Victorian Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Victorian tiles carried out in South Kent

Cleaning and Renovating Victorian Tiles

Commonly found in the hallways of oldder UK properties Victorian tiles are very hard wearing and can provide a classic look to any space. We often find that the beauty of these tiles are hidden under years of grime and neglect and are often covered up with carpets etc as tastes have changed over the years. If this sounds familiar then all is not lost as they can be restored.

The standard bearer for quality Victorian tiles was a firm called Minton Hollins, an English manufacturer who made a very good product which lasted the test of time. Victorian building practices however did not include the use of damp proof membranes and we often find damp can be a major issue with these old floors leading to salt problems known as efflorescence.

Common problems we face when restoring Victorian tiles are the removal of carpet glue, paint splashes and cement. Loose and cracked tiles can also be a problem however due to their popularity we usually find finding replacement tiles isn’t a problem.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products.

Victorian Tiled Balcony Floor Restored in Cranbrook Kent

Enclosed Victorian Tiled Balcony Foor Restored in Cranbrook

1 Comment / Tenterden Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning /

I was asked to provide a quotation for renovating a Victorian Tiled Floor at a flat in the town of Cranbrook. It was a large building that been subject to fire damage and the property developers needed help with one of the flats which had an enclosed balcony with a Victorian floor.

Victorian Tiled Balcony Floor Before Restoration Cranbrook

They contacted Tile Doctor and I went along to perform a survey. I could see the floor was in a poor condition from years of neglect. There were broken tiles, heavily ingrained dirt and paint splashes from the decorating.

Victorian Tiled Balcony Floor Before Restoration Cranbrook Victorian Tiled Balcony Floor Before Renovation Cranbrook

I provided a detailed quote following the assessment and was awarded the job.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor

The first job was to replace the damaged tiles which involved breaking the out from the centre and carefully removing the debris. Once done they were replaced with matching replacements that had been sourced earlier. This work took most of the day although I did manage to complete this before the daylight went (there wasn’t a light available on the balcony!).

The next day with the tile adhesive set I was able to move onto the first step of the cleaning process using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go that would remove the dirt and soften up the paint spots. I followed the usual process of allowing it to soak in for ten minutes before scrubbing it in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. After extracting the soiling with a wet vacuum I could see I had managed to tackle the paint but more work would be needed to remove the ingrained dirt.

To further clean the tiles, I repeated the process using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was perfect for this job. It’s a powerful alkaline cleaner that’s designed to remove dirt from tile and grout. This time however I worked the solution in with a 200-grit burnishing pad. These pads are encrusted with industrial diamonds and usually used for polishing stone floors however they also work well on Victorian tiles.

The resultant slurry was extracted with the wet vacuum and I moved onto the last step in the cleaning process which was to treat the tiles to an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This last process further cleans up the tiles by removing old grout smears and other mineral contaminates, it also neutralises the pH level of the floor following the application of alkaline cleaners used earlier.

My job was done for that day so I left, leaving the floor to dry overnight in readiness for sealing.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor

The next morning, I arrived and tested the tiles for water content using a moisture meter. We don’t advise applying a sealer to damp tiles as it can affect the way it cures and affect the overall finish.

Happy that they were dry, I started applying a base coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer, this is an impregnator that works by occupying the pores so dirt can reside there. This sealer leaves a matt finish but it also contains a colour intensifier that enhances the natural colours in the Victorian tiles.

Victorian Tiled Balcony Floor Before Renovation Cranbrook Victorian Tiled Balcony Floor Before Restoration Cranbrook

I left that to dry for an hour and then followed up with three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. This is a compatible acrylic sealer that leaves the floor with a low sheen finish that looks good on Victorian tiles.

I was pleased with the finished result and confident that the new occupants would be too.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Balcony Floor in South Kent

Enclosed Victorian Tiled Balcony Foor Restored in Cranbrook Read More »

Victorian Hallway Floor Tile Restoration Tonbridge

Victorian Tiled Hallway Repair and Restoration in Tonbridge

1 Comment / Tonbridge Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

Many of our Southeast towns such as Tonbridge grew significantly in the Victorian era, especially with the arrival of the railways and so we come across original Victorian tiled floors a lot particularly in hallways and vestibules. Victorian tiled floors are very durable but over the years daily wear leaves them in poor condition, the good news is thought they respond well to restoration.

Here we have an entrance hallway which over the years has been butted with many different types of flooring and in the process had suffered. Additionally, there was a poor cement repair between the wooden floor and the Victorian tiles which was cracked, and the client wanted it removing and the area restored with matching tiles.

Small Victorian Tiled Vestibule before repair Tonbridge Small Victorian Tiled Vestibule before repair Tonbridge

Sourcing replacement Victorian tiles is not a problem with our contacts in the industry so once a plan was agreed I set about looking for reclaimed tiles to match the existing. Once a I had managed to track down suitable matching replacements a date was set for the work to commence.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor

Before I could start cleaning the floor it made sense to do the repairs first. This in itself took two days of intricate work and involved carefully removing the cement and damaged tiles, cleaning up the subfloor. Once done I was able to cut the replacement tiles and then rebuilding the tiles into what was essentially a jigsaw puzzle. It was important to match the existing tile pattern to ensure the repair is invisible and to the highest standard.

Small Victorian Tiled Vestibule during repair Tonbridge Small Victorian Tiled Vestibule during repair Tonbridge

Once that was done and the tile adhesive was set, I was able to clean the whole floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go to remove the hundred years of worn in grime. I followed my usual process of allowing it to soak in for ten minutes before scrubbing it in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. It is a very effective product particularly on heavy dirt build-up and removing old sealers as in this example. It wasn’t long before the cleaning solution turned black with the dirt released from the tiles. I was then able to use the pressure cleaning and extraction equipment fitted into my vehicle to remove the soiling whilst keeping the mess to a minimum.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Vestibule Floor

Due to the age of the property, there was no damp-proof membrane installed beneath the floor. This limits the choice of sealer that you can use on the floor to one which is fully breathable. Choosing a non-breathable sealer will trap moisture in the floor which can lead spread out to the walls resulting in rising damp.

Having previously discussed sealers with the owner I returned to seal the tiles the next day with Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This is a fully breathable impregnating sealer which soaks into the pores of the tile protecting it from with and enhancing the colours in the process. It’s a durable product that will protect the floor ingrained dirt and staining for many years to come.

Small Victorian Tiled Vestibule after repair Tonbridge Small Victorian Tiled Vestibule after repair Tonbridge

Even though it was a small area once it was fully restored it had a big impact on the overall feel of the property in a Grand Designs way. Needless to say, the client was very pleased with the result.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Vestibule in South Kent

Victorian Tiled Hallway Repair and Restoration in Tonbridge Read More »

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East Surrey Tile Doctor

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