Reparing and Restoring a Victorian Halway Floor in Devon

The owners of this floor in the hallway of their Mid-Victorian farmhouse in Clyde Hydon just outside of Honiton, in Devon asked me to visit shortly after they had moved in. Whilst ripping out the old carpet throughout the house they had come across this stunning Victorian tiled floor. Honiton is a market town, more well known for its lace making. As it is my home town, it was a very short commute to work for me, so I was able to visit the property quickly and take a look.


During my visit I took some moisture readings because these old floors will not have had a damp proof membrane installed and if the moisture levels are too high it can restrict when this type of work can be done due to the sealers needing the floor to be dry(ish), in order to cure. I also did a test clean to show the customers what level of cleaning could be achieved and looked at areas of loose tiles to see if any replacement tiles would need to be sourced. I always like to do a test clean as it demonstrates what can be achieved and it also allows me to work out which methods and products work best.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

With the customers happy with the quote I returned to complete the work starting by covering the wooden skirting and bottom of the stairs to protect the paint and carpet from splashing. I then applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean on to the floor, ensuring even coverage and keeping an eye on the floor to make sure that it didn’t dry out. Pro-Clean is quite a flexible product than can strip off old sealers when applied in a strong dilution.

After a short time, I set to work scrubbing the Pro-Clean into the floor with a 400-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer. I also used 400-grit hand held burnishing block to cover the corners and any edges not reached by my machine. Once I was satisfied that the tiles were as good as they could be I rinsed the floor to remove the now soiled alkaline cleaner before giving the floor an acid wash with Acid Gel to neutralise with any inherent salts in dfdfthe tiles.

Before I left for the day I fixed the loose tiles back in place, re-grouted the areas that I had replaced tiles and left an air mover on the floor to aid in the drying process. I also suggested that the radiators in the hallway were turned on overnight to further aid the drying process. Occasionally these types of floors need to be left for several days to dry but it is worth the wait and the floors can be used in the meantime provided only socks and indoor shoes are used and care is taken not to get the floor dirty.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Upon returning the next day I tested the moisture content of the floor and was pleased to find that it was well within acceptable levels for the application of the sealer that I was planning to use. I quickly checked the floor for areas that I felt may be able to be improved and once satisfied a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer was applied to the floor. Colour Grow is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer that occupies the pores in the tile thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there.

Once this was dry it was followed up by applying two further coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is a compatible surface sealer that leaves a nice subtle sheen finish. Both sealers are fully breathable and able to cope with any damp issues that may impact the floor over time.


The customers were thrilled and said that they were going to reinstate the hallway as the main entrance to the farmhouse in order to show it off to all their visitors!


Source: Victorian Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in Devon

Reparing and Restoring a Victorian Halway Floor in North London

It is not uncommon for the owners of houses built in this era to discover original Victorian tiled floors and hallways. Sometimes they have been covered up with carpet or linoleum to match the trend of the day and sometimes they get covered up because they have been neglected and though beyond economical repair. Trends have now been reversed and its becoming increasingly popular to restore them and bringing them back to their former glory and who can blame them, period features are in demand and they add value to a property.

This was the case with this floor at a house in Palmers Green, North London, affectionately known by the locals as ‘Little Cyprus or Palmers Greek’. The house is situated in a street with similar properties of the same age, so it’s likely there are a few hidden Victorian tiled floors on this street!


The client asked me to visit and survey what could be done to restore the floor. As you can see from the photographs the floor in the hall is a lovely example of geometric black and white tiles. However, it is in quite a state with, cracked and missing tiles and many years of built up dirt. I discussed with the client the options and we agreed a price to carry the work out, over a couple of days.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Our first task was to protect the woodwork with protective tape including the doorway threshold edges, skirting and doors. Next, we began the cleaning the tile and grout including stripping off old coatings including sealers and waxes. To do this we applied a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean mixed 50:50 with Tile Doctor Remove & Go; when you have a combination of unknown contaminates, stubborn stains and dirt, a combination of products can be the best option. The solution was left on the floor around fifteen minutes before being worked into the floor, I find a longer dwell time makes the removal of sealers, adhesives, paints and grime easier. We then agitated the wet area using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer and used detail brushes for the more the intricate areas.

This process turned the cleaning solution in a black slurry which was extracted off the floor using a wet vacuum and the floor then steam cleaned to remove any remaining product residue and believe me there really was a lot of dirt to remove. A thorough rinse followed, and the floor was left for a short while to dry.

Next up we tackled the repairs, starting with the removal loose, cracked and broken tiles. Luckily, I had managed to source some new and reclaimed tiles locally and so we replaced these and then re-grouted. We then left the tiles overnight to dry.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning in the morning a consolidator primer seal was then applied using Tile Doctor Colour Grow which improves colour followed by four applications of Tile Doctor Seal & Go this is a specially formulated water-based blend of acrylic polymers that provides both a stain resistant surface and a protective seal as well as a lovely natural satin finish.

The floor looked so much better and the black and white tiles are now very vibrant, the client is pleased they ripped up the carpet and now have a feature hallway which is in keeping with the property.



Source: Victorian Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in North London

Installing Waterproofing Membrane to a Shower

Applying waterproofing membrane in a shower will prevent water from penetrating the tile grouting thus avoiding other impairments. In case that water manages to infiltrate the grouting of the tiles, the membrane acts as a protector and water will displace towards the drain, thus precluding mold from forming.

In previous years, plumbers used to waterproof showers with thin sheets of lead. However since lead is potentially hazardous, a substitute was introduced, chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), which has since replaced lead. This provides a durable barrier against moisture.

Although installation is hectic, any DIY enthusiast is able to perform this task.

What You'll Need:

• Membrane
• Preformed corners
• Good quality waterproof sealer
• Knife or scissors
• Hand roller
• Hot air gun

Step 1 - Examining the Shower

Before starting out any work, examine thoroughly the shower area for any nails and other sharp products. Presuming you cannot remove the nails, you need to recess these or flush them down with a sander.

Ascertain to clean the area using a vacuum cleaner to achieve a dust free and greaseless area.

Step 2 - Leveling the Floor and Walls

Apply a thin layer of mortar to the walls and shower area. Use a waterproof substrate specially manufactured for showers. When applying the substrate to the base, ascertain to slope it down towards the drainpipe to avoid water settling.

Step 3 - Applying Membrane To The Shower Area

Calculate the shower area along its perimeter. In your calculations add up any upturns you might have. Having planned your calculation, roll out the membrane. Generally, the membrane is marked with lines at approximately 6-inch intervals. However, consider these as a guideline and not as accurate measurements. Cut the membrane according to your calculations using a utility knife or scissors.

As for the corners of the shower base, manufacturers recommend the use of prefabricated ones. If these are not available, incise the corners with a single cut. The leftover will eventually overlap in the corner.

Place the membrane in the shower base and press firmly in all corners. Cut a hole for the drain.

Withdraw the membrane and apply adhesive to the membrane. Fix it to the shower area ensuring it bonds tightly to the floor taking special care for the corners and the drain.

Step 4 - Applying Membrane to the Walls

Follow the above steps, calculate the membrane, and attach the membrane to the walls. If the area that requires waterproofing is wider than the width of the membrane sheet, you will need to seam the sheets together. Between each sheet, leave an overlap of approximately 3 inches. Use a hot-air gun flattening with a hand roller. Heat improves effectiveness of seaming. Use nails to fix the upper edge. Use copper nails and recess as required.

Step 5 - Testing and Applying the Shower Pan

Once you have installed the waterproof membrane, clean the area thoroughly. Test the shower area for any leakage. Fill the shower floor with water, marking the upper edge with a marker. The next day check whether there was a decrease in water. If so, remove the water and apply another 3-inch width of membrane over the seams.

Once satisfied, apply an adhesive as recommended by the membrane manufacturer to the floor and place the shower pan in place. Leave to dry overnight. Attach the drain the next day applying sealer on the edge.

Following all this, you will need to tile the area covered with membrane. You can do so with the peace of mind that no water will penetrate from your shower area.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Renovating a Ceramic Tiled Bathroom in St. Albans, Hertfordshire

The photographs on this page were taken at a property in St. Albans, Hertfordshire or Verulamium as it was known in Roman times. St. Albans is roughly 20 miles north-west of central London and a popular choice for commuters who work in London. The owners were fed up with the discoloured grouting and their bathroom looking tired and had tried lots of products on the market to get the grout looking clean. The results had been disappointing, and they were starting to despair.


They contacted me to see if I could help and after visiting the property I recommended deep cleaning the Ceramic tile and grout and then removing and re-grouting those areas that were badly stained. I explained that this would take one day to complete and by using a series of products we would soon have the bathroom looking more pleasing. Happy with the quote which was far less expensive than installing a new bathroom I scheduled the work in for an agreed date.

Deep Cleaning and Re-grouting a Tiled Bathroom

We started out by preparing the area with protective sheets and tape to threshold edges. This was then followed by giving the tile and especially the grout a deep clean using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel and aa steam cleaner to get the grout as clean as possible. Oxy-Gel is a strong alkaline gel cleaner and degreaser which works well on vertical surfaces where a long dwell time is required. Being a gel, it stays in place allowing it to really get to work on the dirt making it an ideal choice for this situation. 

The top layer of grout is porous and, as a result, it easily absorbs grease, dirt and limescale. Grout between wall-tiles, particularly in damp areas like bathrooms, will become dirty and unattractive and if the ventilation is inadequate Mould and Mildew can develop. The grout was scrubbed with Oxy-Gel several times to get it as clean as possible and then rinsed off with water.

At this stage we were able to identify all those areas of grout that were badly stained and we set about carefully removing the old grout using a special tool. This work takes a bit of time, but we felt it was the best solution in this instance.

Next, using a craft blade we carefully removed all the old silicone sealant, so it could be replaced later. This was followed by re-grouting using a white grout to match the existing.


Whilst the grout was drying the final step was to replace the silicone sealant around the bath edge with fresh sealant. We always use high quality mould resistant silicone for this as we don’t want any call backs later when the sealant goes mouldy or water leaks through.

After making some final checks and ensuing excess grout was polished off the tiles the bathroom transformation was complete. Even I was amazed at how much cleaner and tidier the bathroom now looked. The important thing was the customer who was equally impressed and left the following comment on our Tile Doctor feedback system.

‘Excellent and friendly service - would recommend to others’




Source: Ceramic Tile Cleaning and Bathroom Renovation Service in Hertfordshire

Victorian Hallway Tiles Renovated in Warwickshire

I was very pleased to be contacted by this client, they lived on a lovely residential road near the centre of Rugby in Warwickshire and the house featured a beautiful Victorian tiled hallway floor. As you will see from the pictures the patterns are stunning.


Over the years it had been badly damaged along the edges and a few tiles were cracked. It's difficult to know the cause of the damage but we normally find problems like these can be caused by settlement in the floor and if heavy objects are dropped on the tiles. High traffic areas such as the hallway do get a lot of general wear and tear which takes its toll on the floor. The owner of the house felt embarrassed with the condition of the floor and had decided it was time to have it restored.

Cleaning and Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I identified the colours used in the floor, so I could source replacements and went through the floor with the client to mark the tiles that needed changing. We left a few tiles with minor damage so that the new tiles did not stand out and kept the floor authentic.

I managed to source some replacement tiles and started the job by removing and replacing all the damaged and loose tiles. Many of the replacements had to be hand cut to size, especially in the corners. It took some time but eventually, all the damaged tiles were removed and replaced, and the loose tiles refitted. The floor was then left for a few days to set.

On my return, I started by giving the floor a deep clean by spraying the tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This was left on the tiles to soak in and break up the bonding agent in the old coatings. After ten minutes I worked the solution into the tiles with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer and then rinsed the resulting soil off the floor with water and extracted it using a wet vacuum.


The next step was to give the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel, we don’t normally use acidic products on tile or stone however they are particularly good at dealing with alkaline mineral salts and removing grout smears. Old floors like these are particularly vulnerable to a natural process called efflorescence which results in white mineral salt deposits being left on the surface of the tile as the floor fully dries out and can interfere with the sealer. To counter this, the floor was given an Acid Wash with Tile Doctor Acid Gel which being in Gel form makes it particularly easy to control. The acid in the gel works by neutralising the alkalinity in the floor. The solution was scrubbed into the floor using a coarse diamond encrusted burnishing pad to improve the finish of the tiles and then thoroughly rinsed with water and extracted with a wet vacuum to remove any trace of cleaning product.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

After leaving the floor to thoroughly dry out over a few days I returned to complete the sealing process. On my return, the floor was sealed with few coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which leaves a nice satin finish and being a fully breathable sealer is ideal for old floors that have no damp proof membrane and needs moisture to rise through the tile, so it can evaporate.


The vibrant colours of the tiles were brought back to life and the floor was transformed. The client was delighted and wondered why they had not called upon us sooner!



Source: Victorian Tile Cleaning and Renovation Service in Warwickshire

5 Reasons Your Floor Joists may Cause Uneven Flooring

Floor joists are a vital element in a flooring structure. They basically sustain the floor to be level and stable, and also play an important role in absorbing impacts and the overall weight that is distributed onto the floor. However, due to various reasons, floor joists may be the cause for uneven flooring.

1 - Construction Inaccuracies

Floor joists are essentially built at right angles to the beams. However, due to a slight inaccuracy in the angles, they might cause some irregular patches. They also need to be flawlessly level and flat, otherwise bumps and unevenness will result in those particular areas of the floor.

2 - Settling of the Structure

The building will in time settle. A suitable structural support from below needs to be in place so as to avoid unevenness in the floors.

3 - Lack of Planning

Indispensable additions such as duct work, pipes and electrical lines, will need to be installed when building. If these elements are not taken into consideration in advance, they might effect the placing of the floor joists. This will in turn result in possible pushing, and faulty angularities, which as a direct result will cause unevenness in the floor.

4 - Expansions and Contractions

Most floor joists are made from wood. Being a natural material, wood expands and contracts due to temperature changes. As a result this may cause a slight change in their original location, and in the level of sustenance. As a consequence, the floor may have occasional bumps due to resultant cupping, crowning and separations.

5 - Moisture

If water leaks through and gets absorbed by the floor joists, there will be some trapped moisture. This may in turn result in unevenness in the floor due to changes in the layout of the wood.


Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Small Marble Bathroom Floor Cleaned and Polished in Birmingham

Our customer had a polished Marble tiled bathroom floor which had been installed some years ago. Over the years the tiles had become water stained and marked and although the customer had tried various household products to remove them they had not had much success. The floor was now really annoying them and so they decided to contact Tile Doctor to see if the problem could be resolved.

Marble is often the preferred choice for bathrooms giving them what can only be described and an opulent feel. It is highly durable, tough and usually of premium quality. However, like any natural stone it is in fact porous and needs to be sealed to prevent dirt becoming trapped in its pores as once that happens it can be very difficult to keep clean.

I visited the property in Brownhills, a historic mining town to the north east of Walsall to see if I could help, I surveyed the bathroom and could see the staining that they had mentioned was quite pronounced. I advised the customer of the options that Tile Doctor could offer, and we agreed a price for the work.

Cleaning and Polishing Marble Bathroom Floor

To clean and polish stone tiles such as Marble we use a process we call burnishing. This involves the application of different grits of Diamond encrusted pads in sequence from coarse to very fine. No chemicals are used in this process, just water and in this case a setup of small six-inch burnishing pads which fit to a hand buffer. I started with the application of a coarse 400-grit pad lubricated with water which successfully removed the marks from the Marble. This pad does dull the appearance of the stone so that has to be gradually restored by working up through the finer set of pads rinsing the floor in between each pad with water. The last pad to be applied is a very fine 3000-grit pad which is applied with a little water sprayed onto the tile and results in a lovely polished finish.

High Shine Sealing Marble Bathroom Floor

The customer was happy with the results, however they had previously mentioned that they liked a very deep shine, so I recommended we build the polish further with the application of Tile Doctor High Shine Powder.


Tile Doctor High Shine is a crystallising powder that provides a very high shine and tough durable finish. It can be used for all-natural stone, such as marble, limestone and granite so was an ideal choice in the instance. The customer agreed so the crystals were buffed into the Marble to give an even deeper shine finish that not only looks great but adds a durable barrier to the floor that will protect it from staining in the future.


The floor was restored in the same day to its’ original look and the customer was over the moon with the finish.

Our very happy customer left the following feedback; "Kieron arrived at our pre arranged time and inspected the condition of my bathroom tiles he was very professional and suggested he would carry out some small tests to determine the best solution for my tile problem. The test results he achieved were excellent so we agreed on an option and price for the work. Kieron worked very hard all morning to finish the work and the end result was outstanding"


Source: Marble Tile Cleaning and Polishing Service in Birmingham

3 Things to do about Floor Joists that Cause Uneven Flooring

Floor joists play an important role in a building's foundation. But, due to a variety of reasons they may cause the floor to be uneven at certain places. Let us discuss what actions can be undertaken in order to avoid this, or when required solve such a problem.

Moisture

It is important to bear in mind that wood will in time deteriorate due to wear and tear and moisture. So, it is important to primarily make sure that no water leaks or penetrates into the joists. Furthermore there should be an appropriate moisture barrier set in place.

Expansions and Contractions

Due to changes in temperature the wood will expand and contract. This will cause problems such as separation, crowning, cupping or buckling. These problems are common, and can be seen by edges being forced up or down. In turn, the floor will end up uneven in some places. In order to solve these problems the best thing to do is make sure that the temperature is rather level. A good way is to have a humidifier, and to regularly check any defects so as to take the necessary action. You should check for any sources of moisture or excessive dryness.

Maintenance

In order to keep the wood floor in its best condition and avoid unevenness problems, you should sand the floor to provide a smoother finish, especially in areas where there are splinters, lower areas or flaking finishes. Once you have finished sanding the floor, apply wood putty where required. When dry, apply a finish such as stain. Regularly check for similar defects so as to apply the necessary maintenance.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Badly Sealed Copper Slate Floor Restored in Lancashire

This customer in the coastal village of Heysham had recently had these beautiful Copper Slate Tiles laid by a builder who had been working on the house. As part of the work he also sealed them with a solvent aerosol sealer. Floor tiles experience a lot of wear from foot traffic and as a result the sealer only lasted about two weeks before it had worn off and dirt had started to penetrate the pores of the stone. The photos below were taken two months after they were sealed.


Aerosol sealers are only good for wall Tiles where they experience minimum contact, we usually only recommend their use for shower cubicle or wet rooms and they need constant topping up every 6 months or so. In our experience floor surfaces receive a lot of abrasion from the traffic of shoes and so on which will diminish an aerosol applied sealer very quickly.

Cleaning Rough Copper Slate Tiles

It makes sense to clean tiled floors before applying a sealer otherwise you simply trap the dirt under the seal which will reduce its appearance. So before re-sealing the floor with something more effective it was treated to an abrasive clean using a 200-grit diamond encrusted floor burnishing pad fitted to a weighted buffer machine. The pad was run over the whole floor using water to lubricate and with the machine running at slow speed to reduce splashing.

Next step was to clean the recessed grout which pads can struggle to reach, this was done by applying a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean along the grout lines and then scrubbing it in with a stiff grout brush by hand. Once done the residue from the tile and grout cleaning was rinsed off the floor with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

Sealing Rough Copper Slate Tiles

The floor was left to dry off completely overnight and I returned the next day to re-seal, this time with a more suitable product. My sealer of choice for Slate is Tile Doctor Seal and Go which will not only protect the stone from dirt and staining but also adds a very pleasing sheen finish. The new sealer really brought out the black and copper colours in the stone and now looks amazing.


For long-term care I always recommend customers avoid the use of steam cleaners and acidic or strong alkaline cleaning products which can prematurely reduce the life of the sealer resulting in dirt becoming trapped in the pores of the stone again. Naturally Tile Doctor have designed a product for this which is called Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, supplied in concentrated form when diluted with water it becomes pH neutral and safe to use on sealed surfaces. I always leave my customers with a complimentary bottle after cleaning their floor, so they are reminded what to use.



Source: Slate Tile Cleaning and Renovation Service in Lancashire