Work by Location Archives - North Kent Tile Doctor

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Leeds Village

Large Travertine Floor Cleaned and Polished in Leeds Village

I was contacted about a Georgian property in the Kent village of Leeds , to see if I could do anything to improve a Travertine tiled floor. The use of Travertine was extensive and had been installed throughout the ground floor including the kitchen, dining room, utility and bathroom WC. Travertine is probably my favourite stone, but it is acid sensitive and attracts dirt easily, due to its ‘holey’ composition.

Travertine Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Leeds Village

Initially we discussed the floor over the phone where I got to know about the issues they were experiencing, and I detailed the renovation process I normally use to restore it including the products and timelines. Naturally they wanted to me to provide a quote for the work however its tricky to do that accurately without seeing the floor, so I arranged a date to pop over.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Leeds Village

Travertine Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Leeds Village

Upon arriving I could see the tiles and the wide grout joints had extensive, ingrained dirt indicating the previous sealer had long since worn away. This is a common issue with stone floors, and to re-assure myself and the client it could be resolved I cleaned a small area in the utility room with pleasing results!

Travertine Tiled Utility Floor Test Clean Leeds Village

This test clean helped me to understand which products and methods would work best on the floor and later that day I emailed over a detailed quote for the renovation. Happy with the quote I received a reply the same day asking when I could start.

Deep Cleaning Travertine Tiled Flooring

My colleague and I arrived on the agreed date and work started with adding protection to all areas that required it. We use a lot of water during the cleaning process and some materials such as MDF can become damaged with water ingress, so it makes sense to do this.

To get the floor clean, a coarse Carbide Brush fitted to a rotary machine was run over the Travertine tiles to scrub in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This process generates a lot of slurry as the dirt was washed out of the stone and grout which is extracted with a wet vacuum as we progressed.

Next it was on hands and knees with more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and handheld brushes run over stubborn areas and along the grout lines to take them from 80% up to 100%.

Happy with the results, the next step was to renovate the stone using a series of diamond encrusted burnishing pads. Using only water for lubrication this process starts with the application of a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad attached to the floor buffer. This produces a lot of slurry which again was removed with a wet vacuum.

This left the Travertine clean, but the pores of the stone had been opened giving the floor a matt finish and more absorbent than it was originally. To further refine the appearance of the stone the next two burnishing pads were applied which are 800 and 1500-grit. These pads polish the stone and close the pores, restoring the natural sheen in the process. After each pad was applied the slurry was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with the wet vacuum. Once complete the floor was left to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Utility, Kitchen, and WC

I arrived the next day and took several moisture readings from the floor to check that it had dried off sufficiently overnight. The results were good, so work moved onto sealing the Travertine with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a natural look impregnating sealer. It works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it is easily cleaned away.

Travertine Tiled Floor During Sealing Leeds Village

The final step in the floor’s renovation was to apply the last of the diamond polishing pads which is a very fine 3000-grit. This pad further improves the polished appearance of the stone resulting in a satisfying sheen.

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Leeds Village

Travertine Tiled Utility Floor After Cleaning Sealing Leeds Village

The work made a massive difference to the floor, and I received an email the next day from one of the owners who was really pleased with the transformation:

”Floors look brilliant. Very pleased.”

Travertine Tiled Floor After Cleaning Sealing Leeds Village

For the care and maintenance of polished sealed floors I recommend the use of Tile Doctor’s Stone Soap which is a gentle but effective cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and contains a patina enhancer. When it comes to sealed floors my mantra is:

“If you look after the sealer, the sealer will look after the floor!”

Professional Renovation and Polishing of a Travertine Tiled Floor in Kent

Large Travertine Floor Cleaned and Polished in Leeds Village Read More »

Pitted Travertine Floor Renovation Maidstone

Multiple Travertine Tiled Floors Renovated in Maidstone

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Maidstone Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

I was recently asked to survey a large Travertine tile installation at a 300-year-old thatched cottage in Maidstone. The Travertine floor was installed throughout the downstairs including the kitchen, dining room and utility room.

Travertine Floor Before Cleaning Maidstone

The stone floor had not been sealed in years and the previous sealer had now worn off with use leading to accumulated ground-in dirt. They were also concerned about numerous cracks that had appeared in the tiles, presumably from the underfloor heating.

Travertine is a type of limestone that is acid sensitive and is naturally ‘holey’ or pitted. These pits are usually filled by the manufacturer but this can come loose and more holes can develop over time especially if you use an acidic bleach-based cleaning product.

Travertine Floor Before Cleaning Maidstone

I performed a survey and worked out a renovation plan and quote. Happy with the quote we agreed a date for the work to start.

Filling and Cleaning Travertine Floors in Maidstone

The first job was to clean the cracks and holes in the Travertine before they could be repaired with a filler. This was done with a rotary floor machine fitted with a carbide brush in conjunction with water and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is an effect alkaline tile and grout cleaner. The work was performed in stages and the resultant dirty water was removed with a wet vacuum as we worked.

The floor was then inspected and the grout lines, cracks and larger holes were individually scrubbed by hand with a stronger Pro-Clean solution. Interestingly the grout lines cleaned up well to reveal they were a Jasmine colour that wasn’t evident before.

A heat gun was then used to dry the cracks and holes before applying a specialist stone resin sold for exactly this purpose. Once dry it was then sanded down so the filler was flush with the surface of the Travertine.

Next, a set of diamond burnishing pads were applied to the stone floor with using water for lubrication. There are four pads in the set with grits from 400 to 3000, each diamond pad is fitted to the buffer in turn. The pads are slowly passed over each Travertine tiles, first lengthways and then widthways ensuring a good and consistent cut. The resultant slurry is then extracted as before with the wet vacuum. Each successive pad had a finer grit of diamond which closes the pores of the stone and starts to put the natural sheen back.

A final mop and then we left for the day to allow the tiles to dry out to be sealed the next day.

h2>Sealing Travertine Tiled Floors in Maidstone

Returning the next day the first task was to check the moisture readings of the floor using a damp meter. The readings were good and it confirmed the floor was dry and ready for sealing. This check is really important as applying a sealer to a damp floor would impact its ability to cure and result in it looking patchy.

Happy with the readings from the moisture meter the floor was sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor’s Ultra Seal a natural look, impregnator. The sealer soaks into the pores of the stone protecting it from within and without altering the natural appearance of the honed stone.

Travertine Floor After Renovation Maidstone

A final polish with a fine 3000-grit diamond pad left the floors with an attractive reflective sheen and a happy customer!

Travertine Floor After Renovation Maidstone

Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare cleaning which for a polished stone floor like this, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is a gentle cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and will maintain the patina.

Travertine Floor After Renovation Maidstone

Professional Renovation of Travertine Tiled Flooring in Kent

Multiple Travertine Tiled Floors Renovated in Maidstone Read More »

Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Maidstone

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Maidstone Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

A couple from Maidstone contacted Tile Doctor earlier this year regarding their Sandstone tiled floors which needed rejuvenating. After a brief exchange of emails, we arranged a date for a site visit so I could survey the floors and come up with a renovation plan.

They had two tiled floors that required attention, totalling around 30m2. There were two rooms that required attention, that larger of which was covered by a carpet and the other was a utility room. Tests in the Utility Room proved that the stone and grout would clean up well and demonstrated that the varied natural colours in the stone would result in a lovely finish.

Sandstone Floor Tiles Before Cleaning Maidstone

Based on the tests I put together a renovation plan and quote which was readily accepted, and a date agreed for the work to commence. My only proviso was that the carpet needed to be taken up prior to my arrival.

Sandstone Floor Tiles Before Cleaning Maidstone

Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Floor

Upon arrival for the start of the work, it was clear that the carpet had been protecting the floor and keeping the Sandstone in good condition. However, there were some stubborn adhesive marks where the carpet gripper had been stuck to the tile that would need dealing with. I had anticipated this and was able to soften the glue with an application of Tile Doctor Remove and Go so it could be removed with a stiff brush.

Given the uneven, riven nature of the stone and the wide grout lines, I opted to use a Silicon Carbide Brush to clean the floor. The pad is applied with a rotary floor buffer in conjunction with plenty of water and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline tile and grout cleaning agent.

The process pulled the dirt out of the Sandstone turning the water black and this was the removed using a wet vacuum as I went along. The floor was then inspected, and it was onto my hands and knees to clean the grout, stubborn marks and any areas that the buffer had been unable to get to.

Last step of the cleaning process was to give the floor and acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to further clean the floor and neutralise its pH level after the alkaline cleaner. Another rinse with water, extraction with the wet vacuum and the cleaning was complete.

Both floors were then left to allow them to dry out overnight so they would be ready for sealing the next day which is when the magic happens.

Sealing Sandstone Floor Tiles

The next day, I returned and although the floors looked dry, I tested several areas with my moisture meter to be sure. Its not a good idea to apply a sealer to a damp floor as it can affect the result.

Sandstone Floor Tiles During Sealing Maidstone

To seal this floor, I used Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is an oil-based impregnator sealer that contains a colour intensifier. It’s a hard-wearing sealer that’s perfect for enhancing the natural colours within the stone. Only one coat of sealer was needed which was applied by rubbing into the stone with a cloth, it dries very quickly however it can take up to twelve hours to fully cure.

Sandstone Floor Tiles After Cleaning Sealing Maidstone

Being an impregnator, X-Tra Seal soaks into stone occupying the pores and preventing dirt from residing there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where its easily cleaned away.

Sandstone Floor Tiles After Cleaning Sealing Maidstone

As I progressed, I was pleased to see that my expectations on the outcome were being met! One tile, when sealed, even showed evidence of a prehistoric, fossilised plant that wasn’t obvious before.

Sandstone Floor Tiles After Cleaning Sealing with Fossil

With the floor cleaned and sealed, all that remained was to advise the couple on aftercare cleaning for which I left them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral pH Tile Cleaner.

Sandstone Floor Tiles After Cleaning Sealing Maidstone

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Tiled Floor in Kent

Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Maidstone Read More »

Red Black Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration Edenbridge

100 Year Old Red and Black Victorian Tiled Floor Restored in Edenbridge

1 Comment / Edenbridge Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

I was recently asked to renovate a Red and Black Tiled floor at a Victorian era house near Edenbridge. The property had recently been purchased and the new owner was performing a complete makeover before he and his wife moved in.

Red Black Victorian Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Edenbridge

The tiled floor in question in the building site was to be the Kitchen floor. It was a heavily soiled however the good news was that the tiles themselves were in good physical condition. They were thick tiles at approximately 18mm deep and this undoubtedly contributed to them withstanding the rigours of time. I worked out a comprehensive price for the restoration, submitted the quote and was awarded the work.

Red Black Victorian Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Edenbridge

Deep Cleaning a Red and Black Victorian Tiled Floor

This was a two-day job and the first day was all about the clean. Upon arrival, and fearing drying issues, I organised for heaters and a dehumidifier to be supplied. Old floors like these don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane under the floor so can take much longer to dry out.

With plenty of water and a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a powerful alkaline cleaner, I worked them in with a Carbide brush attached to the big buffer. This gave a good initial clean and the brush was able to flex into the pits of the 100-year-old worn tiles. The resultant slurry was removed with a wet vacuum as I went. Then, it was a hands and knees job with the rotary with a smaller brush attachment to get right up to the edges and into the corners.

Red Black Victorian Tiled Floor During Cleaning Edenbridge

The floor has some remnants of cement remaining which I removed with a chisel as I went along. I then changed the brush attachment on the big buffer for a 400-grit burnishing pad and repeated the process, giving the floor a 2nd treatment, followed by hands and knees and a six-inch version of the same pad.

Another issue I had to deal with were old paint marks which were spot treated with Tile Doctor Remove and Go. The last thing to do was neutralise the alkalinity of the floor after using Pro-Clean with an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This was mopped onto the floor and then rinsed off.

Normally, with newer floors, I would return the next day to seal the tiles but given my concerns over the floor conditions and thickness of the tiles, I felt more time was needed. The tiles needed to fully dry with the aid of the heaters and dehumidifier.

Sealing a 100-Year-Old Victorian Tiled Floor

Two days later, I returned and took damp readings from several areas using a moisture meter. This showed the tiles were dry enough but my more immediate issue was the prolific efflorescence that had appeared. Efflorescence can occur when wet tiles dry and soluble salts come to the surface as a white foam and dry as a White salt.

Red Black Victorian Tiled Floor During Efflorescence Cleaning Edenbridge

I consider this to be a good thing, as if it is going to happen then you want it to happen on your terms. i.e. before the sealing process starts. A very hot bucket of water and a wrung-out mop with another dose of Grout Clean-Up shifted the efflorescence and left the floor to dry for a while to allow the tiles to dry again.

Later, more moisture tests proved the floor was ready to be sealed and I was able to make a start on sealing the tiles. For this type of tile and situation, my strong preference is Tile Doctor’s X-Tra Seal, an oil-based, impregnator sealer which is formulated with a colour intensifier. Additionally, this sealer is fully breathable so any moisture will rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface un-hindered. I applied one liberal coat, allowed it to soak in and buffed off the excess with a White pad and allowed the floor to dry once again.

I then returned to apply a very thin second layer and buffed that off, too. The colour intensifier ensured that the black became blacker and red tiles a deeper red resulting in a very satisfying finish!

Red Black Victorian Tiled Floor After Cleaning Edenbridge

With the job done, I left the premises having texted the owner photos of the finished floor. Later, I got the following response:

“Just went and had a look. Really pleased with it thanks.”

For aftercare cleaning of Victorian tiles I recommend the use of Neutral Tile Cleaner which is designed for the maintenance of sealed floor tiles.

Red Black Victorian Tiled Floor After Cleaning Edenbridge

Professional Cleaning of a Victorian Tiled Floor in North Kent

100 Year Old Red and Black Victorian Tiled Floor Restored in Edenbridge Read More »

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Maintained in Faversham

Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Faversham

1 Comment / Faversham Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

I was called to a rural area near Faversham where my clients owned a large old house with an expansive Terracotta floor that needed renovation. The house had been extended at some point and the whole lower floor was tiled with Terracotta which had previously been professionally deep cleaned and sealed some years prior by one of my Tile Doctor predecessors. As such, they were aware of the processes involved and had high expectations!

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Faversham

Although the sealer had stood the test of time, it had now worn thin on the most heavily used areas of the floor. Those areas were now allowing dirt to become trapped in the pores of the tile, so it was now due another deep clean and reseal. I performed a survey, discussed which sealer options they preferred, and submitted my quote. With the quote accepted, the dates were agreed, and the products were ordered to be delivered to their property well ahead of my arrival.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Hallway Floor

Previously, this had been a three-day job, but I enlisted the help of a colleague for day one to help get the work done in two. Work started with the use of a carbide brush attached to a rotary buffer machine to work a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean into the floor. This is our go to Tile and Grout Cleaner which is safe to use on all types of hard floor.

This not only took most of the old sealer off, but as the bristles flexed, they also cleaned most of the wide grout lines. The muck and the slurry were extracted with a wet vacuum. The next stage was for the pair of us to get on our hands and knees with wire brushes and more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to get the grout lines fully dirt-free. A black pad was then fitted to the buffer and the tiles were cleaned again, and the last vestiges of the sealer removed.

Next the floor was treated to an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which was mopped onto the floor. This further cleans up the tiles by removing any stubborn mineral deposits and grout smears, being acidic it also neutralises the pH level of the floor following the use of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline. This was then rinsed off with water and extracted with the wet vacuum as before.

Terracotta is a very porous stone and given a lot of water had been applied during the cleaning process I was aware it could take some time for the tiles to dry. As a result, I left the floor to settle down and dry out for the following couple of days before I revisited to apply the sealer.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

The couple had been very happy with the look of the last sealer and its durability. So, they opted to go for more of the same. The product used was Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is a water-based sealer that results in an attractive low sheen finish. Three coats were needed to fully seal the Terracotta.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Faversham

They were very happy with the results and that I had lived up to their expectations. The last thing to do was provide aftercare instruction on how to best look after the sealer with Tile Doctor’s Neutral pH Cleaner.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Faversham

Professional Cleaning of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen in North Kent

Terracotta Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Faversham Read More »

Terracotta Kitchen Floor Tile Renovation Herne Bay Farmhouse

Dirty Terracotta Farmhouse Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Herne Bay

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Herne Bay Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

I was called to a large working farmhouse near Herne Bay to look at renovating a heavily soiled Terracotta tiled kitchen floor. Kitchen floors are one of the busiest in any house but even more so in a farmhouse where muddy boots and paws were frequent visitors.

Terracotta Kitchen Floor Tiles Before Cleaning Herne Bay

Having inspected the floor I asked if it would be ok to do a cleaning test, so they could see the potential improvement and I could work out which products would have the best effect. I was confident I could have a major impact on the floor so I chose an unobtrusive tile under one of the counter tops to do the test, this way if the family decided not to progress with the work, then a glaringly clean tile wouldn’t be centre stage!

I cleaned the tile and demonstrated my results to the husband who would show it to his wife later that day. In the meantime, I put together a quote and emailed it through. Suitably impressed, they awarded the job to me but on the understanding that Christmas and New Year were to get in the way and that the work would need to happen in January.

Cleaning Dirty Terracotta Floor Tiles in Herne Bay

Dates were agreed upon and when they came about, I turned up at 9am sharp on the first day. Every floor is different, and I found that the best result for this particular floor was achieved by hand scrubbing the grout lines with a wire brush and a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a powerful alkaline cleaner. The tiles were then cleaned individually using a six-inch carbide brush fitted to a handheld buffer.

I managed to extract a lot of ingrained dirt from the pores of the Terracotta, so It was clearly some time since the tiles had been sealed. The cleaning solution soon turned into a dark slurry which was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor then needed washing with a mop and bucket and further cleaning with a 17-inch Black scrubbing pad fitted to a floor buffer to make sure the floor was as clean as it could be. After another rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum I was satisfied. The work was time consuming, but well worth the effort to see the tiles transformed.

Terracotta is made from clay and like a sponge very porous, the tiles were now dark with the water they had absorbed and needed to dry out before the final step of applying a sealer could happen.

I had already arranged to leave a full day in-between before returning to seal and left a damp meter with the owners so they could check the tiles themselves. A day of drying was sufficient however and I got a call the night before that the tiles were sufficiently dry.

Sealing Old Terracotta Floor Tiles in Herne Bay

When I arrived the following morning, the floor looked so much lighter and 100% cleaner. Having retrieved my damp meter, I checked the moisture levels in the floor and confirmed it was ready to be sealed.

Having discussed desired finish with the clients during my initial visit it was clear they wanted the tiles to have a subtle sheen. From this I chose to seal the Terracotta with Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra, this is a topical sealer which works very well on porous clay tiles and would produce the sheen finish they wanted.

Seal and Go Extra works by forming a breathable barrier over the tile, thereby keeping dirt on the surface where is can easily be removed through regular cleaning. Three coats were applied allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. The colour intensifier in the sealer, along with the sheen, totally transformed the tiles.

Terracotta Kitchen Floor Tiles After Cleaning Sealing Herne Bay

The customers’ expectations were comfortably exceeded, and they were so happy with the result they left the following glowing review:

‘Our floor looks incredible, better than we could have hoped for. It has changed our whole kitchen for the better. Graham was really nice and did a thorough and efficient job with beautiful results’

On the subject of regular cleaning, I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, this will ensure that the floor is cleaned without compromising the newly applied sealant. Household cleaners tend to contain strong chemicals such as bleach which will break down the sealer prematurely, so always check the label.

Terracotta Kitchen Floor Tiles After Cleaning Sealing Herne Bay

Professional Cleaning of a Terracotta Tiled Farmhouse Kitchen Floor in Kent

Dirty Terracotta Farmhouse Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Herne Bay Read More »

Efflorescent Stained Terracotta Floor Renovation Edenbridge

Efflorescent Salt Stained Terracotta Floor Renovated in Edenbridge

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Margate Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

This customer from Edenbridge asked me to renovate their Terracotta Kitchen floor which has been ruined by a water leak from the dishwasher. The water had caused enormous amounts of damage throughout the lower floor and had resulted in the appearance of white efflorescence as it dried out. Unfortunately, the floor had previously been sealed with some sort of lacquer which the efflorescent salts couldn’t get past resulting in a build-up under the lacquer on many of the tiles.

Terracotta Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Edenbridge

To resolve, the lacquer needed to be stripped off, the floor cleaned and dried and then re-sealed with a breathable sealer that could cope with the efflorescence should it re-appear. I created a quote for the work which would take two days and emailed it over to the customer. They were relieved to have found someone who understood the problem and had a solution so accepted the quote and a date was agreed for the work to start.

Cleaning Dirty Terracotta Floor Tiles in Edenbridge

The first job was to remove the lacquer which I did with liberal amounts of Tile Doctor’s Remove and Go which is an alkaline coatings remover. A 50/50 dilution of product to water was applied and left to dwell for ten minutes. This was then agitated with a rotary floor buffer fitted with a silicon carbide brush and more water. The resultant slurry was then extracted with a wet vacuum.

Next was the hands and knees job of cleaning the wide grout lines that are typical feature of a Terracotta floor. I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean for this, again its left to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in. This did the job of getting the grout clean and as I progressed the dirt was rinsed off and extracted again with the wet vacuum.

With the floor clean my attention turned to dealing with the efflorescence which was still present in the floor and would certainly re-appear as the floor dried. The solution is to counter the alkaline salts by giving the tiles an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel. The gel is applied to the floor and worked in with a black pad fitted to the rotary floor buffer. The gel is then rinsed off an extracted as before. As well as dealing with the efflorescence this product also neutralises the pH of the floor after the use of the alkaline cleaning products used earlier.

The floor was then mopped twice with just water and then dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum. The next step would be sealing so that’s all I could do on the first day so once done I left it to dry off.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Floor in Edenbridge

Terracotta is very porous, so instead of returning the next day to seal, as with many other stone types, I allowed an extra day. Applying sealer to a damp floor is not a good idea as the result can be patchy and inconsistent; with this in mind my first task of the day was to ensure the floor had dried sufficiently by taking several moisture readings with a damp meter.

The owner had already left for work that day but had given me a spare key, so I was able to let myself into the property. We had discussed sealing beforehand, and they had mentioned that they liked the appearance of the floor before the water leak and wanted a sealer that would give the same natural finish.

With this in mind, I sealed the Terracotta with Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is a modern impregnating sealer that is almost invisible and doesn’t change the appearance of the tile. Ultra-Seal is also breathable so any moisture and efflorescence still in the subfloor would be able to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface without causing a problem.

Two liberal coats of sealer were applied to the Terracotta and Grout over a period of a few hours. I then hung around to ensure that I was satisfied with the dried finish and let myself out. The fresh sealer will protect the floor from dirt becoming ingrained in the tile keeping in on the surface where it can be easily mopped away.

Terracotta Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Edenbridge

For the regular cleaning of Terracotta tiled floors, I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is an effective tile cleaner that is gentle enough not to compromise the newly applied sealant. Many household cleaning products are simply to strong for cleaning sealed floors and contain strong chemicals such as bleach that can break down a sealer.

Terracotta Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Edenbridge

Professional Renovation of an Efflorescent Salt Stained Terracotta Kitchen Floor in Kent

Efflorescent Salt Stained Terracotta Floor Renovated in Edenbridge Read More »

Flagstone Basement Pub Floor After Renovation Chatham

Renovating a Flagstone Floor at an 18th Century Public House in Chatham

1 Comment / Chatham Tile Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

I received a request to quote for renovating a large flagstone floor in the basement of Command House pub in Chatham. The company that engaged us had been performing a major refit of the Grade II listed building and the basement was next in line for renovation.

The building dates to the 18th century and being part of the famous Chatham Dockyard had a long military history and was no doubt visited by Lord Nelson. At some point in the 20th century, it was converted into a public house. The 70sqm basement was to be a feature of the pub but the flagstone floor had been neglected for seemingly most of its life and we were tasked with getting the best out of it that it could offer.

Flagstone Basement Pub Floor Before Cleaning Chatham

Having inspected the floor I conducted a few cleaning tests and provided a quotation for its renovation which would include a deep cleaning of the flagstones and mortar and sealing with a hard-wearing sealer. Happy with my quote I was asked to go ahead with the work and a date set to start the renovation.

Cleaning a Neglected Flagstone Basement Floor in Chatham

Work started with the application of a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is our go to alkaline Tile and Grout cleaner. This was left to soak in for ten minutes before being worked in using a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads fitted to a weighed floor buffer.

Flagstone Basement Pub Floor During Cleaning Chatham

You start with a coarse 400-grit pad lubricating with water as the pad is passed over each part of the stone floor three to four times, the soiling is then rinsed off the floor and extracted with a wet vacuum and you move onto the next pad in the sequence i.e., 800, then 1500 grit. Due to the rough nature of the flagstone and the sheer size of the basement meant that 4 sets of pads were needed to loosen and remove the years of dirt.

Last step of the cleaning phase was to give the stone an acid wash using a weak dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This was done to neutralise the pH level of the floor after the use of the alkaline cleaner, it will also counter any efflorescent salts lurking in the stone which can be a problem with old floors like this that were laid without a damp proof membrane.

It took two of us working together a full day to complete the cleaning but by the end of the day the whole floor was cleaned and prepped for the next step which would involve applying a sealer to the stone. Happy with our progress, we left for the day for the floor to settle and dry for the sealing process.

Sealing a Flagstone Basement Floor in Chatham

Upon our return, we performed multiple point moisture tests around the basement. A lot of water had been used in the cleaning process and we were conscious that we were below ground and very near the Medway River.

Happy that all was in order, work proceeded to seal the floor with Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a hard-wearing oil-based sealer that puts the life back in the stone. This sealer is known as an impregnator which works by soaking into the pores of the stone occupying the space and preventing dirt from residing there in future. This product it is also a breathable sealer that can be used externally and so more than capable of dealing with any damp issues which may occur later.

It was a very satisfying job as the colours that came through from the once very grey and lifeless floor really gave the room a new perspective. It will be interesting to see what they do next with it.

Professional Renovation of an Old Flagstone Basement Floor in Kent

Renovating a Flagstone Floor at an 18th Century Public House in Chatham Read More »

Damaged Victorian Tiled Path Restored in Chatham Kent

1 Comment / Chatham Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

Tile Doctor was contacted by a couple in Chatham, Kent wishing to explore the options for repairing the badly damaged and worn Victorian pathway that led up to their property. I arranged a time to take a look at the path, conduct a survey of its condition and produce a quotation for restoring it; this is something we are happy to do free of charge.

I could see immediately that many of the tiles in the path were damaged so I started by closely inspecting each tile and cataloguing the missing and badly damaged tiles that I would need to find replacements for. Whilst there I discussed in detail the process, timescales and results they could expect from a 100-year-old pathway. As is so often the case with very old floors and paths, perfection is not sought after – time and again it is all about preserving the character.

Victorian Pathway Before Cleaning Chatham

Once all questions had been answered, I went away and put together a quote. I calculated that the work would take a week to complete, given that there were 194 tiles to replace. Happy with the submitted quote, we booked the dates, prayed for dry weather and the replacement tiles were ordered.

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Pathway

The first two days were spent removing the broken tiles and preparing the path for the replacement tiles. This is tricky work as removing a tile can upset the tiles adjacent thereby making the job bigger and best avoided. Work progressed steadily until the middle of the week when work was interrupted with rain showers but I managed to progress nevertheless. The tiles were replaced and left to set overnight and the next day the deep clean started.

Victorian Pathway During Restoration Chatham

To remove what looked like a 100-years of dirt I applied a coarse Flexi-Segment Diamond pad fitted to a weighted floor buffer and lubricated with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a powerful alkaline tile cleaner. This shifted the worst of the ingrained dirt turning the cleaning solution into a dark slurry as I went. The slurry was then rinsed off with water and extracted from the path using a wet vacuum.

This process was then repeated using a medium 800-Grit burnishing pad with just water, to perform a second and final clean. Again, the wet vacuum was used at this point to get the path as dry as possible and then left overnight to fully dry out.

Victorian Pathway After Cleaning Chatham

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Pathway

The following morning, happy that the tiles were dry enough, I started applying a sealer to protect them staining going forward. The sealer chosen for Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is an oil-based impregnator that’s rated for external use and contains a UV protector to provide greater resilience to the weather.

The pathway then needed 12 hours to be left alone for the sealer to fully dry and cure before allowing any foot traffic. Once the sealer had cured the inbuilt colour enhancer had worked well on the Victorian tiles giving them more depth and vibrancy. I was really pleased with the finish, as were both the customers.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Path in Kent

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Blue Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles Renovated in Sandwich Kent

Blue Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Sandwich

1 Comment / Broadstairs Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning / Graham Davis

This client from Sandwich had a Blue Travertine floor in their kitchen which is not as common as its ‘Yellow’ cousin but certainly more interesting to look it. It does however have the same maintenance requirements and unless the sealer is maintained will trap dirt. This happens very gradually over many years until one day you look down at the floor and think, ‘How did that happen?!’

Blue Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles Before Cleaning Sandwich

I visited the property to conduct a free survey of the floor and assured the client that the appearance of their unique Blue Travertine floor could be restored with a deep clean, polish and fresh sealer. I explained the renovation plan and the costs involved which they were happy to accept and a date agreed for the work to start.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen and Utility Floor

On day 1 work started with cleaning the grout lines using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong industrial strength alkaline cleaner. Its applied to the grout lines, left to soak in for a while and then scrubbed in using a stiff brush by hand. This process lifts the dirt from the grout line into the solution and then extracted from the surface using a wet vacuum.

Next, a 400-grit diamond burnishing pad was applied to the stone floor with using water for lubrication. This is the first step in the honing and polishing process that will remove the ingrained dirt and restore the polished appearance of the Travertine. This was followed by the 800 and then 1500 grit burnishing pads, slowly cleaning and re-building the polish. In between each pad the soiling was extracted with the wet vacuum.

Blue Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles During Cleaning Sandwich

Once done, it was as far as we could do for the day and we left, allowing the tiles to dry overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen and Utility Floor

Returning the next morning work began by checking the moisture readings of the floor using a damp meter. The readings were good and it confirmed the floor was dry and ready for sealing. This check is really important as applying a sealer to a damp floor would impact its ability to cure and result in it looking patchy.

Before applying the sealer, I ran a very fine 3000-grit burnishing pad over the floor to further bring up its polished appearance. This is applied with a small amount of water sprayed onto the tile using a process know as a Spray Burnish. This really finishes off the honing process and by now the floor had a good sheen to it.

The sealer of choice was Tile Doctor’s Ultra Seal a natural look, impregnator that soaks into the pores of the tile protecting it from with and without altering the natural appearance of the honed stone. Two coats were applied and a final buff with a White pad left the kitchen floor looking like you could eat your dinner off it!

Blue Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles After Renovation Sandwich

My client was very happy with their difference I had made to the Blue Travertine tiles which really looked like they had just been installed.

Lovely guy that came out, arrive in time and kept me informed of progress of the job.do not hesitate to use Tile Doctor.

Professional Restoration of a Blue Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Kent

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