to apply grout colourant to the floor. Quarry tiles are fairly indestructible so ideal for use in schools etc. where they will see a lot of foot traffic and abuse, having said Read more...

How to Remove Porcelain Tiles from Drywall

Porcelain tiles are thicker than ceramic tiles and are difficult to remove. The mortar and grout that is used in the installation of porcelain tiles form a tight bond with the surface of the drywall. You need to use the right materials for this project because the surface of the drywall can be damaged during the removal process. You will need to patch up the damaged areas before you install a new finished wall. Remember to always wear protective goggles and safety gloves before you begin removing porcelain tiles from drywall.

What You'll Need

• Goggles and safety gloves
• Grout remover
• Chisel
• Hammer
• Putty knife (metal)

Step 1 – Wear Safety Gear

Put on the goggles and work gloves before proceeding. Removing porcelain tiles involves can produce sharp pieces of rubble and broken pieces of tile. The debris can be the cause of eye injury or they can cause your hand injury.

Step 2 – Apply Grout Remover

Apply the grout remover, according to the directions stated on the label. This will help undo the sticky bond between the tiles, grout and drywall. This will also make it easy to remove the porcelain tiles. Grout remover can be purchased at your nearby hardware or home supplies store.

Step 3 – Remove Grout

Use a chisel to efficiently remove all the grout. Be sure to choose a chisel that fits the gap between the tiles and the grout. A small, sharp chisel is the best tool to use if the gaps are no more than ½ inch between the tiles.

Step 4 – Remove the Porcelain Tiles

Use a metal putty knife to pry the edge of the porcelain tile. Start on the left side and insert the putty knife at a low angle on the edge of the porcelain tile. Once the grout has been completely removed, you will have an ideal space to pry the tiles.

Use a hammer to lightly tap the putty knife and remove the porcelain tile. A gentle, repetitive tapping motion is usually enough to remove the tile from the wall. If you find that pieces of paper from the surface of the drywall peel away as you remove the tile, cut the peeled portion using scissors or a handy utility knife.

You may need to tap the tile a little harder if the tile is not coming off the wall quickly. Be careful and be sure to keep your safety goggles on at all times. Repeat the process on each of the porcelain tiles that needs to be removed until all of them have been removed from the drywall.

Always work slowly and carefully when you remove each tile. Do not attempt to install a new finish to the wall until you have restored the surface of the drywall. The paper coating that is peeled in the removal process is detrimental to the integrity and stability of the drywall so be sure to use great caution when you are peeling it off the wall.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

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The diamond encrusted grit pads are designed to smooth down the stone; much like coarse sandpaper is used to smooth down a rough piece of wood. To begin the coarse pads were fitted to a heavy Victor Trojan rotary machine and Russell was on hand to mill the floor. This process requires quite a bit of water to lubricate the pads and can cause a mess so it’s just as well the owner had decided to have the floor done before the new kitchen was fitted.


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Sealing a Sandstone floor

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The outcome was great, but the photographs can tell the story better than we can. My client was very pleased with result, leaving the following feedback: "Both Russell and Heidi were helpful and particularly flexible in view of the flooding at the time. They were both professional and polite and did the job thoroughly. I was delighted with the result".




Source: Stone Floor Cleaning and Sealing Service in Cumbria