Swimming Pool Tile Information

Glazed ceramic tiles are a popular option these days due their durability, water and scratch resistance. Originally tiles were hand-made, thus each was a work of art in its own right. Ceramic tile was used almost everywhere - on walls, floors, ceilings, fireplaces, in murals, and as an exterior 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...

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 Design Linoleum Tiles Restored in York

Here's an interesting job I recently completed at a house near the centre of York, the biggest town in North Yorkshire and famous for its Viking history. My client had initially emailed me some pictures of her tiles which, upon first inspection, looked like Black and Red Victorian tiles. This Read more...

Ceramic Tiled Bath and Shower Tiles Refreshed in Hale Village

We commonly encounter customers who are struggling to keep their Ceramic tiled shower cubicles clean. Since most people use their showers every day, the tiles and grout inevitably come into contact with shampoos and soaps that can cause staining, discolouration and mould. In fact, it's not uncommon for property owners to completely give up on trying to clean the tiles, especially as many everyday cleaners are ineffectual, and this allows the situation to worsen over time. This customer, who Read more...

Removing bitumen covering from Victorian tiles

I was asked to take a look at restoring a Victorian Tiled Floor in the Cumbrian town of Barrow in Furness where the floor had been covered in black bitumen; the bitumen was so thick it was difficult to gauge the condition of the floor underneath. I did a test clean which came out well but I had Read more...

To read more on this topic click here

Restoring miss-matched Terracotta tiles in Paxford

This job was a Terracotta Tiled kitchen floor in Paxford near Chipping Camden, the Terracotta tiles were in a large kitchen/diner which had a mix of different types of Terracotta due to the replacement of some damaged tiles. The recently fitted tiles were slightly darker than the older tiles in Read more...

Terracotta Floor Tiles in Brixton

Although officially the East Surrey Tile Doctor we often get requests further afield through customer recommendations, this particular Terracotta Tiled floor was in Brixton, South London. You can see from the video below that the floor was not looking its best and had been splashed with paint. Read more...

Amtico Kitchen Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Lancashire

Photographs below from the maintenance of Amtico Vinyl Floor Tiles in the kitchen of a house in the village of Heysham which is famous for its ferry port that has links to the Isle of Man and Ireland. This Vinyl wasn't that dirty but it was starting to lose its sheen and when this happens it's Read more...

Acid-Damaged Slate Shower Tiles Restored with Burnishing in Churt

One problem we encounter a lot at Tile Doctor is damaged caused to natural stone tiles by unsuitable household cleaning products. This customer, who lives in the small West Surrey village of Churt, had done this by attempting to use Cilit Bang, which is an acidic product, to remove limescale from his fantastic Slate tiled shower cubicle. While the product may indeed remove Limescale, it does say on the label that it should not be used on natural stone. Putting these types of products in Read more...

Cleaning Encaustic Kitchen Floor Tiles in Beckenham

On a visit to a customer to a customer in Beckenham, Kent who had a pair of rugs that needed cleaning I was asked to take a look at her Encaustic kitchen floor tiles which had become dull and she couldn't keep them clean. I carried out a demonstration on how I would clean them and also explained the different sealer options available and how each sealer can have a different effect. She was pleased with the demonstration and engaged me to clean the tiles as well as the rugs specifying a Read more...

Deep Cleaning Mosaic Swimming Pool Tiles

Here's a quick account of a Mosaic tiled pool cleaning I completed in the grounds of a grand house situated in the New Forest which is a national park on the west side of Hampshire. Mosaic tiles have been in use for thousands of years and are a popular choice for swimming pools, the tiles used Read more...

Repairing an old Victorian Tiled Hallway

The new owner of this house in Pontcana, Cardiff recently discovered a 1920's Victorian tiled floor hidden under carpet in the hallway and was keen to restore it as an original feature. They contacted Tile Doctor to have it repaired and I popped round to do a survey. I could see there was a 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...

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...

Beautiful Victorian Floor Discovered Under Hallway Carpet

These photographs were taken at a large shared block of flats in the seaside town of Eastbourne. Recently a decision was made to replace the carpet in the entrance hallway and they discovered a lovely but damaged Victorian tiled floor underneath. A decision was made to restore the floor back to Read more...

Old Terrazzo Floor Fully Restored as Part of Renovation Work in Llandudno

The Washington Hotel in Llandudno, North Wales, is a truly historic building and one of the enduring features on the promenade of the sea resort. This beautiful part of Wales was the holiday destination of choice for Lewis Carrol, the famed author of Alice in Wonderland, and you can see several statues of him in and around the town. The Washington Hotel first opened in 1855, but was rebuilt in 1925 after being destroyed by a fire. The building most recently served as a nightclub, before it Read more...

Deep Cleaning Kitchen and Bathroom Vinyl Floors in Worcester Park

When I discuss tile cleaning with customers they normally think of the ceramic or stone tiles you find in Tile shops. Interestingly our equipment, products and techniques also work well on other hard surfaces as well including Vinyl floor tiles. Things brings me nicely onto this customer in the 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...

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...

Terracotta Floor Restoration

This Terracotta tiled floor installed in a house in Wilmslow had become black and discoloured in areas due to the customer being badly advised on what sealer to use themselves; this resulted in the sealer staying tacky and turning black over time Cleaning Discoloured Terracotta Tiles To remove Read more...

Quick and Effective Bath Tile Refresh in Edinburgh

Here's a quick example of an interesting tiled shower cubicle at a property in Edinburgh that was well overdue for a refresh, including deep cleaning and recolouring do the grout lines that had become stained and mouldy. This is a problem that the majority of property owners experience due to the simple fact that shower cubicles come into contact with damaging acid-based shampoos and soaps on a daily basis. The short-term solution for this is to wash the shower cubicle down with water after Read more...

Old Encaustic Tiled Floor Restored in Fulham

I had an inquiry from a client in Fulham, who was representing the residents of an old building. The building had recently undergone redecoration and in the hallway, they had removed a thirty year old carpet to discover an original encaustic tiled floor underneath which turned out to be 102 years old. As you can see from the photographs the floor was extremely dirty and covered in lots of glue and paint from the carpet and decorations. Naturally they were keen to have it restored and brought Read more...

Renovating an Indoor Pool Surround

Photographs below of a job we did cleaning and sealing the Quarry Tiles surrounding a residential indoor swimming pool floor tiles at a grand residence in Cambridge. As you can see from the photograph below the Quarry tiles and Grout was looking rather washed out and given their proximity to the Read more...

Old Terrazzo Restaurant Floor Fully Restored in North Wales

The Washington Hotel in Llandudno, North Wales, is a truly historic building and one of the enduring features on the promenade of the sea resort. This beautiful part of Wales was the holiday destination of choice for Lewis Carrol, the famed author of Alice in Wonderland, and you can see several statues of him in and around the town. The Washington Hotel first opened in 1855, but was rebuilt in 1925 after being destroyed by a fire. The building most recently served as a nightclub, before it Read more...

Dirty Stone Pool Surround Deep Cleaned

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 Read more...

Amtico Floor in Manchester For Corrination Street Actor

As well as Tile and Stone Tile Doctor also have the ability to restore Amtico and Karndean vinyl flooring such as this Hallway in Manchester owned by none other than Coronation Street actor Philip Middlemiss aka Des Barnes which had become ingrained with dirt and was becoming difficult to clean Read more...

Red And Black Victorian Quarry Tiles hidden Under Lino Restored

A customer called me out to take a look at restoring the Red and Black Victorian Quarry tiles floor they had discovered under linoleum In the kitchen of their house in the town of Rushden. I carried out a patch test to see which products would have the best results and although most of the old Read more...

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...

Encaustic Tile Information

Made from layers of cement, Encaustic tiles are often hand painted with patterns hydraulically pressed into the surface resulting in a large range of beautifully artistic patterns with some companies offering a bespoke design service. They are known for their durability making them a popular option for floors. Like Ceramic, Encaustic tiles are generally very easy to clean and need little maintenance however being made from cement they are micro porous and so should be sealed to avoid dirt Read more...

Shower Cubicle Tile and Grout Refreshed in Sale

It's not unusual for Shower tile and grout to become stained due to the dyes that are found in soap, mould can also be a common problem but usually this is down to inadequate ventilation. Whilst we do sell products that can keep your tile and grout clean we are also able to assist when a really deep clean is required. The photographs below are a great example of this and are of one of three shower cubicles we were asked to clean and restore at a modernised Victorian property in Sale, 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...

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...

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...

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...

Deep cleaning a Vinyl floor at a church in Wyken, Coventry

The great thing about being in the floor cleaning business is that the equipment we use are very flexible and allow the cleaning of many surfaces from Tile, Stone, Grout and Carpet through to in this case a Vinyl floor at Church in Wyken. Cleaning Vinyl Flooring You can see from the photograph Read more...

Deep Cleaning Old And Dirty Victorian Hallway Tiles

Sometimes you survey a job and you know that if you get the chance to restore it the results will be totally fantastic! This was the case with this Victorian black & white chequer tiled floor in the hallway of a large terraced Victorian house in Cardiff which dated back to around 1900 and was Read more...

Encaustic Cement Bathroom Tiles Burnished and Sealed

I'm often asked if you should seal a tile before grouting and the answer is a definite yes, and this Encaustic Cement tiled bathroom floor installation in Stockport is a great example as to why. The tiles had not been sealed before grouting and then, once the tiler went to grout the newly installed tiles with a grey grout, the colour ran into the tiles, staining them and leaving them looking grubby and dirty. Had the tiles been sealed it would of made the process of removing the grout from 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...

Hardened Chlorine Removal Leisure Centre Pool Tiles

Not sure if these pictures do the job justice but we had a tough job on our hands cleaning the anti-slip ceramic tiles around this swimming pool at a leisure centre near Kendal in Cumbria. Including the changing rooms the area measured approximately 1110m2 and fortunately most of the tiles were Read more...

To read more on this topic click here

Cleaning a Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle in Herstmonceux

We often get asked to do bathroom refresh and end of tenancy tile cleans however it's a good job I'm not squeamish as this ceramic tiled shower cubicle was in a bad way. The property was in the historic village of Herstmonceux in the Wealden District of East Sussex and apparently it had been leased to students who it seems were averse to cleaning, no surprise there. Cleaning Ceramic Tiled Shower Cubicle The first step was to remove the plastic product holder to expose the tile and grout, Read more...

Deep Cleaning an Unsealed Encaustic Cement Floor

This very old Encaustic tiled flooring was uncovered at a property in Chester when the present owners started to undertake renovation. They removed the carpets and vinyl tiles from the hallway, revealing the Encaustic tiles to find that they were in truly horrific condition. This included being covered by heavy dirt, dust and, in some parts, by a sticky black bitumen. Encaustic tiles are made out of compressed cement, and were commonly used in properties built during the Edwardian and Read more...

Indoor Sandston Pool Surround Cleaning

These Indian Sandstone floor tiles were installed around an indoor swimming pool at a magnificent residence in Oxford. As you can see from the photograph below the Sandstone was not looking its best and given its proximity to the pool care needed to be taken not to contaminate the pool with Read more...

Vinyl Floor Cleaning

Vinyl flooring whether it be in a Tile format or a full floor covering has come a long way from the days of being a flimsy plastic based product some of which were made from a wood pulp/resin mix called Linoleum, hence the word Lino. Manufacturers have since introduced products that are tough, Read more...

Shower Room Tile and Grout Restoration in Kendal

One of the first issues people have with shower rooms is the Silicone needs to be replaced, even a good quality Silicone like Mapei Ultra-seal which is fully waterproof and stain and mould resistant can still succumb to persistent damp issues. In fact it can get so humid in these areas the warm atmosphere is akin to a tropical rain forest. To avoid the build-up of mould I recommend you rinse the wall tile and silicone down with plain water from the shower head after every shower and then Read more...

Slate tile maintenance

This was a straightforward black slate tile clean and seal in a large kitchen of a house in Portsmouth, the tile and grout were in good physical condition and just needed of a deep clean. Cleaning Slate Tiled Floor The first step was to give the tiles a really good clean using a dilution of Read more...

Removing Old Paint From Victorian Hallway Tiles

This job was at house in Polwarth, a small parish through which flows the Union Canal, running from Falkirk to Edinburgh. The client had requested a clean for a Victorian tiled hallway set in the narrow reception area of the house. The tiled floor had been painted over by the previous owners of 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...

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...

Newly Installed Travertine Tiled Floor Polished and Sealed in Polegate

Travertine is known on the international market for being very distinctive in character and very durable, making it a very popular choice for tiled flooring in properties worldwide. However, the stone does require regular professional maintenance and polishing to keep it looking it top shape. I recently visited a nice property in Polegate, a town not too far away from the seaside resort of Eastbourne, in which a large Travertine tiled floor had been recently installed in the lounge and Read more...

Restoring a Slate Kitchen Floor

This beautiful slate floor installed in the Kitchen of a house in Southampton had tons of character but unfortunately years of use had left it looking rather washed out and was overdue for a deep clean and re-seal. Cleaning Slate Tiled Floors I set about scrubbing the floor using a hot water Read more...

Contact Us

Why not take advantage of our free local survey service and arrange for us to visit you at your home or premises where we can listen to your needs and use our knowledge and experience to put new life into your tiles. Remember prevention is cheaper than the cure so do talk to us about grout sealing and regular maintenance. Complete the form below or call us on 0845 652 4652 and we will be in touch. What Our Recent Customers Have to Say Click here to read more feedback Other Tile Doctor Web Sites 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...

Unfinished Travertine Floor Polished and Transformed in East Sussex

Travertine is known on the international market for being very distinctive in character and very durable, making it a very popular choice for tiled flooring in properties worldwide. However, the stone does require regular professional maintenance and polishing to keep it looking it top shape. I Read more...

Resolving Uneven Victorian Floor Problems

Recently Heidi and I worked on a Victorian tiled hallway floor at a house in Turton, Lancashire, an area which lies on the southern slopes of the West Pennine Moors. Victorian tile floors are commonly found in the reception area and hallways of older houses and public buildings, many of which 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...

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...

Travertine Stone Tile Restoration

Travertine tile is a natural material that has unique features that no other stone can offer. The distinctive design of Travertine creates some of the most distinguished floor tiles. Travertine is ideal for commercial and residential use. It can be used for floor tile, kitchen flooring, bathroom Read more...

Restoration of Terracotta Tile and Grout

This small Terracotta tiled floor with tumbled travertine inserts at a house in Middlemarsh, Dorset was around 25M and had been in place for over ten years, since before the owner moved in. After a recent freezer leak caused the tiles and grout to become stained in the utility area; the customer Read more...

Restoring a Victorian Floor Hidden Under Lino

I was recently called to a property in the historic city of Oxford, perhaps most famous for being the site of the oldest University in the English-speaking world. The property owner asked me to take a look at a linoleum floor, which was partially revealing a black and white patterned, Victorian Read more...

Cleaning Riven Slate Tiles

These Riven Slate tiles at house in Tring Buckinghamshire had been laid five years earlier and the original sealant had worn off especially around the high traffic cooker and fridge areas. This has led to dirt getting trapped into the pores of the tile and the whole floor becoming rather dull. Read more...

Slate Tiled Floor Contaminated with Topical Coating Restored in Gamston

This is an interesting example of a Slate tiled floor that was the unfortunate recipient of a solvent-based topical coating which had become contaminated over time which completely altered its appearance. So much so, in fact, that the new owners of the property located in the village ofGamston, had not realised that this wasn't what the floor was actually supposed to look like! The coating was hiding the natural beauty and character of the high mineral content Slate tiles. A previous tile Read more...

Repairing a Victorian Tiled Floor in Wellingborough

I was recently called down to a client's house in the market town of Wellingborough, situated approximately 11 miles from Northampton. My client's situation was an interesting one, as she had an old gas pipe sticking out of her Victorian tiled floor, very close to a doorway. Not only was this a 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...

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...

Polishing large format Limestone tiles

These photographs are from a Limestone tiled floor installed at a residence in Cambridge. The tiles were in good condition but the shine on the Limestone had worn off leaving them looking dull and the owner wanted them re-polishing. Stripping and Polishing Limestone Floor Tiles To restore the Read more...

Stripping Sealer from Slate Tile

This beautiful slate tiled floor installed in the kitchen and hallway of a house in Balham London; I was asked by the owner if we could restore the floor following some work that had been carried out by a builder who had failed in his attempts to remove the old seal. To instill confidence that Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of a Victorian Hallway in Buckinghamshire

Recently I travelled down to the village of Prestwood in the Chiltern Hills of southern Buckinghamshire, to work on a Victorian tiled porch and hallway. Victorian tiles are commonly found in the entrance areas of older houses and unfortunately in this case the tiles had become heavily ingrained Read more...

Putting the Shine Back on Water Damaged Limestone Tiles

This 50 m2 Limestone tiled floor at an old thatched cottage in Slough had unfortunately been stained following a radiator system leak which covered the tiles in dirty radiator water and sludge. The limestone tiles had been laid on a floor without a screed damp proofing membrane which resulted in Read more...

Amazing Transformation of a Slate Kitchen Floor

This is an interesting example of a Slate tiled floor that was the unfortunate recipient of a solvent-based topical coating which had become contaminated over time which completely altered its appearance. So much so, in fact, that the new owners of the property located in the village ofGamston, 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...

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...

Porfolio

Portfolio of Tile Cleaning work completed by Steve Carpenter Read more...

Extending and Restoring a Victorian Hallway in Kent

Not too long ago I was called to the large town of Bromley, where my client was in the process of renovating an Edwardian house. The house has a fascinating original geometric Victorian tiled hallway which had previously been covered in carpet which my client now wanted restoring and extending. Read more...

Putting the shine back on Limestone Floor Tiles

We recently worked on a Limestone tiled floor in the kitchen of a house in the picturesque village of Pewsey. The Limestone floor tiles were in good condition but had lost their shine and lustre and the grout had some staining. Cleaning Limestone Floor Tiles We started by cleaning the grout 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...

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...

Contact Us

Why not take advantage of our free local survey service and arrange for us to visit you at your home or premises where we can listen to your needs and use our knowledge and experience to put new life into your tiles. Remember prevention is cheaper than the cure so do talk to us about grout sealing and regular maintenance. Complete the form below or call us on 0845 652 4652 and we will be in touch. What Our Recent Customers Have to Say Click here to read more feedback Other Tile Doctor Web Sites Read more...

Restoring Green Westmorland Slate Tiles in Yorkshire

It's not too common that you find two very different natural stone tiled floors in the same property. However, this is exactly what I discovered on a recent visit to a farmhouse property in Ripley, near Harrogate in North Yorkshire. The owner wanted to restore both their Westmorland Green Slate Read more...

Polishing Blue Moleanos Limestone Floor in Yorkshire

It's not too common that you find two very different natural stone tiled floors in the same property. However, this is exactly what I discovered on a recent visit to a farmhouse property in Ripley, near Harrogate in North Yorkshire. The owner wanted to restore both their Westmorland Green Slate 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...

Restoring Green Westmorland Slate and Blue Moleanos Limestone Tiles in Ripley

It's not too common that you find two very different natural stone tiled floors in the same property. However, this is exactly what I discovered on a recent visit to a farmhouse property in Ripley, near Harrogate in North Yorkshire. The owner wanted to restore both their Westmorland Green Slate tiled entranceway and a Blue Moleanos Limestone tiled floor. Westmorland Green Slate originates from the Lake District in Cumbria - where it has been quarried for many centuries - and is known to be a 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...

Modern Quarry Tiles Uncovered and Restored in Nesscliffe

This customer had just bought a house in the small Shropshire village of Nesscliffe. Like many new property owners, she was keen to make some changes to the interior decoration, deciding to pull up the carpet they she didn't like that covered almost the entire ground floor of the house. Upon doing so she and her partner discovered a large area of original Quarry tiles. They decided that instead of replacing the carpet with a new one, they would keep the original floor and attempt to restore Read more...

Grout Haze Removed from Slate

These mixed milled slate floor tiles were installed in the Kitchen, Hall and toilet of a house in Broadwell, Warwickshire. The Slate was staining easily from drink spills and proving hard to clean; on top of that all the tiles were covered in a slight grout haze and had not been sealed or Read more...

Hallway Maintenance Clean in Oxford

This fantastic Victorian tiled hallway floor in Oxford was in good physical condition for its age; however like any sealed floor the sealer had worn down with use and with dirt becoming trapped in the pores of the tile it was now becoming difficult to clean effectively and had become dull and Read more...

Slate Tile Maintenance in Windemere

The customer from Windermere called me in to take a look at their Slate tiled kitchen floor which was looking very dirty with ingrained stains and marks on the stone from spills etc. that were proving difficult for the customer to clean. The brief was to give the floor a deep clean, remove the Read more...

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...

Restoring a Mexican Terracotta Floor in Shrewsbury

Mexico is known to produce some of the best quality Terracotta tiles, with the Saltillo region in the north-east of the country being particularly famous for its craftsman. People from countries all over the world import these tiles and use them in their houses to create fantastic, colourful Read more...

Mexican Terracotta Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Shrewsbury

Mexico is known to produce some of the best quality Terracotta tiles, with the Saltillo region in the north-east of the country being particularly famous for its craftsman. People from countries all over the world import these tiles and use them in their houses to create fantastic, colourful floors. This set of Mexican Terracotta floor tiles had been installed throughout the ground floor of a property in historic Shrewsbury which is on the Welsh border and renowned for being the birthplace Read more...

Renovating a Victorian Tiled Floor in a Leicestershire Pub

Here's a really interesting commercial job for you, which I recently completed in the town of Hinckley, Leicestershire. I was asked to take a look at a Victorian Geometric and Encaustic tiled floor in the historic Queen's Head pub. This floor is over a century old and although in good Read more...

Solving Limestone Sealer Problems

Slightly unusual job this one involving a Limestone tiled floor at a house in Canford Cliffs which is a beautiful part of Dorset near Poole overlooking the sea. The tiles had only recently been laid and then sealed by a tiler, unfortunately however too much sealer had been applied and it had Read more...

Removing Coatings From Victorian Tiles

Victorian black and white tiles in the hallway of a house in Wanstead (E11), laid in what is often referred to as the York Pattern with a Kingsley Border, however sadly neglected for many years after being covered with a heavy underlay and carpet. Restoring a Victorian Floor First we cleaned the Read more...

Maintaining Black Welsh Slate

The photographs below are taken from a job in the village of Whilton near Daventry where we were asked to clean and seal a black Welsh Slate tiled floor that was installed in a Kitchen and adjacent dining area. The customer was concerned that the floor was very dull and proving difficult to keep 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...

Portfolio

Read more...

Burnishing and Sealing Limestone Tiles in Gainsborough

This was a large 60m2 Limestone tiled floor installed in the entrance hall and kitchen of a residence in the town of Gainsborough. The Limestone tiles had lost their shine and cracks had appeared in a number of tiles which was due to the floor settling after it had been built, any previous 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...

Removing Sealers from Chinese Slate Tiles

I was asked to strip and re-seal these interesting Chinese Slate tiles that were installed in the kitchen floor of a property in Hale Barns, Cheshire. It seems the tiles had been re-sealed over the years without giving them a deep clean first resulting in dirt and grime being sealed in between Read more...

Cleaning a Terracotta tiled floor in Bedfordshire

Details below of a Terracotta tiled floor at a house in Leighton Buzzard which was in need of a deep clean and re-seal. Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles To get the tiles clean we applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra Clean which combines into a heavy Read more...

Burnishing and Sealing Limestone Tiles in Westminster

Details below of a Limestone Tiled Floor that I recently cleaned and sealed at a residence in Westminster in the heart of London. The tiles were not looking the best and after deciding to do something about the owner searched the internet for a solution saw my website and emailed to book me in 2 Read more...

100+ Year-Old Victorian Mosaic Hallway Rejuvenated in Lytham St Annes

Victorian tiled floors are well-known for their colourful and unique patterns which never fail to impress and are a very sought after period feature. Recently I was very impressed with the work that had gone into this hallway floor that I came across at a property in the seaside resort of Lytham St Annes south of Blackpool on the Flyde coast. I was there to restore what I originally believed to be a stone Tesserae Mosaic floor, but after some chemical testing it was revealed to be a Read more...

To read more on this topic click here

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...

Burnishing Travertine Tiled Floors

This Travertine Tiled Floor was laid in an open plan Kitchen in West Didsbury, Manchester, hopefully you will be able to see from the photographs it was in need a regular clean and re-seal. Cleaning and Polishing Travertine Tile I gave the Travertine tiles a quick clean with a weak dilution of Read more...

Combining Sealers for Maximum Effect

These photographs from the hallway of a house in Banbury where old thick slate tiled floor had been laid and the customer was unable to get them clean or restore any colour back into the stone. Cleaning Slate Flagstone Tiles I prepped the skirting boards with masking tape to protect them and Read more...

Choosing a Sealer for Terracotta Tiles

Pictures below of another Terracotta tiled floor that was deep cleaned and then sealed, this time in Whipsnade. You can see from the photograph below the floor was in good physical condition but was looking washed out and had staining to the grout. Cleaning Terracotta Floor Tiles To deep clean Read more...

Maintaining the Polish on Travertine tiles

I had a phone call a few weeks ago from a lady in Gerrards Cross to come and clean her large Travertine tiled floors prior to her renting out a property. I had actually carried out this job for her four years ago and she was really pleased with the service we provided and had therefore asked me Read more...

Restoring Victorian Mosaic Hallway Tiles near Blackpool

Victorian tiled floors are well-known for their colourful and unique patterns which never fail to impress and are a very sought after period feature. Recently I was very impressed with the work that had gone into this hallway floor that I came across at a property in the seaside resort of Lytham Read more...

Limestone Tiled Floor Cleaned and Sealed

This Limestone tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in the town Market Harborough, Leicestershire. The tiles were quite dirty and had become ingrained with dirt which hopefully you can see from the photograph below. Stripping the Limestone Tiled Floor Before commencing cleaning we Read more...

Cleaning ingrained dirt from a Crushed Edge Limestone Tiled Floor

Limestone is a natural stone with a lot of unique character and surface features with each tile being uniquely different from the last. These surface characteristics however can however make a stone very difficult to clean and unless sealed can result in dirt becoming trapped and ingrained. Read more...

Tackling Stained Terracotta Tiles in a Conservatory

This Terracotta tiled floor installed in a conservatory in Kidlington Oxfordshire was in the worst condition I have ever seen, you should be able to make out a large amount of stains quite easily yourself in the photograph below. The conservatory had been used as a greenhouse with many plant Read more...

Badly Stained and Pitted Travertine Kitchen Tiles Restored in Daventry

This Travertine Tiled kitchen floor was in a farmhouse close to the village of Newnham near Daventry. The client had called us in because she was concerned that her floor was becoming increasingly difficult to keep clean which was due to the small holes and pits becoming ingrained with soil and it was becoming difficult to remove as the original sealant had worn off. Hopefully you can see from the pictures the results that can be achieved on a badly stained and pitted Travertine floor. The Read more...

Resolving travertine tile problems

I was recently asked to visit a customer with a Travertine Tiled Kitchen floor in Mitcham South London who had spilt a strong cleaning product on the Travertine Tiles. Due to the litigious nature of the wold in which we live I can't name the product in this post but I can tell you it's Read more...

Beautiful Slate Kitchen Cleaned and Sealed

These photographs are from that lovely old period property in the village of Harston near Cambridge, you may recall an earlier post where I worked on the Victorian Tiled hallway. These photographs are from the Slate Tiled Kitchen floor which they asked me to clean and re-seal as well. Cleaning 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...

An Alternative Way Dealing With Missing Victorian

Here's a job I completed just before Christmas last year, at a house in Northampton which has a rich history and mix of architectural styles. The run up to Christmas is always popular as people try to get their household projects finished off in time for celebrating the festive season with Read more...

Deep Cleaning Catalan Terracotta with Taco Inserts

Terracotta tiles are made all over the world and not surprisingly are very popular around the Mediterranean which is where these Catalan Terracotta Tiles were imported from. They had been installed in a large former farmhouse outside of Halifax in West Yorkshire about twenty years earlier and Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Slate Tiled Floors

These slate tiles were installed in the back kitchen of a house in the seaside resort town of Bognor Regis, they were in good physical condition but unfortunately any sealer had worn off some time ago causing them to lose their appearance and look faded. Cleaning Slate Tiled Floors Dirt had Read more...

Filling and Cleaning a Pitted Travertine Kitchen Floor

This Travertine Tiled kitchen floor was in a farmhouse close to the village of Newnham near Daventry. The client had called us in because she was concerned that her floor was becoming increasingly difficult to keep clean which was due to the small holes and pits becoming ingrained with soil and Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of a Dirty Travertine Floor in Daventry

This Travertine Tiled kitchen floor was in a farmhouse close to the village of Newnham near Daventry. The client had called us in because she was concerned that her floor was becoming increasingly difficult to keep clean which was due to the small holes and pits becoming ingrained with soil and it was becoming difficult to remove as the original sealant had worn off. Hopefully you can see from the pictures the results that can be achieved on a badly stained and pitted Travertine floor. The first photo below shows the extent of the problem due to many holes in the floor, this is a characteristic of Travertine and normally these holes are filled in the factory but the filler does come out over time leaving holes.

Cleaning a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor

The floor was cleaned using a combination of Tile Doctor Burnishing Pads to re-surface the tile and the application of Tile Doctor Grout Pro-Clean agitated with a stiff brush to clean out embedded soil in the pits and grout lines. The Burnishing pads fit a rotary floor polishing machine and come in a series of different grits which are applied from Coarse through Medium and then Fine and lubricated with a little water. I also carried out some repairs to the larger holes with a travertine filler that was mixed to match the existing colours. The second picture shows the repairs in progress, the filler is mixed and applied before leaving an hour and then polishing off any excess filler with dry cloth, the floor was then vacuumed and allowed to fully dry overnight allowing the product to harden.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

The floor was polished and sealed the following day using 2 coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal sealant to protect the grout lines and stone from any staining in future, it leaves a no-sheen natural look which worked very well in the kitchen area. I waited a for the sealant to dry and then carried out a water repellency test to check it was fully sealed before giving the floor a final polish using a Tile Doctor Polishing Pad.




Source: Travertine Tile and Grout Cleaning and Restoration in Northamtonshire

How to Remove Lippage From a Limestone Tiled Floor

The owner of this Blue Lias Limestone tiled floor in the village of Silverdale was not happy with the installation which had occurred two years earlier and several attempts by the Builder/Tiler to put it right had not resolved the problem. Basically the floor was not flat and had several raised Read more...

Ceramic Tiles and Grout Lines Rejuvenated in a Westmancote Hallway

This customer who lives in the old picturesque village of Westmancote, Gloucestershire asked me to do a home survey on their ceramic kitchen tiles which had been laid around fifteen years prior. With the exception of general cleaning not much had work had been done to the tile and grout and now the tiles were looking dull and the grout had turned black. As part of the survey I ran a test clean on part of the floor and the tile and grout came up really well which convinced the customer to Read more...

Dirty Catalan Terracotta Tiles Restored at a Halifax Farmhouse

Terracotta tiles are made all over the world and not surprisingly are very popular around the Mediterranean which is where these Catalan Terracotta Tiles were imported from. They had been installed in a large former farmhouse outside of Halifax in West Yorkshire about twenty years earlier and had never really been subject to an effective maintenance regime. They were now looking very tired and dirty indeed and well overdue a deep clean and reseal. Cleaning Spanish Terracotta Tiles I Read more...

Victorian Tiled Hallway Repaired and Restored

This Victorian tiled hallway at a house in Earlsdon near Coventry was not only in dire need of a good clean and seal, but also required some repairs to areas where the tiles were cracked or missing. The job took three days in total to complete, with one day spent on the necessary repairs, and Read more...

Travertine Tile Cleaning in East Grinstead

Pictures below of a Travertine tiled floor in East Grinstead which had been laid some years earlier and over time had become dull as it lost its polished appearance with wear. The customer had tried cleaning but could not get the floor looking the way they it used to. Cleaning Travertine Tile To Read more...

Deteriorated Slate Tiled Floor Rejuvinated 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 Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of Kitchen Tile and Grout in Westmancote

This customer who lives in the old picturesque village of Westmancote, Gloucestershire asked me to do a home survey on their ceramic kitchen tiles which had been laid around fifteen years prior. With the exception of general cleaning not much had work had been done to the tile and grout and now Read more...

How to Install River Rock Tile in a Shower

River rock tiles are one of the durable materials used in different parts of the house, including the shower floor and walls. This particular type of tile is non-porous and is waterproof, thus it is the perfect material for the shower tile. Moreover, it also gives your shower a natural look. Installation of river rock tiles requires little tiling experience, so if you are a DIY enthusiast, you will be able to do this task easily. This project requires the following tools:

• Notched trowel
• Thinset mortar
• Sealer
• Sponge
• Rubber float
• Stiff bristled brush
• Waterproof membrane
• Concrete
• Tile adhesive
• Rubber mallet

Step 1 - Prepare the Area where the Tiles will be Installed

Using a stiff bristled brush, clean the area where the river rock tiles will be installed. Make sure that the base or sub-floor is free from any cracks. If cracks are present, patch them using concrete or a cement fiber board. Moreover, make sure that you install a waterproof membrane on the shower walls and floors to prevent moisture from seeping towards the sub-floor or wall.

Step 2 - Spread the Adhesive Evenly on the Sub-floor

Spread the tile adhesive evenly on the sub-floor using a thinset mortar and the trowel. Make sure that the adhesive is spread evenly on the surface of the shower floor and wall. Make sure that you apply only 3 square feet of the tile adhesive to prevent the adhesive from hardening prior to the installation of the tiles.

Step 3 - Press the River Rock Tiles onto the Adhesive

Place the tiles closely together on top of the tile adhesive, then press the tiles gently on the adhesive to set it. You can also use a rubber mallet to evenly set the tiles on the tile adhesive. Leave the tile to set for a few hours to dry.

Step 4 - Seal the Tiles with a Sealer

Using a sponge, spread the sealer across the tiles. This will seal the tiles to prevent moisture leaking on the sub floor. Once the sealer is applied, make sure that you remove the excess sealant that adhered to the tiles before you let it dry. Use a slightly damp sponge for this procedure.

Step 5 - Apply Sanded Grout on the Tile

Use a rubber float to apply sanded grout on the tile. Let the grout dry for 30 minutes before removing the excess grout from the tile.

Step 6: Remove the Excess Dry Grout that Adhered on the Tiles

To remove the excess dry grout on the tiles, make sure that you use a stiff brush to dislodge the stubborn grout that adhered on the tiles. You can also use a wet sponge to loosen the remaining grout.

Step 7 - Apply a Second Coat of Sealer

Once the grout has been removed, apply a second coat of the sealer evenly on the tile surface by using the sponge. Let it dry for several hours before using the shower.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Deep Cleaning a Limestone and Travertine Floor Tiles

The owner of this house in Nunton near Salisbury got in touch to take a look at the grout lines on their Travertine and Limestone tiled floors which were becoming increasingly dirty and the tiles has started to take on dirt also. We offer a free no obligation survey so I went along to take a Read more...

Resolving Sealer Problems on Terracotta Tiles

I was asked to look at a Terracotta tiled kitchen floor that had just be fitted at a house in Kidlington, it seems the tiles were sticky and patchy and basically looked a bit of a mess. The home owner phoned me on Thursday sounding really upset and as I'm based in the general area I was able to Read more...

Filling Cracks in Travertine Floor Tiles

This job was a Travertine tiled Kitchen floor in West Disbury, the customer ask me to have a look at the tiles which had been down for three years and had quite a lot of cracks in, on top of that it had not been sealed very well when it had been laid which had allowed dirt to become ingrained Read more...

Restoring Slate Tiles in Historic Stratford

This beautiful Brazilian Slate tiled floor was installed in the cellar of a house in Urmston, Manchester; the slate has never been sealed as so as you would expect it dirt soon became ingrained into the pores of the tile and it lost its appearance. Cleaning slate Floor Tiles I gave the floor a Read more...

Restoring and Repairing Victorian Tiles

Victorian tiled floors are known for their interesting and unique mosaic patterns - and this one was no different. It was installed at a house in the historic West Midlands town of Stourbridge (famous for its glass industry). Unfortunately it was now looking worse for wear and was in dire need Read more...

Stripping Back Terracotta Tile

This Terracotta tiled floor was installed in the dining room of a house in Andover and as you can see from the photograph below the floor had not been maintained very consistently and was now well overdue for a complete strip, clean and reseal. Cleaning Terracotta Tile To get the floor clean Read more...

Restoring the Colour in Limestone Tiles

This is the second black limestone tiled floor we have dealt with this year where the tiler struggled to get the right finish. In this case the floor tiles were newly fitted but unfortunately the tiler had decided not to seal the tiles prior to grouting which resulted in grout becoming trapped Read more...

Victorian Tiled Hallway Deep Cleaned at The Embankment in Bedford

The following photos show a lovely traditional Victorian hallway floor in a period property close to the Great Ouse river in the city of Bedford, a city with a rich history that dates back to medieval times. The floor was in very good physical condition for its age but was very dirty due to not being sealed for many years allowing a build-up of soil to embed in the surface of the tiles. When this happens, we find general cleaning is no longer effective at thoroughly removing all the dirt and Read more...

Sealing Victorian Hallway Tiles with No DPC in Bedford

The following photos show a lovely traditional Victorian hallway floor in a period property close to the Great Ouse river in the city of Bedford, a city with a rich history that dates back to medieval times. The floor was in very good physical condition for its age but was very dirty due to not Read more...

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Shower Cubicle

This Travertine wet room in Glasgow was in a sorry looking state, the tiles had become very dull and there was evidence of mould especially around the silicone. Cleaning a Travertine Wet Room The first job was to cut out all the mouldy silicone around the bottom of the shower cubicle; which had Read more...

Terracotta Tile Maintenance

Another Terracotta tiled floor installed in a conservatory this time in Henley on Thames. The previous sealer was mostly worn away and was no longer offering much protection allowing dirt to get ingrained into the tile and making it difficult to clean effectively resulting in dull looking tile Read more...

Renovating old Limestone Flagstones in Dorset

This Georgian house in the beautiful historic town of Sherbourne, Dorset still had its original floor of black limestone flagstones. These were in a sorry condition, having been smoothed over with a cement screed to make it level for a carpet and, before that, painted at various times with both Read more...

Maintaining Slate Tiles in Glasgow

The photographs below are from the Kitchen of a house in Glasgow with a Slate tiled floor fitted. The sealer on the slate has started to go and if you look closely at the photographs you can see how tired and dull the tiles are looking; this is a common problem with natural stone floors where Read more...

Removing Mould from Travertine Bathroom Tiles

This mouldy filled Travertine tiled bathroom was located in a house in Glasgow and as you can see from the photograph below was completely covered in mould right round the whole bathroom, there was also some staining from the dyes in soap etc. Cleaning a mouldy Travertine tiled bathroom Firstly Read more...

Changing the Sealer on Black Limestone Tiles in Wiltshire

A customer in Fovant, Salisbury got in touch to clean and seal her Black Limestone tiled floor as she wasn't happy with appearance. She informed me that when they were laid they were a grey colour which she loved but when the tiler sealed them they became jet black in appearance. The sealer Read more...

Sandstone - Cleaning and Sealing

At Tile Doctor we see Sandstone used at lot as Kitchen flooring, however as with any natural stone it needs to be sealed to protect it and bring out its beauty and colour. One of the biggest problems we find with stone flooring in a kitchen is that the sealer applied is stripped away by the continuous use of cleaning agents not designed for this type of surface. Sandstone Maintenance ROUGH/RIVEN SANDSTONE SMOOTH MATT FINISH To remove any excess sealer before cleaning use Tile Doctor Remove & Read more...

Cleaning Old Terracotta Tiles in Bedfordshire

This was an old Terracotta tiled floor at a house in the village of Toddington where the previous sealer had been worn off allowing dirt and soil to penetrate into the tile, naturally this made it difficult to clean and it was now overdue for a good deep clean and re-seal. Cleaning Terracotta Read more...

Repairing A Gas Trench In A Victorian Floor

This house in the historic university city of Oxford had a gas fire installed in the living room and unfortunately the only route to the gas supply in the under stairs cupboard was via to go under the Victorian tiled floor in the hallway. Unfortunately this was a bit of a butcher's job and a Read more...

Removing Grout Haze from Slate Kitchen Tiles

These Slate tiles were installed in the kitchen of a house in Glasgow and as you can see from the photograph below they were looking dull and tired and there was evidence of grout haze over a lot of the tiles. The Tile Doctor diagnosis was that a face lift was in order for which a deep clean and 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...

Deep Cleaning Slate tiles in Cumbria

This property in Ulveston had previously been used as a guest house and was now being refurbished and turned back into a home. The kitchen and conservatory had a Slate tiled floor and as you can imagine had seen a fair amount of wear from the numerous fried breakfasts that had been prepared in Read more...

Contact Us

Why not take advantage of our free local survey service and arrange for us to visit you at your home or premises where we can listen to your needs and use our knowledge and experience to put new life into your tiles. Remember prevention is cheaper than the cure so do talk to us about grout sealing and regular maintenance. Complete the form below or call us on 0845 652 4652 and we will be in touch. What Our Recent Customers Have to Say Click here to read more feedback Other Tile Doctor Web Sites Read more...

Restoring a Painted Victorian Tiled Hallway

For whatever reason, property owners do sometimes decide to cover up their tiled floors, whether by using something like linoleum or, in some cases, simply painting over the area. Personally I blame that BBC TV series Changing Rooms for some of these disasters and I wouldn't be surprised if they Read more...

Refreshing a Limestone Tiled Floor

These Limestone tiles, installed in a lovely residence in the ancient market town of Oswestry close to the English/Welsh border, had become dull and dirty over the years and I was asked to get them looking their best again. When I arrived to do the quotation the customer's main concern was that Read more...

Terracotta Floor Transformation

This customer had recently moved into a house with a Terracotta Tiled Floor in Thame, Oxfordshire and decided she did not like the colour of the floor grout and also was unable to clean off some back marks in the corners. When I went to view the property I performed a test clean on a sample area Read more...

Sandstone Floor Restoration

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...

Travertine Floor Lobby Restoration

This Travertine tiled floor was installed in the high traffic lobby area of a house in Horsham, the tiles were in reasonable condition but had become dull over the years and were now in need of a refresh Cleaning Travertine Tile I swept the floor and gave it a quick wash with Tile Doctor Read more...

Cleaning and Sealing Slate tiles in a Kitchen

These photographs of a Slate tiled floor were taken in the Kitchen of a house in Towcester where the slate was looking rather dull and had lost its appeal. This does happen with natural stone floor where the sealer which can add a shine to the stone becomes worn down and ineffective. Cleaning Read more...

Customer Testimonials

Customer Testimonials Customer Testimonials - Click images to enlarge Read more...

To read more on this topic click here

Old Yorkstone Tiled Floor Transformed at the Salts Mill

For this job, I had the pleasure of visiting the historic Salts Mill, a former textile mill turned art gallery, shopping centre, and restaurant complex near Bingley, West Yorkshire. It was built in 1853 by the famous manufacturer and philanthropist, Sir Titus Salt, and was at one point the largest industrial building in the world by total floor area. As you can imagine, a lot of the rooms at Salts Mill are over a century and a half old. Most of them also contained stone flooring made from Read more...

Victorian Porch Tiles hidden under Lino Restored

Some Floor Tiles can be too damaged to be able to do anything with, but Victorian Tiles are nearly indestructible and we often find we can restore them to like new condition. Additionally, period features are very much sought after by potential buyers and add a lot of value to a house so well Read more...

Deep Cleaning a Travertine Kitchen Floor in the Cotswolds

Details below of an unusual Travertine tiled kitchen floor in Greet, Gloucestershire where we were asked to restore the appearance of the tiles and leave a natural as opposed to shiny finish. Greet is a lovely little village at the edge of the Cotsworlds and famous for being a short walk to Read more...

Removing Efflorescence from Terracotta Tile

At first glance and this Terracotta tiled floor at a house in the village of Great Bourton looks in good condition, but on closer inspection there were visible white marks where there had been a water leak in previous years and the salts had come through the tiles. The customer also told me she Read more...

Cleaning Sandstone Fireplace

We don't get a great deal of inquiries about the restoration of stone fireplaces so its refreshing when one comes along, however the principles of cleaning and are the same so were always happy to take on the work. As you can see from the photograph above the Sandstone Fireplace was stained from soot and in need of a good clean. Soot staining is inevitable given the location however it can be reduced with wood burning stoves by fully opening the air vents shortly before opening the door, Read more...

Victorian Tiled Porch Hidden Under Vinyl Restored in Lytham

Some Floor Tiles can be too damaged to be able to do anything with, but Victorian Tiles are nearly indestructible and we often find we can restore them to like new condition. Additionally, period features are very much sought after by potential buyers and add a lot of value to a house so well worth taking the effort to restore. This small Victorian Tiled porch at the entrance to a house in Lytham near Blackpool is a good example of just how resilient these floors can be. There was some Read more...

Restoring a Period Porch Tiled Floor

Some Floor Tiles can be too damaged to be able to do anything with, but Victorian Tiles are nearly indestructible and we often find we can restore them to like new condition. Additionally, period features are very much sought after by potential buyers and add a lot of value to a house so well worth taking the effort to restore. This small Victorian Tiled porch at the entrance to a house in Lytham near Blackpool is a good example of just how resilient these floors can be. There was some damage to it and I suspect at some time in the past a previous owner had decided to cover it up with Linoleum rather than face the expense of repairing it, fortunately for the floor the current owner was keen to restore it.

Cleaning a Dirty Victorian Tiled Doorway

The first job was to strip off the old Vinyl covering which had been glued down with some strong adhesive. We carefully scraped off as much as possible by hand and then soaked the floor in Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which is a strong tile cleaning product which being in a gel doesn’t run off and for stays in position. We left it to dwell on the tiles in order to break down the glue and then scrubbed it in and followed up with a steamer and a rinse with water to remove the soil.


To finish off he cleaning the tiles were treated to an acid rinse by applying Acid Gel which will remove any grout smears and treat any mineral salt issues rising through the floor overnight as the floor dries. Once the floor was clean and free of all the glue etc. it was time to repair the corner of the floor where several tiles were missing. Before started work I had managed to source replacements from Original Style Tiles who offer a wide range of colours and styles to suit the original floor. I set the replacement tiles in place and then grouted them in.


After the tile adhesive and grout had set I gave the floor a light clean with a damp sponge and then covered the floor with a clean dust sheet before leaving it to fully dry overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Porch

The next day the floor was checked for any issues and also dampness before moving onto seal the tiles. To seal the tiles, we then applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a fully breathable sealer that is suitable for internal and external use, it also lifts the colour of the tiles and will prevent them from ingrained dirt in the future making the tiles easy to clean.




Source: Victorian Floor Tile Cleaning and Maintenance in Lancashire

Restoring the Appearance of a Limestone Tiled Floor

We were asked by the new owners of this property in Marlow to clean and seal the Limestone tiled kitchen floor which was in a heavily soiled condition and it was apparent that the tiles and the grout lines hadn't been professionally cleaned for some time. Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Floor To lift Read more...

Restoring Terracotta Tiles Hidden Under Carpet

These photographs are from an old Terracotta tiled floor in Chingford, Essex that had been under carpet for years. The owners had removed carpet which had been glued to the tiles beneath and found this lovely floor which they wanted to restore as an original feature. As you can see it was in a Read more...

Maintaining A Slate Staircase

These photographs were taken some time ago however I thought they might be interesting as Glasgow has an interesting mix of architecture and occasionally we are asked to clean some unusual buildings including this one which had a stone winding staircase faced with slate tile which was overdue Read more...

Dealing with Grout Haze on honed Limestone

The photographs below are of a honed Limestone floor in the kitchen/diner of a house in Bingham, Nottinghamshire which had been contaminated with heavy grout haze from dark grout that had penetrated into the surface of the natural stone tiles due to the face that they had not been properly Read more...

100 Year Old Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored back to Life in Knaresborough

The photographs below are of a Victorian Tiled Hallway at a house in the historic market and spa town of Knaresborough. The tiles were actually over a hundred years old and as you can see in a terrible state. As well as looking dull and unloved they were traces of plaster, oil based paint and even chewing gum. Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway The first job was to tackle the chewing gum with a sharp flat metal scraper taking to keep the blade level with the tile and not to scratch the Read more...

Quarry Tile Floor

Quarry Tile Floor in Weldon, Northants I think you will be impressed with these photographs from a Quarry Tile floor we did in Weldon recently. This quarry tiles were installed in the kitchen and went through to the dinning room, hallway and down stairs cloakroom, at total of around 40sq metres The tiles were recenctly installed and the customer called us in because they were unhappy with the finished result. This can be a common problem with Tilers who do a great job of levelling, tiling Read more...

Restoring the Appearance of Travertine Kitchen Tiles in Greet

Details below of an unusual Travertine tiled kitchen floor in Greet, Gloucestershire where we were asked to restore the appearance of the tiles and leave a natural as opposed to shiny finish. Greet is a lovely little village at the edge of the Cotsworlds and famous for being a short walk to Winchcombe station on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway which is run by volunteers and often has steam trains running on its line. Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor Travertine responds well to Read more...

Removing Chewing Gum from old Victorian Hallway in Knaresborough

The photographs below are of a Victorian Tiled Hallway at a house in the historic market and spa town of Knaresborough. The tiles were actually over a hundred years old and as you can see in a terrible state. As well as looking dull and unloved they were traces of plaster, oil based paint and Read more...

Tips for Repairing Travertine Floor Tiles

Travertine floor tiles can become damaged over time from wear and tear. You can quickly and easily repair damaged travertine floor tiles with the right tools and materials.

What You'll Need:

• Travertine fill
• An orbital sander
• A putty knife
• Tile sealer
• A cup
• Rags

Step 1 – Inspecting Your Tiles

Inspect all of your travertine tiles for any signs of damage. If you are going to repair one spot, you can save time by checking for any other spots that you had not seen.

Step 2 – Applying the Travertine Fill

Read the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the travertine fill before you begin. In a cup, mix the fill powder with water until you have created a paste. Use your putty knife to apply the fill paste to the damaged tile. Allow the fill to dry completely.

Step 3 – Sanding the Fill

Use your orbital sander to smooth out the fill. Be sure to set the sander to the lowest speed. If you prefer you can hand sand the fill with fine sandpaper. Continue sanding until the tile is smooth and even.

Step 4 – Sealing the Tile

Apply a small amount of tile sealer to a cloth. Use the cloth to rub the sealer into the tile. Continue rubbing until the tile shines.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Restoration of Sandtone Floor in Beyton

We were called into Clean and Seal 36m2 of Sandstone tile flooring installed in the Kitchen, Utility, Hallway and Cloakroom of a house in the Suffolk village of Beyton. The sandstone floor tile was laid around 10 years prior, the tiles had never been sealed and despite regular cleaning the riven surface had become a natural home for dust and grime. Sandstone Tile Cleaning Cleaning the floor was straight forward using a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a very effective and flexible Read more...

Cleaning Honed Travertine Tile in Lancaster

This honed Travertine tiled floor was newly laid by a professional tiler in South Lancaster, unfortunately however the tiler mistook some white lines in the stone as resin post installation and tried very hard to remove them damaging the finish of the stone (it's quite common for new stone to Read more...

Maintaining Slate Kitchen Tiles

Another example of a tired Slate Tiled floor that was in need of a clean and seal, this time in the industrial town of Corby famous for its iron and steel works. Cleaning Slate Kitchen Tiles To get the Slate tile and grout clean the a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied which was left Read more...

Maintaining Honed Limestone Tiles

The photographs below of a Honed Limestone tiles fitted in the living room of a house in Marlborough. The tiles were proving difficult to keep clean especially around the high traffic areas such as the doorway, I suspect the sealer had worn down and dirt was now becoming ingrained in the pores Read more...

Sealer Problems Resolved on Travetine Floor Tiles

These Travertine tiles were laid five years ago at a residential property in Ashton Clinton and our client had never been entirely happy with the tillers finish from sealing which was marked with smears and also had the tillers bare footed prints embedded within the seal. The sealer was now Read more...

Very Dirty Terracotta Floor Tiles Cleaned

We were asked to restore the Terracotta tiled floor at an old cottage in the village of Wing which was way overdue for a good deep clean and re-seal. In fact the tiles were so dirty they were black in some areas, which you can see for yourself in the photograph below. Cleaning Terracotta Floor Read more...

Slate Tile Flooring Cleaning In Northampton

Pictures below from rough slate tile flooring installed in the Kitchen and Toilet of a house in Northampton. The home owner had called us in to give the slate floor a clean and seal. Cleaning the Slate Tile Flooring We cleaned the slate tiled floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean in order to strip any remaining sealer together with a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The buffing machine doesn't get into the grout lines so well so we had to use hand brushes Read more...

Portfolio

Portfolio of Tile Cleaning work completed by Nigel Stoker Read more...

To read more on this topic click here

Beautiful Indian Sandstone Restoration

This beautiful Indian Sandstone tiled floor was laid throughout an open plan Kitchen, Dining and Lounge in a house in Guilford. The floor was in need of a deep clean and seal so we called round initially to survey the tile and grout and provide a quote which was accepted. Cleaning Indian Sandstone To clean the floor we used a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a flexible strong alkaline cleaner specially designed for use on stone floors mixed 50/50 with Tile Doctor Nanotech Read more...

Maintaining Victorian Hallway Tiles

Victorian tiled floors were popularised during the 19th century and continue to be in fashion to this day. However they do need to be properly maintained and many homeowners need assistance with this as was the case with this customer in Edinburgh. Their Victorian tiled hallway floor was very Read more...

Amtico Vinyl Floor Tiles Cleaned and Sealed in a Heysham Kitchen

Photographs below from the maintenance of Amtico Vinyl Floor Tiles in the kitchen of a house in the village of Heysham which is famous for its ferry port that has links to the Isle of Man and Ireland. This Vinyl wasn't that dirty but it was starting to lose its sheen and when this happens it's an indication that the sealer has started to wear down leaving it looking patchy in the high traffic areas. Once the sealer has failed then dirt will start to accumulate making it look less appealing, Read more...

Dull and Stained Semi Riven Black Slate Floor Tiles in Kettering

Great testimonial here from the customer who described her floor as "bleak drab grey dull slate with heavily stained brown looking grout". The slate tiles are Semi Riven Black Slate laid on the floor of a Kitchen in a house in Kettering. Cleaning the Slate Floor Tiles We used a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and mixed with warm water scrubbed into the floor to release the dirt. A stronger dilution of Pro-Clean was required in some areas with stubborn stains. The slate floor tiles were Read more...

Restoring the Colour and Appearance of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Hebden

The colourful and diverse geometric patterns of a Victorian tiled floor can give a property a regal, elegant and timeless feel, making it a popular choice even in the 21st century. However, as time passes without regular care and maintenance, Victorian tiles can quickly lose their colour and appear deadened by the buildup of dirt and dust over several months (and sometimes years). This property owner in Hebden a very small village in North Yorkshire of less than 300 people, had this common Read more...

Resolving Limestone Installation Problems

Details below of a recently laid Ca Pietra Hazlebury Tumbled Limestone tiled floor that retails at 180m2 and should have been stunning however the fitter had ruined it and left it covered in grout haze. The owner of the house in Shipley was unable to get the problem resolved and asked us to take Read more...

Maintainting Terracotta Tiles in South Middlesex

This Terracotta Tiled floor was in an old Coach House in Shepperton that had been subject to building renovations for over 2 years. Prior to this, it was used as a motor garage and as a school before that so as you can see from the photograph below it had seem extensive wear and tear and was now Read more...

Dealing with Very Dirty Slate kitchen tiles

This Shell Slate tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a house in Lytchett Minster and had not been sealed after its installation over twenty years ago and had now become deeply ingrained with dirt which the owner could not remove however hard she tried. Cleaning Shell Slate Tiles To clean Read more...

How to Lay Slate Flooring

Slate flooring is very popular in many situations, largely due to its rustic appearance and impressively high degree of durability. Because of its exceptional longevity, it is popular in areas that have a lot of traffic, such as hallways, porches, corridors and many public places. Installing slate tile flooring is also popular in kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms because it is particularly slip-proof. To install slate flooring, you will need to make some preparations before laying the tiles. Afterwards, the tiles need to be grouted and then sealed. Installing slate tiles is much like installing any other type of tile.

What You'll Need:

• Slate tiles
• Grout
• Sealant
• Mortar
• Grout float
• Tile cutter
• Tile nippers
• Paint brushes
• Sponge
• Trowel
• Chalk
• Tile spacers

Step 1 – Prepare Surface

Slate tiles can be laid over a concrete surface or a backerboard surface. If the subfloor is made from wood, a backerboard underlayment will need to be installed. If the subfloor is concrete, it is very important that it is properly prepared beforehand. Any cracks or holes in the concrete will need to be patched up. Locations of the floor that have been repaired will then need to be sanded back so that they are completely flush with the surrounding floor. Overall, the floor needs to be completely smooth and flat before you can tile it. Also, make sure that the floor is swept thoroughly clean before continuing.

Step 2 – Lay the Tiles

Establish the pattern in which you plan to install the tiles. Decide which part of the room you want to start from. You may want to minimize tile cutting by laying the tiles in an appropriate manner. Outline the layout of the tiles with the chalk. Mix the mortar, following the instructions on the pack. Apply the mortar to a small area, enough for about 4 tiles. Use a trowel and make sure that the mortar is smooth and no more than ¼ inch in thickness. Apply a thinner layer of mortar onto the back of the tile and set it in place. Continue installing the tiles in the same manner. To make sure that the joints are the right width, you can use tile spacers. When you need to cut the tiles, use an appropriate tile cutter. To cut out small sections of a tile so that it fits around plumping or electrical fixtures, use a pair of tile nippers. Once you have completed the floor, leave it to dry overnight before grouting.

Step 3 – Grout and Seal the Floor

Mix the grout and pack it tightly into the gaps between the tiles. Wipe away any excess as you work, as this cannot be done later. Use a grout float to apply the grout. Leave this to dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer. Seal the floor when it is dry. Once the first coat of sealer is dry, apply a second coat and leave the floor overnight again before walking on it.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Travertine Tiled Floor Polished in Stratford upon Avon

Following on from a referral I agreed to travel down to Stratford upon Avon and deep clean this Travertine tiled floor which had not been professionally cleaned for over eight years and was now looking rather dull as you can see in the photograph below, additionally the holes in the travertine had not been filled and was allowing dirt to get trapped into the tile. Cleaning, Filling and Polishing Travertine Tiles The first job was to wash the floor down with Pro-Clean to give it a general Read more...

Marble Tile Maintenance

Marble is reputed in the international market for its premium quality, toughness and durability. It is often the preferred choice for interior and exterior in both commercial and domestic for flooring, wall cladding, paving, facades of buildings, railway stations, pavement, landscaping, garden stone. Granite/Marble Worktops Polished Marble Polished marble generally doesn't require sealing however it will need regular cleaning and occasional re-polishing. The polished marble floor above was first cleaned using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to remove ingrained dirt from the stone and grout, the Marble was then re-polished using Tile Doctor Burnishing pads. Marble Maintenance For regular cleaning use a sealer friendly cleaning product such as Neutral Tile Cleaner which has been especially formulated for the regular cleaning of Sealed Stone and Tile surfaces keeping them fresh with a pleasant mint scent. Use Tile Doctor Pro-Clean Tile & Grout cleaner to effectively clean tiles, highly effective against Wax Sealers, Grease, Grime and general dirt build up. For difficult floors mix Pro-Clean with Nanotech Ultra Clean for a double whammy cleaning solution. Nanotech-Ultra Clean incorporates Nano technology to help lift the dirt from the tiles (it really works), especially useful for those Read more...