northamptonshire Archives - Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Wollaston

Dirty Quarry Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Wollaston

This client from the village of Wollaston contacted Tile Doctor about cleaning and sealing their Quarry tiled floor. They were refurbishing the house and wanted to keep the original floor tiles as part of the renovation.

The tiles were installed throughout the ground floor, including the kitchen, lounge and hallway. However, as I was to discover myself, they were covered in years of grime, and they were not sure if they could be restored.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Wollaston

I went over to survey the floor and could see that any sealer that may have protected the tiles from ingrained dirt had long since worn off and as a result dirt had become ingrained into the pores of the quarry tiles. Once this happens its very difficult to keep clean.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Wollaston

I had to agree the floor was overdue a deep clean and re-seal and so took some measurements in order to work out a quote for doing the work. The quote was accepted, and a date set for starting the work which would take two days, one to clean and one to seal.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Ground Floor

To deep clean the quarry tiles, a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go was applied to the floor and left to dwell for a short while. The solution was then scrubbed into the tile using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine.

The solution soon turned black with the dirt that was pulled out of the tiles and was rinsed away with water and extracted using a wet vacuum. I inspected the tiles afterwards and could see some paint splashes from years of decorating were still evident, so I re-applied the product and repeated the process to get rid of them.

The grout was then cleaned by hand using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and a scrubbing brush, again extracting the waste once complete. I find this is the most effective way to clean grout as the pads struggle to reach into the recess of the grout line.

To complete the cleaning process, I then gave the floor an acid rinse with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up, this was applied to remove old grout smears and further clean up the tiles. All soiling was rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum. The floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Ground Floor

Returning the following day, the first job was to test the floor with the damp meter to check it was dry. The tiles needed to be dry enough to accept the seal and applying sealer to damp tiles can result in a patchy appearance. This is always worthy checking when cleaning Quarry tiles as that are naturally quite porous so can take some time to dry.

Once satisfied the readings were within the correct range, I was ready to seal. I selected to use Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra for this, it’s a breathable sealer which is useful for older floors such as this where there is no evidence of a damp proof membrane being installed. Breathable sealers allow for moisture to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface, without this moisture can build-up under the floor causing it to reach out to the walls where it could cause rising damp.

I applied two coats of Seal and Go Extra waiting for the first to dry before applying the next. The sealer lifts the deep red colours in the Quarry tiles and adds a nice appealing shine. The sealer works by ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can easily be cleaned away.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Wollaston

My client was very happy with their now clean quarry tiled floor and left the following feedback for me:

“I was looking forward to the results before it was even booked in, and I was not disappointed. A professional approach and very helpful throughout.”

Before leaving I took time to explain how to maintain the floor using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. Its important to use a product like this on a sealed floor as many tile cleaning products are simply too strong and will strip the sealer off the floor with regular use.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Wollaston

Professional Cleaning of a Quarry Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

Dirty Quarry Tiled Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Wollaston Read More »

Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Geddington

Pitted Limestone Floor Deep Cleaned, Polished, Filled and Sealed in Geddington

1 Comment / Corby Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Kettering Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing / Philip Vissian / Burnishing Pads, corby, Deep Cleaning Limestone, Filling Limestone, Geddington, grout cleaning, kettering, Limestone Floor Cleaning, Limestone Pitting, northamptonshire, Polishing Limestone, Pro-Clean, Sealing Limestone, Stone Soap, Ultra-Seal

This client from Geddington called me in to renovate their Limestone tiled floor which had been installed throughout much of the ground floor. Limestone like any natural stone is porous and will suffer from ingrained dirt if the sealer isn’t maintained, so it’s not unusual to need work like this doing every three to five years.

Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Geddington

I visited the property to survey the tiles and could see the stone had quite a lot of surface pitting which was trapping dirt and making it very difficult to keep clean. Pitting is quite common in this type of stone, and they are usually filled at the factory, however the filler can become dislodged with wear and the problem can be made worse by the use of acidic cleaning products.

Limestone Tile Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Geddington

Limestone Tiled Steps Before Cleaning Geddington

After surveying the floor, I came up with a comprehensive renovation plan that included deep cleaning the stone, filling the pits, polishing, and then sealing. I also made a note to discuss aftercare cleaning at the end so the floor wouldn’t get so bad in future.

Happy with my plan and quote a date was agreed for the work to commence.

Cleaning a Pitted Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

It was a large floor so to minimise disruption to the owner I split the job up into several areas and worked through the following process.

Work started with a general clean of the floor using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean with a focus on cleaning the grout. I used a strong dilution of Pro-Clean, left it to soak into the stone and grout for around ten minutes and then scrubbed it into the floor using a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. I also ran a stiff grout brush along the grout lines to get them as clean as possible. Once done the floor was rinsed and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to hone the Limestone using a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads. These pads are great for bringing up the polish on a stone floor like this and you start with a coarse 400-grit pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer. Water is used to lubricate the process and the pads are run over each tile three or four times. The floor is then rinsed and extracted as before, and the process repeated with the 800 and then 1500 grit pads.

Once done the floor was looking much cleaner and brighter and ready for the next step which was to fill the pits. To do this I inspected the floor, identifying all the areas that needed attention and then filled those holes with a resin filler that is colour matched to the stone.

Sealing a Pitted Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The last step was to seal the limestone and for this I used Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the stone, occupying the pores of the stone and thereby preventing dirt from residing there. Sealing keeps the dirt on the surface where it can easily be cleaned away. Ultra-Seal doesn’t contain any colour enhancers, so it leaves the stone with a very natural appearance which is what my client wanted.

Limestone Tile Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Geddington

Limestone Tiled Steps After Cleaning Geddington

The floor was transformed by the work and my client was very happy with the result, they even went to the trouble to leave the following review:

“We are absolutely delighted with the work undertaken by Philip, the Northamptonshire Tile Doctor. He has completely transformed very dirty limestone floors into something of great beauty – better than new. Philip was a pleasure to deal with throughout and we can highly recommend him.”

Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Geddington

With regards to aftercare cleaning, I recommended they use Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is designed for cleaning polished stone floors and helps maintain the patina.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

Pitted Limestone Floor Deep Cleaned, Polished, Filled and Sealed in Geddington Read More »

Indian Sandstone Patio Renovation Rushden

Renovating an Indian Sandstone Patio in Rushden

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Rushden Tile Cleaning / Philip Vissian / Colour Grow, Indian Sandstone Patio, northamptonshire, Patio and Driveway Cleaner, patio cleaning, Patio Renovation, Patio Sealing, Rushden, Stone Cleaning

The following photos show an Indian Sandstone patio of about 100 m2 in size at a property in Rushden. It had been some years since it had been cleaned and as you might expect the patio was now covered in green algae and staining. Also, much of the grout had become cracked or loose from the effects of frost and had broken down and needed replacing.

Indian Sandstone Patio Rushden Before Cleaning

The beginning of the year is a perfect time to get a patio ready, the autumn leaves have fallen so there’s less debris causing stains, and of course you will be ready for the spring sunshine.

Indian Sandstone Patio Rushden Before Cleaning

Cleaning an Indian Sandstone Patio

I started the renovation by digging out all the loose grout between the pavers. There isn’t really a quick way of doing this, so it’s just a question of getting down on my hands and knees and scraping it out.

I cleared up the debris and decanted a few litres of Tile Doctor Patio and Brick Driveway cleaner into a pump-up sprayer. This product is a powerful outdoor cleaning solution formulated to power through blackspots, lichen, moss, and stains. It’s a very strong product, so if you’re doing this yourself do wear protection. It was then sprayed onto all areas of the patio and left to soak in.

This is used as a pre-treatment to pressure washing and is best left to dwell on the surface for fifteen to thirty minutes depending on the severity of the soiling. The longer you leave it the more time it has to work on breaking down embedded soiling, green algae and lichen etc. A five-litre bottle can cover up to 25m2 so for a patio of this size you need around four bottles.

My next course of action was to set up the pressure washer so I could clean and rinse down the patio. I use a van mounted Briggs & Stratton petrol pressure washer for this which can generate pressures of up to 300 bar. This is much more powerful than general domestic electric machines and the high pressure of the machine also removes any loose grout I missed earlier.

The client had asked me to replace the missing grout, which was approximately half of the area. I was prepared for this and had sourced a wet mix grout of a similar colour to the original. This was mixed with water and brushed into the grout lines, then re brushed to leave a level finish.

Sealing a Sandstone Patio Tiled Floor

Allowing for the patio and grout to dry overnight, I returned the following day to brush over excess grout that had dried on the tiles before applying Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to help protect the patio from further staining and make it easier to clean going forward.

This product works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores, and thereby preventing dirt from residing there, this keeps it on the surface where it can easily be rinsed away. Colour Grow also contains a colour enhancer that brings out the colour in the stone, something it does rather well on Sandstone which has a lot of natural character.

Indian Sandstone Patio Rushden After Cleaning

My client was very pleased with the transformation and left the following comment on our website:

“Very professional our patio was awful now it looks the same as when installed 10 years ago.”

Before leaving, I discussed our Tile Doctor Maintenance Plan which would mean we would return every year to maintain the patio. This would be a good investment each spring to keep the area looking good and ensure they could enjoy the outdoor entertainment area for longer.

Indian Sandstone Patio Rushden After Cleaning

Professional Restoration of an Indian Sandstone Patio in Northamptonshire

Renovating an Indian Sandstone Patio in Rushden Read More »

Grout Haze Removed From Porcelain Floor Tiles Northampton

Removing Polymer Grout Haze following Porcelain Floor Installation in Northampton

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Northampton Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning / Philip Vissian / Acid Wash, Black Pad, Grout Clean-up, Grout Haze Removal, Grout Sealing, Kitchen Tiles, Neutral Tile Cleaner, northampton, northamptonshire, polymer grout, Porcelain, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Remove and Go, Ultra-Seal

This client from Northampton called contact me about their newly installed Porcelain tiles which appeared to be much darker than they remembered from in the shop. They were disappointed with their appearance and so I agreed a time to pop round, diagnose the issues and come up with a solution.

Grout Haze Before Removal From Porcelain Floor Tiles Northampton

Once at the property I quickly established after testing a couple of tiles that there was grout haze over the entire area from installation. This happens when the grout starts to dry on the tile before it is cleaned and fully rinsed off. This problem was compounded by the customer vigorously mopping the floor with several different products trying to resolve this issue themselves and the product building up and attracting more soil to the areas, therefore darkening it further.

The test clean I conducted removed the grout haze to reveal the tile they had been originally expecting. Impressed with the results from the test they asked me to repeat the process on the whole floor which included the kitchen and adjoining dining area. I worked out a quote which was agreed and a date scheduled for my return.

Removing Grout Haze from a Porcelain Tiled Floor

Fortunately, the owner knew which grouting product was used when laying the floor, this was very useful as polymer-based grouts need a different approach to traditional grouts. As it turns out it was a polymer-based grout which makes sense as they are known to set faster and cause this problem as a result.

The process I used was to apply Tile Doctor Remove and Go to a workable section of the floor which was approximately 8m2. The solution was allowed to dwell for ten minutes or so prior to agitating with a rotary brush machine. This area was then rinsed off with water and a wet and dry pick-up machine. This process is used to break down the polymers in the grout but does not fully remove the haze from the tiles, that is covered in the next section.

Part two of treating the grout haze involves the application of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to the tile and allowing it to dwell for a further ten minutes, a black buffing pad is then used with the rotary machine to scrub the product into the Porcelain tile. As before the soiled solution is removed with another rinse and extracted with the wet and dry pick-up machine.

Once that was done, I inspected the floor to ensure all the grout haze has been removed and repeated the 2nd stage process where required.

Sealing a Porcelain Tiled Floor

I allowed the floors to dry off overnight and returned the following day to apply Tile Doctor Ultra Seal Sealant over all the areas, this is especially good for protecting the grout lines from staining.

Grout Haze After Removal From Porcelain Floor Tiles Northampton

Given the dark colour of the Porcelain tiles it’s difficult to appreciate the improvement from the photographs, my customer was extremely happy with the result though and left the following glowing review:

“Fabulous service from Phil and great results really really pleased. Lovely man and very hard working. Thank you”

Before leaving I made sure to discuss aftercare cleaning, which for this floor I recommend using Tile Doctor pH Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle but effective cleaning product designed for use on sealed tile and stone.

Porcelain Tile Cleaning in Northamptonshire

Removing Polymer Grout Haze following Porcelain Floor Installation in Northampton Read More »

Flagstone Floor Before After Restoration Olney

Flagstone Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed for Olney Landlord

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Northampton Tile Cleaning / Philip Vissian / Flagstone Floor Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, grout cleaning, northamptonshire, Olney, Rental Property, Sandstone Flagstones, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Sealing Flagstones, Sealing Sandstone, Stone Cleaning

I was contacted by the owner of the property near Olney, on the border of Northamptonshire, who was renting the house out whilst he worked abroad. The flagstone floors on the ground floor were grubby and the tenants were struggling to keep them clean. I guess being a rental property the tenants didn’t want to be blamed for the condition of the floors when they eventually left.

I was asked to pop round to the property, meet the tenants, inspect the floors, and come up with a plan to resolve the issues. It was clear to me that the flags had not been sealed when laid and as a result dirt had become trapped in the pores of the stone making it difficult to shift. With the owner abroad all correspondence was done over the internet and so I sent over an email to explain the problem and included a quote to resolve the issues. Happy to have the problem resolved and with quote I got the go-ahead.

Deep Cleaning Sandstone Kitchen Flagstones

The work was carried out over two days with day one for cleaning and the second for sealing. Cleaning started by spraying the flagstones using a 3:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using a pump-up sprayer. This was left to soak in for ten minutes and then agitated using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. This process generates a lot of soiling as the dirt is released from the pores of the stone which is rinsed off the floor and extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next process was to give the grout a good scrub using 10:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This was applied to the grout lines throughout and scrubbed in by hand using stiff grout brushes to remove any stubborn stains. The entire area was then rinsed using water and extracted with the wet vacuum as before. The vacuum was used to remove as much moisture from the floor as possible and then they were left to dry off overnight. I also make use of an industrial air mover to speed up drying times as I work.

Sealing Sandstone Flagstones

I returned the following day to seal the flagstones but before starting I checked the moisture levels in the flagstones with a damp meter. The readings were fine so I proceeded to apply the first of three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer, allowing each coat to fully dry before applying the next.

As well as providing protection from dirt and stains this product enhances the natural colour in stone and being an impregnator that soaks into the pores will work well in a demanding kitchen environment. Additionally, Colour Grow is fully breathable which is an important feature when sealing tiles in an older period property like this one which will have been built without the benefit of a damp proof membrane.

I sent before and after photographs to the landlord as he was abroad, he was very pleased with the job and told me the tenants had contacted him to tell him how happy they were with the process and the finished result and even left the following feedback on my web site.

I’ve had a large number of tradespeople work on my house in the last few years and Phil is up there with the best of them. Many trades don’t do comms well, but Phil does: he’s easy to reach, easy to communicate with and quickly understood what needed doing – and just did it, exactly how we wanted and to a very high standard. Highly recommended.

Grout Haze removed from a Sandstone tiled floor in Northamptonshire

Flagstone Kitchen Floor Deep Cleaned and Sealed for Olney Landlord Read More »

Ceramic Tiled Floor Before After Tile Grout Cleaning Burton Latimer

Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in a Burton Latimer Kitchen

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Kettering Tile Cleaning / Philip Vissian / Black Scrubbing Pad, Burton Latimer, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Clean-up, grout cleaning, kettering, Kitchen Installation, Kitchen Tile Cleaning, northamptonshire, Pro-Clean, Ultra-Seal

This customer from Burton Latimer near Kettering was having a new kitchen fitted which would have a different layout to the original. The Ceramic tiled floor was wall to wall and they wanted to see if the tiles could be renovated rather than having to replace them.

Ceramic Tile and Grout During Cleaning in Burton Latimer Kitchen Floor

I attended the customers property to inspect the floor and carry out a test clean on one of the dirtiest ceramic tiles and adjacent grout. The tiles were in a fairly grubby condition and the grout was black with dirt which happens a lot with Ceramic tiled floors. This is due to the ceramic tile being impervious and so the dirt from the tile becomes washed into the grout lines during cleaning.

I carried out the test clean which went well and my customer was impressed; keen to proceed and happy with my quotation the work was booked in. The renovation was scheduled for the day after the old kitchen was removed and before the new kitchen was installed the following week.

Deep Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout

To deep clean the tile and grout a strong 1:3 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and warm water was applied to the floor with a pump-up sprayer. The solution was allowed to dwell for several minutes before being worked into the grout using a stiff brush. This was followed up by agitating the solution into the rest of the floor with a rotary floor scrubbing machine fitted with a stiff brush attachment.

Working in sections and removing slurry with a wet pick-up machine. The next process was to apply Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to all grout lines for a second clean to remove as much stubborn staining as possible. Again, this was worked into the grout with stiff grout brushes. Following this I went over the floor again with a black scrubbing pad attached to the rotary machine. The machines solution tank was filled with water to help lubricate the process and neutralise the floor.

Finally, all the excess water was removed with a wet pick-up machine and the floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Floor

I returned the following day to seal the grout, Ceramic tiles won’t take a sealer and as mentioned earlier its best to seal the grout so the dirt remains on the surface and doesn’t get trapped in the rough grout.

After confirmed the floor was dry, I carefully applied Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal to the grout lines using a pipette and then wiping off any excess afterwards.

Ceramic Tile and Grout After Cleaning in Burton Latimer Kitchen Floor

Once done the floor looked new and my client was happy with result, it was a good decision and even more so when you consider the money saved in comparison to replacing the floor.

Deep Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout in Northamptonshire

Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned in a Burton Latimer Kitchen Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration Irthlingborough

Victorian Tiled Hallway Repaired and Restored in Irthlingborough

1 Comment / Rushden Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning / Philip Vissian / Black Scrubbing Pad, Colour Grow, Floor Tile Renovation, Grout Clean-up, Hallway Floor Restoration, Irthlingborough, northamptonshire, Period Building, Remove and Go, Rushden, Victorian House, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Repair, Wellingborough

The following photos show a period Victorian floor in Irthlingborough which is close to Rushden and Wellingborough. Our client had discovered the floor after lifting a carpet that had been down for over a decade, the tiles had been stained with bitumen, which I assume was used as an adhesive, and she was keen to find out if it could be restored to its original condition.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Restoration Irthlingborough

I attended the property to survey the floor and could see as well as the bitumen there were loose tiles in a couple of areas by the doorway that would also need looking at. Fortunately, I was able to reassure her that I could remove the bitumen residue and resolve the loose tiles and provided a quotation via e mail a few days later. Pleased the issues could be resolved the quote was accepted and we agreed a date for the work to be carried out.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

After unloading my equipment, I taped up the skirting boards and doors to protect them. Next, I began by applying a coatings remover called Tile Doctor Remove and Go along the edges of the floor and allowed it to dwell for five to ten minutes to break down the bitumen, this was then agitated by using brushes, before rinsing with a wet vacuum pick up machine.

Once all the edges were cleaned, I started scrubbing the floor working in sections of two to three square meters using a 17” black scrubbing pad attached to a rotary floor machine. I worked back towards the front door working the Remove & Go into the tiles. This system released most of the dirt, staining and bitumen out of the Victorian tiles to the surface where it could be removed with a wet vacuum.

I then attached a coarse 200-grit burnishing pad to the rotary scrubbing machine and began working over the entire area adding a little water at each stage. This process removed the remaining bitumen and staining and gave the tiles a new lease of life. Again, the soiling was removed with the wet vacuum.

Repairing Victorian Hallway Tiles

Once the area was clean, I was able to commence work on the repairs. As you can see from the photos there were 2 areas of approximately 18″ x 10″ where the subfloor had moved, and all of the tiles needed to be lifted so it could be repaired.

Victorian Tiled Floor During Restoration Irthlingborough

The sub floor was then broken up, removed, and replaced with a new cement screed level with the original base.

Once the screed had set, I was then able to relay the original tiles with the original pattern and regrout these sections to secure them in position.

Once the grout had gone off, I was able to finally give these areas a clean using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to remove any residue and grout smears before the area was sealed.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The hallway was then left to dry out for a couple of days, old floors like this one don’t have the benefit of a plastic membrane to protect them damp so it can take a while. Tiles need to be dry before sealing, otherwise the results can be inconsistent so it’s worth the wait.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Restoration Irthlingborough

When I returned the first task was to take a few moisture readings with a damp meter and check the repaired sections had set solidly. All was well so I started with the first coat of sealer which for this floor was Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealant which leaves a natural finish. This is a breathable sealant which is an important consideration for a floor without a damp proof membrane, being breathable it will allow moisture to pass from the sub floor and evaporate at the surface. A non-breathable sealer would effectively seal in the moisture which over time will build under the floor until it eventually reaches the walls causing rising damp.

The client was happy with the results and left the following positive feedback which is always appreciated.

“Philip did a very good job on our Victorian tiled hallway.”

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Northamptonshire

Victorian Tiled Hallway Repaired and Restored in Irthlingborough Read More »

Travertine Tiled Hallway and Kitchen Floor Renovated Welton Daventry

Dirty Tumbled Travertine Floor Renovated in Welton near Daventry

1 Comment / Daventry Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Philip Vissian / Burnishing Pads, Daventry, Honed Stone, Kitchen Floor, northamptonshire, Polishing Travertine, Pro-Clean, Sealing Travertine, Stone Soap, tile cleaning, Travertine Renovation, Tumbled Travertine, Ultra-Seal, welton

This is a Tumbled Travertine floor with a Honed finish that was installed some years prior in the hallway and kitchen of a house in the village of Welton near Daventry. Kitchens and hallways have the highest foot traffic of any room in a house and without regular maintenance the sealer started to wear down allowing dirt and staining to reach the pores of the tile and grout lines. Travertine is known for its small depressions known as pitting and without the protection of the sealer those areas became heavily soiled. The grout had also darkened with ingrained dirt turning what was a light grey colour into a contrasting black.

Tumbled Honed Travertine Welton Before Cleaning

After visiting the property and surveying the floor I recommended burnishing the floor with a set of abrasive pads to remove the dirt and then resealing with a more durable product. To prove my point, I ran a small test clean on the floor so they could see the potential difference this could make. Happy with the result they asked for a quote which was accepted, and the job was booked in.

Cleaning a Tumbled Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

I started the cleaning process by sweeping and vacuuming the floor to remove any grit and other debris. Then it was cleaned with a 3:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, spraying it onto the floor and allowing it to dwell and make a start breaking down the soiling. The product was then worked into the floor using a stiff brush paying particular attention to the pitted areas and along the grout lines to get them clean. This was followed by rinsing the floor with more water and extracting the soiling with a wet pick-up machine.

The next step was to use the burnishing pad system starting with the coarse pad fitted to a rotary machine and worked into the tiles with a small amount of water for lubrication. The set of pads come in various grits and are actually made from industrial diamonds.

This first 400-grit pad cleans the tiles and removes any remaining sealant that may have been present on the tiles. This was continued with the finer 800-grit pad, again using nothing but water and then rinsing the floor of any slurry generated by the process after each pad.

When the floor had dried, I applied a fine 1500-grit pad to bring up the polish on the Travertine until it had a silky honed finish. There is a fourth 3000-grit pad in the system that brings up the polish even further to achieve a high shine finish, but my client didn’t want that look.

Tumbled Honed Travertine Welton During Cleaning

Sealing a Tumbled Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

To protect the travertine, it was sealed using three coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal sealant which is an impregnating invisible sealer resulting in a very natural finish. Once dry the floor was buffed using a soft white buffing pad.

Tumbled Honed Travertine Welton After Cleaning

You can see from the photos how much cleaner and lighter the Travertine tiles look and that the light grey colour of the grout has been restored. The new sealer will make it much easier to maintain now and with the correct cleaning regime in place the sealer should last a long time. My client was very happy with the work and left the following feedback for me:

“Really happy with our new floor. The service was professional and thorough – definitely worth the money.”

For the regular cleaning of a floor like this I recommend Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is a mild cleaning product that’s designed for use on sealed and polished stone. You must be especially careful when choosing a cleaning product for sealed tiles as many of the products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong and can degrade the sealer prematurely.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

Dirty Tumbled Travertine Floor Renovated in Welton near Daventry Read More »

Terracotta Tiled Floor Renovation Towcester

Dirty Terracotta Floor Renovated in Towcester

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Towcester Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Philip Vissian / Floor Tiles, Grout Clean-up, Kitchen Diner, northamptonshire, Pro-Clean, Remove and Go, Renovation, Seal & Go, terracotta tiles, Towcester

This Terracotta tiled floor was installed throughout the kitchen, diner, and hallway of a cottage in the village of Towcester. You can see from the photographs on this page that the floor had not been properly maintained, the grout lines had turned dark with ingrained dirt and the whole floor was now well overdue a renovation.

Terracotta Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Towcester

My client liked the floor and its character but as he was going to the expense of fitting a new kitchen he wanted to know if the floor could be restored to its former glory as his wife wanted a high shine finish and an easy to maintain floor.

Renovating the Terracotta and Grout would involve completely striping the floor of any previous sealants, deep cleaning the tiles and then applying a fresh seal. They were happy for me to do the work and it was agreed that the best time for this to be carried out would be after the old kitchen had been removed and before the new kitchen units were fitted. This would allow for a uniform wall to wall finish, and it would also make my work easier as I wouldn’t have to navigate around the kitchen units.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

To get the floor clean and remove previous sealers and coatings I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. I had tried a few products on the tiles and had discovered after conducting a few tests that this had the right impact when it came to removing the many layers of old sealant. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean has an alkaline formula which makes it ideal for cleaning natural products such as Terracotta.

Terracotta Tiled Floor During Cleaning Towcester

The Pro-Clean was left to soak into the tiles for ten minutes and then scrubbed into the floor using a 17” rotary floor buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad and running at slow speed to reduce splashing. This activity soon brought the dirt out of the tiles and the now soiled cleaning solution was removed using a wet vacuum. The floor was then rinsed down with water and the process repeated a couple of times until I was happy with the results.

To clean up the grout a stiff grout brush was run along the grout lines in combination with more Pro-Clean. There were a few stubborn stains on the floor, and these were removed by spot cleaning the affected area with another product called Tile Doctor Remove and Go employed with a steamer to lift the stain out of the clay tile.

Once happy the floor was clean, the floor was given an acid wash using a using a 10:1 dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This final step in the cleaning produce removes old grout smears, alkaline salts that can lead to efflorescence and will neutralise the use of alkaline cleaning products used earlier.

Sealing Terracotta Tiles in Towcester

After more rinsing with water and extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was left to dry for four days before returning to seal the Terracotta. To achieve the desired glossy finish the Terracotta was sealed using Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is an ideal sealer for Terracotta and provides durable stain protection together with a silk finish. The more coats you apply the higher shine finish you are able to achieve depending on the porosity of the tile and in this case seven coats were applied.

Terracotta Tiled Floor During Sealing Towcester

The client was extremely impressed with the results achieved in the kitchen, diner and hallway and left the following 5-star feedback.

“Phil has done an absolutely outstanding job on our terracotta floor tiles. Made them look like new. Wonderful outcome. His attention to detail and professionalism are of an excellent standard. It was a pleasure to do business with Phil and we will definitely be calling on his services again in the future. He is a really nice bloke too. Thanks again Phil.”

Terracotta Tiled Floor After Sealing Towcester

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen in Northamptonshire

Dirty Terracotta Floor Renovated in Towcester Read More »

Pale Marble Floor Clean Seal Old Village

Grout Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Tiled Floor in Old Village

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Kettering Tile Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Northampton Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Philip Vissian / Burnishing Pads, Diner, Floor Tiles, kitchen, Marble Polishing, marble tiles, northamptonshire, Old, polishing, Pro-Clean, Stone Polishing, Stone Soap, Ultra-Seal

Last year I was called to look at Polished Marble floor at a house in the small village of Old in Northamptonshire which is situated between Kettering and Northampton. The Marble floor was reasonably large at 25m2, and the main problem was the Marble had lost most of its shine, becoming dull and lifeless over time, additionally the grout which was once white had darkened with ground in dirt,

Marble Tiled Floor Before Grout Cleaning and Polishing

If you want the look of a highly polished floor then it will need regular polishing to keep its appearance, in fact Tile Doctor provide a “Maintenance Plan” service for this purpose. How often you need a repolish really depends on how much the floor is used and for a busy high traffic area such as this kitchen diner it may be necessary to have two visits a year.

In this case the Marble needed a lot more than a repolish, my client was unhappy with the stained grout lines and the tiles really needed stripping and resealing to bring the colour back to somewhere near its original. After surveying the floor, I was able to confirm what needed to be done and gave them a price for the work which they were happy to accept.

Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor

To get the grout clean and give remove grit etc from the floor before polishing I gave it an initial clean using a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This is a professional Tile and Grout cleaning product which is applied to the grout, left to soak in for ten minutes and then scrubbed into the grout line by hand. The soil is then rinsed off with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

To bring up the polished appearance of the Marble tiles I used a set of four 17” diamond encrusted burnishing pads which have different levels of grit. The pads are applied to the Marble tiles in sequence using a floor buffer and a small amount of water for lubrication. I started with a coarse pad, before moving on to a medium pad, then a fine pad on the first day, working in small sections of around 4 – 5sqm. The floor is given a thorough rinse between each pad to remove any excess residue generated from the burnishing process. The soil was then extracted using a wet vacuum to keep the mess to a minimum.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor

The floor was left to dry overnight, and I returned the next day. I carried on the process using the very fine burnishing pad to achieve a high shine finish. This pad is applied dry to the floor using only a little water sprayed onto the tile. It brings up the final polish on the tiles and leaves the floor dry so it can be sealed afterwards.

To seal I applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is a premium impregnating sealer that soaks into the pores of the stone protecting it from within. It’s a natural look sealer and by this, I mean it doesn’t alter the natural look of the stone and is almost invisible. The area was dried with a fan for one hour and then I checked the performance of the sealer by carrying out a water repellence test. The result of this test will let me know if a second coat of sealer may be needed.

Marble Tiled Floor After Grout Cleaning and Polishing

Once complete the grout was white again and the Marble tiles had a deep shine to them. My client was very happy with the results of my work and took the time to leave the following comment on the Tile Doctor feedback system.

Marble Polishing and Grout Cleaning Testimonial Old Village

For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Stone Soap which will keep the floor clean and help maintain the lustre. I also I let them know about our maintenance program which involves popping back for a couple of hours once a year to give the floor a polish with a very fine 3000-grit burnishing pad and top up the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tiled Floor in Northampton

Grout Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Tiled Floor in Old Village Read More »

Quarry Tile Repairs and Restoration at a period cottage Bozeat

1 Comment / Quarry Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Philip Vissian / Black Stains, Bozeat, dining room, northamptonshire, Paint Spots, quarry tile, tile cleaning, Tile Repair, Tile Replacements, tile restoration, Wellingborough

The following photos are of a Quarry tiled dining room floor in a period cottage located in the small village of Bozeat. My customer had removed a carpet and discovered them underneath, as you can see from the photographs however the tiles were in a poor state of repair. Undaunted the owner wanted to restore them as a lovely period feature and contacted Tile Doctor.

Quarry Tile Floor Before Restoration Bozeat Cottage

I went over to survey the Quarry tiles and could see the floor had not faired well under the carpet over the years, several tiles were cracked and 40 to 50 tiles were loose and would needed resetting to stop them moving underfoot, especially in the high traffic areas. I discussed with them that Tile Doctor could repair the floor and clean it and would be able to restore in a few days. They were happy to go ahead with my quote and we arranged a mutually convenient time to carry the work out.

Cleaning and repairing a Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor

My first course of action was to deep clean the floors using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which is an alkaline cleaner. Working in small areas the Gel was worked in using a stiff brush on a rotary machine using a little water. As this process was completed in each area, I rinsed off the resulting slurry away with water and then extracted using a wet vacuum. The initial clean removed most of the black staining and paint spots which had occurred over the years, but more work was needed.

The next step was to apply Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to further clean up the tiles and tackle the cement residue and other staining. I used a repeat of the cleaning process and rinsed twice with plain water to ensure all traces of product were removed. The next step was to tackle the broken and loose tiles however it was now the end of day one, so after assessing the floor for all repairs required, I installed a portable dryer to aid drying and left for the day.

Quarry Tile Floor During Repair Bozeat Cottage

The next day I returned to begin repairs starting by lifting all the loose tiles, working in one square metre sections at a time. Fortunately, my customer had already managed to obtain reclaimed tiles from a reclamation yard so that saved me a job. The colours matched with the originals; however, the reclaimed tiles were slightly larger than the originals and needed to be cut into shape as required. Working methodically, I re-laid the tiles on a fresh bed of screed and grouted them in to match the original floor as best possible.

After the repairs were completed I allowed the floor to fully dry for four days, I needed the tiles dry and the newly laid adhesive and grout to set and bed in before the next step. Before leaving I gave my customer strict instructions not to walk over these areas whilst I was gone.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning later the following week, I first checked the floor was dry using a damp meter, once satisfied I was able to start the sealing process. The customer had requested a silk finish, however because of the age of the cottage and the possibility of damp in this old floor my choice of sealer was limited to those that are fully breathable.

Quarry Tile Floor After Restoration Bozeat Cottage

On this occasion I chose to apply several coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra, this product will allow the floor to breathe and provide the desired finish. It was a good decision, and as hoped it enhanced the appearance of the floor beautifully.

My customer was very happy with the renovation and the transformed floor and left the following feedback:

“Friendly service, reasonably priced and a good standard of work. Has breathed new life into my old quarry tile floor.”

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

Quarry Tile Repairs and Restoration at a period cottage Bozeat Read More »

Travertine Tiled Floor Before After Renovation Brixworth

Travertine Floor Tiles Repaired and Polished in Old Near Brixworth

1 Comment / Northampton Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Philip Vissian / Brixworth, Filling Holes, grout cleaning, Kitchen Floor, northamptonshire, Pitted Travertine, Polished Travertine, Sealing Travertine, Stone Polishing, tile cleaning, Travertine Floor

Polished Travertine is a popular tile which can look stunning, however without the correct maintenance regime in place it can soon turn dull and flat as my customer in the small village of Old near Brixworth discovered. In this case they had 40m2 of Travertine tiling installed in the living room and breakfast room which in particular had become dull, sticky, and hard to clean. On top of that a couple of holes had appeared in the main kitchen walkway areas which was causing concern.

Polished Travertine Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Brixworth

I visited the property to carry out a site survey and conduct a test clean on the stained areas. My customer was relieved to see how well the grout and staining responded to the cleaning and we moved on to discuss how to repairs the holes. We see this a lot with Travertine where natural holes or pitting are usually filed with a resin before being sold but the problem can be exacerbated with the use of acidic cleaning products. Holes also trap dirt which can accumulates quickly as dirt is washed into the holes during cleaning detracting from the appearance of the stone.

To resolve I planned on filling the holes with a resin and then re-polishing the floor to make it blend in. A quote was issued via e mail which was accepted, and a date booked in the diary for work to be carried.

Cleaning and Restoring Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

On the day I arrived the customer had prepared the work area by removing all small items of furniture. My first step was to brush and vacuum the area to remove any loose debris. I then sprayed the floor with a dilution of Tile doctor Pro-Clean focusing on the heavily soiled areas and grout lines throughout the breakfast area and then left to soak in for ten minutes. After scrubbing the grout with a grout brush the area was rinsed with a small amount of water and the area dried using a wet vacuum. This process was then repeated in the kitchen.

Tile Doctor has found the best way to renovate polished stone is to use a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads to hone the stone and build back the polish. Usually this involved applying a set of for or five pads of different grits depending on the severity of soiling and any surface scratches. I started with the coarsest grit and worked through in sequence to the finer grits to achieve a polished finish. Water is used to lubricate the process and the floor is rinsed and extracted between pads.

Once this process was completed, I dried the damaged tiles with a heat gun so I could fill them. I mixed a resin that closely matched the white and brown colours of the Travertine and filled in the holes, smoothing, and polishing with handheld diamond blocks to achieve a smooth finish.

Polished Travertine Kitchen Floor After Renovation Brixworth

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

When we returned the next day, the floor had dried, and I was able to give the floor a final polish with a very fine 3000-grit burnishing pad applied with a little water sprayed onto the tile. Finally, the floor was then sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which provides excellent protection without changing the colour of the stone to provide a natural look.

Last step was to provide some advice on how to maintain the floor going forward for which I recommend Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is designed for cleaning polished stone floors. The client was over the moon with the outcome and surprised at the improvement, they also left the following review for me which is always a nice surprise.

Fantastic work, my floor looks wonderful it didn’t look this good when it was laid thirteen years ago, I will definitely look after the travertine now and have the floor cleaned and resealed every year.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Northamptonshire

Travertine Floor Tiles Repaired and Polished in Old Near Brixworth Read More »

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor Before and After Restoration Broughton

Quarry Tiled Floor Restored Following Cottage Remodel in Broughton Village

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Kettering Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Philip Vissian / 16th Century, Broughton, floor restoration, grout cleaning, kettering, Kitchen Floor, northamptonshire, quarry tile, Quarry tiled cleaning, Quarry tiled sealing, reclaimed tiles, Replacement Tiles

The following photos are from a 16th Century cottage in the village of Broughton near Kettering which was undergoing major restoration works. The Quarry tiled floor was not as old as the house and was probably installed in the Victorian era. The clients wanted the floor restoring before the plastering of walls and new kitchen was installed. There was also a section where a pantry wall had been removed with tiles missing, so these needed to be replaced with reclaimed tiles that the customer had sourced.

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor Before Restoration Broughto Cottage

I visited site to look at the project, survey the Quarry tiled floor and give them a firm price for the work. I was confident that we could replace the tiles and we could blend the area in to match the existing. Once the floor had a good clean and seal it would look a lot better.

With the quotation agreed I arranged a date where I would have sole access to the property which is always preferred as it means you do not have anyone walking through whilst your cleaning. This also has the added advantage of not having to take precautions over social distancing.

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor Before Restoration Broughto Cottage

Restoring a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

On the first day on site I carried out the replacement of the missing tiles. This work started by cleaning up the holes in the floor left by the now removed wall and getting the base level and ready for tiling. Next the reclaimed tiles we cut down to fit the shape left by the wall to match the existing tiling. The fit needed to be exact as any mismatch would show later. Once I was happy with the cuts the tiles were fixed in place with rapid set adhesive and once that had set were grouted in place. The next step would be to give the floor a deep clean, so it was left to dry off overnight.

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor During Restoration Broughto Cottage

The next day with the tile adhesive and grout having gone off overnight I was able to start the cleaning process. Working in sections I began by applying Tile Doctor Oxy Gel to the tile and grout with a little water, leaving it to soak in for ten minutes and then working it into the tiles using a 17 inch rotary scrubbing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. A stiff brush was also used along the grout lines to make sure they were equally treated. After scrubbing the now soiled solution was vacuumed off with an industrial wet vac and repeated the process until the entire area had been cleaned.

Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up was then applied using a 1:10 dilution with water. It was mopped it over the entire area to neutralise the tile and remove any grout smears, hazing and mineral deposits which are quite common with floors of this age. The entire area was then given a good rinse with clean water to remove any trace of cleaning product. An industrial fan was also installed and left on site to assist with the drying process until we returned a week later. This would ensure the floor would be bone dry for our return and ready to accept a sealer.

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor During Restoration Broughto Cottage

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning the following week, I tested the moisture levels in the tiles with a damp meter. I was conscious that due to the age of the tiles there may be some inherent damp however my plan had worked, and the tests confirmed the floor was indeed dry and ready for sealing.

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor During Restoration Broughto Cottage

The client required a silk finish so I opted to apply several coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra which would provide the required finish yet is breathable and so will not impeded moisture rising through the floor allowing it to evaporate and not become trapped. This is an important consideration when choosing a sealer for an old floor which don’t have a damp proof membrane installed as trapping moisture under the floor can lead to it reaching out to the walls where it can result in rising damp.

The client was extremely happy with the results and has left the following comments on our feedback page.

“Phil was great. On time and a good worker. Gave good advice and carried out all the work thoroughly. The tiles are now looking much better. Very happy. By Peter B, Kettering”

Victorian Quarry Tiled Floor After Restoration Broughto Cottage

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Northamptonshire

Quarry Tiled Floor Restored Following Cottage Remodel in Broughton Village Read More »

Kitchen Limestone Floor Polishing in Stanwick

Cleaning of Polished Limestone Kitchen Floor Tiles in Stanwick

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / grout cleaning, Honing Stone, Kitchen Floor Cleaning, Limestone Steps, northamptonshire, Polishing Limestone, Stanwick

I was contacted by a client from the village of Stanwick regarding their Limestone tiled floors, which were installed throughout the kitchen area and steps leading to the hallway. Polished stone does lose its appearance over time due to wear and this floor was now in need of re-polishing. An appointment was made to visit the client and carry out a survey of the floor.

Limestone Floor Tiles Before Polishing Stanwick

On my arrival I could see that the Limestone tiles had as suspected become dull and the grout needed attention; it was clear that the sealer had worn off in the busier area and dirt was now becoming ingrained in the stone and grout.

To bring back its polished appearance the floor would need to be honed with burnishing and then re-sealed to protect it. This is a straightforward task which would take two days and so I provided a quote to do the work. The quote was accepted, and the job booked in.

Cleaning and Honing Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

My first course of action was to protect the walls and kitchen units using a protective wrap before scrubbing the first area using a hot solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using a rotary scrubbing machine fitted with a brush head attachment. This process lifted the dirt from the grout and surface of the tiles.

The floor was then rinsed thoroughly with water to remove the released dirt and cleaning solution which was then extracted off the floor with a wet vacuum. I then proceeded to burnish the Limestone using a set of four Tile Doctor Burnishing Pads fitted to a rotary floor machine. As usual I started with the application of a 400-grit coarse pad lubricated with water, this removes any remaining sealers and ingrained dirt from the stone. The slurry generated was then rinsed away using a wet pick up machine. I then repeated this process using the medium 800-grit and fine 1500-grit burnishing pads which slowly polish the stone, rinsing and extracting after each pad. The floor was then allowed to dry off overnight

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned the following day and continued the process using the superfine 3000-grit polishing pad which is the last stage in the polishing process and bought back the polished surface. In this instance I polished the floor to a high shine as requested by the customer. Only a small amount of water is used with this last pad, so it leaves the floor dry and ready for sealing.

To seal I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal Sealant which is an impregnating sealer that protects from within and gives the floor a natural look. The last step once the sealer was dry was to buff the floor to a nice shine with a rotary machine fitted with a white pad.

Limestone Floor Tiles After Polishing Stanwick

As the photos show, the floors were bought back to life with a gleaming high shine finish, the clients were extremely pleased with the results as you can see from their feedback below.

“Phil is a very hardworking and pleasant guy who kept me fully informed at all stages and the floors and patios look great. Many thanks. Michael B, Stanwick”

Whilst I was at the property the client asked me if I was able to clean their flagstone patio, I was able to do this and carried out the work for them, you can see the results achieved in the patio section of my website.

Limestone Tiled Kitchen Honed and Polished in Northamptonshire

Cleaning of Polished Limestone Kitchen Floor Tiles in Stanwick Read More »

Flagstone Patio Before After Renovation Stanwick

Renovating a Twenty Year Old Flagstone Patio in Stanwick

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Flagstone Patio, Flagstone Pavers, northamptonshire, patio cleaning, Stanwick, Stone Cleaning

I often get asked whilst I am on site what other services I offer; recently when I was polishing a Limestone floor at a house in the small village of Stanwick the client enquired if there was anything I could do with their 20 year old Flagstone Patio which was unfortunately no longer looking its best.

I advised him this is something I would be able to do, and that as well as cleaning all types of internal tile, grout and stone I also offer external stone cleaning using a professional pressure washing machine using up to date equipment such as the Honda Pro 2100 Pressure Washer which was an expensive but worthwhile investment.

Flagstone Patio Before Cleaning Stanwick

The patio had not been professionally cleaned since installation and now moss was growing between the pavers and the stone had darkened over the years, although the customer had used an electric jet washer a couple of times it had not made significant improvement and a thorough clean was now well overdue. The interior Limestone floor had come up well and they were very satisfied with that work, I was confident that they would be pleased with the patio outcome too.

Although the area was large, the benefit of working outside is there is no concerns about making a mess, so the job can be done relatively quickly. I gave the client a quote for the work and we arranged a time for me to return, although it was dependent on the weather.

Cleaning a Large Flagstone Patio in Stanwick

Thankfully the date we had selected turned out to by dry so a day in the fresh air was due. My first course of action was to pre wet the stone with a diluted 3:1 solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to help break down the heavy soiling and soften the moss. Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner, which strips and degreases heavily soiled areas. It is particularly good on mildew and algae on patios such as this where it makes light work of breaking down the soiling.

The product is left to dwell for a short time, once I could see that the soil was starting to lift, I then used the petrol driven Honda Pro 2100 pressure washer connected to a spinning tool to clean the stone. This is a very powerful piece of machinery and the difference was immediate. The patio tiles looked a completely different colour, in fact the client couldn’t recall ever seeing them this colour!

This work was carried out to the customers satisfaction who left the following feedback on my website.

“Phil is a very hardworking and pleasant guy who kept me fully informed at all stages and the floors and patios look great. Many thanks – Michael B, Stanwick, “

Professional Clean of a Flagstone Patio in Northamptonshire

Renovating a Twenty Year Old Flagstone Patio in Stanwick Read More »

Kitchen Terracotta Floor Before After Renovation Moulton

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Moulton

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Northampton Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / grout cleaning, Kitchen Floor Cleaning, Moulton, northampton, northamptonshire, oil stain removal, Terracotta Tile Restoration, tile restoration

We were contacted by the owner of a property in Moulton with a problematic Terracotta tiled kitchen floor. She was seriously considering ripping up the entire area of tiling and replacing it as she was having a new kitchen installed. Both her and her husband were concerned that unless I could restore this floor to somewhere near to its original condition, they would need to replace it.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Restoration Moulton

I went over to inspect the Terracotta tiles and could see the entire surface was deeply ingrained with soiling and the grout lines were filthy. After carrying out a test it became obvious that the previous sealer had been applied very sparingly and had mostly worn away, leaving the stone prone to staining. Terracotta is a very porous tile and dirt had become ingrained in the pores leaving it looking very dull and difficult to clean.

I completed the test on a small part of the floor and the customer could see the results which could be achieved. Happy with the result they agreed my quote and we set a date for my return to complete the floor.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

The tiles turned out to be made of a fairly soft Terracotta which meant that we were able to deep clean them extremely effectively using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. We used Tile Doctor Remove and Go in particularly stubborn areas.

The process I use is to spray the Pro-Clean onto the floor and leave it to soak in for about ten minutes before being worked in using a heavy rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The resulting slurry is removed using a wet pick up vacuum. All the dirt and virtually all of the old sealer was removed at this stage; the remaining patches around the edges of the area being finished by hand with a 200-grit burnishing block. The grout lines were then cleaned by hand with an angled grout brush.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor During Restoration Moulton

Finally, the deep-seated oil stains in front of the cooker were brought out using Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which was left to dwell on the marks for an hour before being agitated with a diamond burnishing pad and rinsed away with a wet pick up machine. The floor was rinsed with water and allowed to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

The following day I inspected the floor and checked it was ready to be sealed. All was well so I applied an initial coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that occupies the pores in the tile enhancing the natural colours of the Terracotta and provide a base layer of protection from staining.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Restoration Moulton

I returned at a convenient time once the kitchen was completely installed to finish the job. This involves carrying out a light maintenance clean with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner and once the floor was dry, I applied 5 further coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which provides a pleasing satin finish which is really suited to this type of floor.

The customer was very happy with the results and has left the following feedback.

“We were really pleased with the results, thank you!”

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Floor in Northamptonshire

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Moulton Read More »

Limestone Tiled Floor Before After Cleaning and polishing Yelvertoft

12-Year-Old Limestone Floor Renovation in Yelvertoft

1 Comment / Daventry Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work History / Philip Vissian / Daventry, Hallway tiles, Honing Limestone Tiles, Kitchen Floor, Limestone Cleaning, northamptonshire, Polishing Limestone, Stone Renovation, Yelvertoft

I was called in to look at this Limestone tiled kitchen and hallway floor that had been installed 12 years prior at a small cottage in Yelvertoft. Yelvertoft is a small village with a population of less than a 1000 people near Daventry, with the Grand Union Canal passing close by.

I always like to do a site visit to survey the floor before recommending a solution, photographs help but you can never be certain until you have had chance to run some tests and discussed the history of the floor with the owner. As it turns out the stone had not been professionally cleaned and sealed since it was installed and was now in a bad state. So much so that my client was concerned it was beyond restoration and had considered replacing the floor.

Limestone Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Yelvertoft

I carried out a cleaning test on a small area and although it was very badly soiled, I found the Limestone responded well to our cleaning processes. The client was quite surprised as they had almost given up on it! We discussed the process involved, which would take two days and worked out a cost for the works. Confident I would do the job well my quote was accepted, and a date set for my return.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen and Hallway Floor

Arriving on the first day, we noted that there was a fairly new oak stairway and beam that had been fitted. I protected these and the kitchen units with a protective wrap to prevent any splashes from the cleaning process.

To restore the appearance of the Limestone I started with the application of a set of Tile Doctor Burnishing pads beginning with a very coarse 200-grit pad instead of the usual 400-grit. I reasoned that with the Stone being in such bad condition it could benefit from the coarser pad which gives a very deep clean, removing light and medium scratches by resurfacing the top of the tile. The pads are applied with water to lubricate and the fine slurry generated is rinsed off afterwards with more water and then extracted with a wet vacuum. After applying the 200-grit pad this process is repeated with increasingly higher grit pads to further hone the stone and eventually finishing with a very fine 3000 grit pad to achieve a polished finish.

Once I was satisfied with the Limestone tiles a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and Grout Clean-Up was used to remove the stubborn staining from the grout lines. The floor was given a final rinse and extraction and you could see a huge improvement in the floor which looked lighter and much cleaner.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen and Hallway Floor

I allowed the floors to dry off overnight and returned the next day to apply a sealer first checking for moisture with a damp meter to ensure the floor was dry and ready for sealing.

To seal the Limestone, I chose Tile Doctor Ultra Seal Sealant which is a no-sheen, natural-look, penetrating sealer that is formulated to provide maximum stain protection, especially in food preparation areas like the kitchen. It is also an excellent grout sealer, but mainly it gives a lovely natural finish allowing the variations in the natural Limestone to shine through.

Limestone Kitchen Floor After Renovation Yelvertoft

The pictures and clients’ testimonial really do speak for themselves; I was really pleased that she was so satisfied with the result and had saved a fortune in relaying the floor.

“I was about to replace my Limestone 12 year old floor … then Phil the Tile Doctor worked his magic… I now have a good as new lovely floor, I am absolutely delighted. Thanks, so much Phil.” Louise O, Yelvertoft

Limestone Tiled Floor Professionally Cleaned and Polished in Northamptonshire

12-Year-Old Limestone Floor Renovation in Yelvertoft Read More »

Terracotta Tiles Before After Deep Cleaning and Sealing Maidford

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated at a Maidford Cottage

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Towcester Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Cottage Floor, grout cleaning, Kitchen Floor, Maidford, northamptonshire, Stripping Terracotta, tile cleaning, Towcester, Wax Removal

This Terracotta tiled floor was installed in the kitchen of a cottage in the small village of Maidford near Towcester. The tiles were not looking their best and the owner of the property realised it was time to do something about it and contacted Tile Doctor to have the floor stripped and resealed. Stripping and Sealing tile and stone floors is our bread and butter so I was more than happy to pop round and survey the floor which was approximately 9m2.

The grout had darkened with dirt and the previous tile sealer was failing so dirt was now getting ingrained in the Terracotta making it difficult to clean in places and leading to a patchy appearance. We discussed the work involved, my quote was accepted, and a date agreed for me to return and complete the work which would take two days, one to clean and one to seal.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Maidford

Stripping Terracotta Kitchen Floor Tiles

After tidying up the Kitchen and removing the kickboards from underneath the kitchen units I set about working on cleaning and stripping the Terracotta floor of old sealers. To start I tested a small area with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Wax Away. Wax was quite often used on Terracotta so I figured this product would be a good place to start. My suspicions were proved correct, and I found this to be the best product for removing the many layers of sealant on the floor. Wax Away is a new alkaline product by Tile Doctor and ideal for cleaning clay-based tiles such as Terracotta.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Maidford

With my sights set on the rest of the floor Wax Away was scrubbed into the tile using a 17” rotary floor scrubbing machine and a black scrubbing pad running on a slow speed which helps to reduce splashing. This activity soon brought the dirt off the floor and the soiled cleaning solution was removed using a wet vacuum and the floor was rinsed down with clean water. The cleaning process was repeated a couple of times until I was happy with the floor, a stiff hand brush was then used along the grout lines with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to clean up the grout.

After rinsing and extracting the floor again the floor was inspected, and I noticed there were a few stubborn paint splashes on the tiles. I managed to remove these and these by spot treating the affected area with Tile Doctor Remove and Go and a steamer to lift the stain out of the clay tile. Once happy the floor was clean it was given a thorough rinse to neutralise it and remove any trace of cleaning products and then left it to dry.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Maidford

Sealing Terracotta Floor Tiles

I allowed the floor to dry for several days before returning to seal the Terracotta using numerous coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is an ideal sealer for Terracotta and provides durable stain protection together with a low sheen finish. Terracotta is by its nature very porous and so it’s not unknown for it to take up to nine coats of sealer, which can take some time to apply as like paint you have to wait until it’s dry before it will take the next coat.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor During Sealing Maidford

The customer was so impressed by the results I achieved in their kitchen they decided to go ahead and book me in to carry out this process throughout the whole of the ground floor which included lounge, study and hallway.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Sealing Maidford

Renovating a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Northamptonshire

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated at a Maidford Cottage Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before After Restoration Kettering

Victorian Tiles Discovered Under Lino Renovated in Kettering

1 Comment / Kettering Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Breathable Sealer, kettering, Lino, northamptonshire, Nothants, Removing Paint, tile cleaning, Victorian Tile Restoration

The customer called me after she had removed the lino in her hallway to discover a traditional Victorian tiled floor hidden underneath. Unfortunately, at some time in the past this floor hadn’t been protected whilst decoration was carried out and had been heavily stained with splashes of paint. Although the customer had tried her best to clean the paint off the floor, she had found it was impossible to remove. She was really keen to restore the floor back to its’ former glory and see the back of the nasty looking lino!

I visited the property in Kettering which is a lovely town in Northamptonshire, approx. 15 miles from Northampton itself. The area is now very popular with commuters with regular trains heading to London St Pancras taking just one hour. As the pictures she had sent me showed the floor needed professional cleaning as no amount of household products would be able to remove the problem areas. I discussed with the customer what we could do to get the floor restored and we agreed a price for the work, scheduling it in for a few weeks later.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Kettering

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

To clean the floor, it was first sprayed with a solution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go which was left to dwell for fifteen minutes to help soften the paint. We then used our heavy-duty scrubbing machine with the appropriate attachments to scrub the floor. A little warm water was added to the solution on the floor to help remove the paint as the scrubbing was underway. Once done a wet vacuum was used to remove the slurry generated by the scrubbing process.

This process was repeated several times in the most stubborn areas to ensure the floor was as clean as possible. This action removed around 90% of the paint which was a huge improvement, but more work was required before it would meet my standards.

To further improve the condition of the tiles my next course of action was to apply Tile Doctors 100 and 200-grit burnishing pads to the floor with water to help lubricate. After each pad the find slurry that was generated was extracted off the floor using the wet vacuum. This process reconditions the surface of the Victorian tile and removed the remainder of the paint, it also cleaned the remaining areas that needed further attention leaving the floor spotless. I left the floor to dry overnight and arranged to return the following morning to complete the restoration with the application of a sealer.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The customer wanted the floor to look natural so requested a matt finish sealer, also being an old floor without a damp proof membrane I specified the sealer should be fully breathable so moisture can pass up from the sub floor and not become trapped under the tile where it could cause problems. With these factors in mind we agreed on Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which ticks all these boxes.

As you can see from the after pictures, the restorative cleaning process really did the trick. The colours in the floor were now nice and clear and the floor looked as it should.
The customer was over the moon with the outcome, she had not expected the finish achieved to be as good.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Kettering

No matter how bad you think the floor is with the use of professional machinery and Tile Doctor products we can restore most floors to a high standard, which certainly in this case exceeded the customers’ expectations.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Northamptonshire

Victorian Tiles Discovered Under Lino Renovated in Kettering Read More »

Tumbled Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Before After Renovation Braybrooke

Pitted and Dirty Tumbled Travertine Kitchen Floor Renovated in Braybrooke

1 Comment / Market Harborough Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Braybrooke, Filling Travertine, Kitchen Floor Tiles, northamptonshire, Tiled Floor Cleaning, Travertine Cleaning, Travertine Filling, Travertine Polishing, Tumbled Travertine

I was called by the owner of a property in Braybrooke who was keen to have their Tumbled Travertine tiled kitchen floor renovated. The floor hadn’t been cleaned professionally for over eight years and the owner was concerned that dirt was getting trapped in the natural holes and crevices (pits) which are a natural feature of Travertine.

Pitted Tumbled Travertine Before Cleaning Braybrooke

I went over to survey the floor at the property in Braybrooke which is a lovely small village in north west Northamptonshire halfway between Market Harborough and Desborough. We carried out a test clean on two separate tiles in the kitchen, the customer was thrilled at how clean they came up and especially with the grout. She said it reminded her how they used to look when they were first installed.

A quote to restore the floor was sent and was quickly accepted; a date was then agreed for the work to be completed. The job would take just two days to complete, one day to clean and then a return visit to seal the floor.

Cleaning a Tumbled Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

On our return the first thing we did was to protect the kitchen units by removing plinths and covering base units and appliances with a protective film. This ensures nothing is accidentally damaged during the process.

We then commenced work with a rotary scrubbing machine fitted with a tile brush attachment. This was used to scrub in a hot water dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean mixed 3:1. The slurry was then removed with a wet pick up, followed by cleaning the grout with hand brushes using more Pro-Clean. The strong alkaline product makes quick work of removing the ingrained dirt and grime and removing what was left of the original sealer.

The next step was to burnish the stone with a set of Tile Doctor Diamond Encrusted Burnishing pads which polish the floor to achieve an as new look. The pads are run over the Travertine tiles with water in sequence from coarse to very smooth. After each pad is applied the floor is rinsed with water and the slurry removed with the wet pickup machine.

Fans were left in place to assist drying the floor whilst I spent time filling the larger holes with filler in a colour chosen to match the existing floor as closely as possible.

Sealing a Tumbled Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

The floors were left to dry off fully overnight and I returned the next day to carry out the final polish with a very fine 3000 grit burnishing pad and to apply two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which will protect the stone going forward. Ultra-Seal is a no-sheen, natural-look, penetrating sealer which is formulated to provide maximum stain protection and is especially recommended for food preparation areas like a kitchen.

Pitted Tumbled Travertine After Cleaning Braybrooke

The floor looked so much better and the customer was very happy that it had been restored to its’ former glory as requested. She really thought the floor was beyond saving. We suggested that she used the Tile Doctor Stone Soap for ongoing cleaning. Most floor cleaning products sold in the supermarket are not recommended for the cleaning of natural stone as they can erode the sealer prematurely so always read the label.

Renovation of a Tumbled Travertine Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

Pitted and Dirty Tumbled Travertine Kitchen Floor Renovated in Braybrooke Read More »

Pitted Travertine Floor Tiles Before After Renovation Weston Favell

Pitted Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles Filled and Polished in Weston Favell

1 Comment / Northampton Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Kitchen Floor, northamptonshire, Pitted Travertine, Polished Travertine Tiles, Stone Polishing, tile cleaning, Weston Favell

Travertine floor tiles are very appealing and very hardwearing, but without the protection of a sealer to stop dirt becoming ingrained in the pores of the stone their appearance will degrade. Fortunately, this can be remedied as demonstrated in these pictures of a Travertine floor I recently polished at a house in Weston Favell, Northampton.

Travertine Tiled Floor Weston Favell Before Polishing

This owner of the property had called me out as their kitchen floor was looking very sorry for itself and he was concerned that a lot of holes were appearing which was making cleaning the floor difficult as dirt was getting trapped in the holes. I went over and carried out a test clean on two separate tiles in the kitchen and the customer was amazed at how clean they came up and especially the grout.

The kitchen was stunning, but unfortunately the state of the Travertine tiled floor was bringing down its overall appearance. Impressed with the test clean they were keen to get the whole floor renovated so we agreed a price and I scheduled the work in for the following month.

Cleaning and Restoring Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned on the agreed data and made a start by protecting the kitchen units by removing the plinths and covering base units and the appliances with a protective film. We then commenced the cleaning process to remove surface dirt by cleaning with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean paying special attention to the grout lines. The holes in the Travertine were filled with a stone resin, mixing it to closely match the colours of the stone.

The resin was allowed to dry before starting to re-polish the Travertine using a set of Tile Doctor Diamond encrusted burnishing pads. These pads are applied individually to each tile in sequence starting with a coarse 400-grit pad before moving onto the 800-grit and finishing with the fine 1500 grit pad. A little water is used to lubricate the process along the way and the floor is rinsed in between each pad with the resulting residue extracted from the floor using a wet vacuum. The process takes some time, but it really brings up the polished appearance of the stone and the results are well worth the effort. After a final rinse the floor was inspected and then left to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

When we returned the next day, the floor had dried, and we were able to give the floor a final polish with a very fine 3000-grit burnishing pad applied with a little water sprayed onto the tile. Finally, the floor was then sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which provides excellent protection without changing the colour of the stone to provide a natural look.

Travertine Tiled Floor Weston Favell After Polishing

The client was over the moon with the outcome and surprised at the improvement. They were left with a floor that would be easy to clean and maintain.

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Northamptonshire

Pitted Travertine Kitchen Floor Tiles Filled and Polished in Weston Favell Read More »

Limestone Flagstones Before and After Renovation Clipston

Limestone Tiled Floor with Grout Haze Cleaned in Clipston

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Market Harborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / cleaning, Clipston, Daventry, Grout Haze Removal, Grout Smears, kitchen, Limestone Sealing, Limestone Tiled Floor, Market Harborough, northamptonshire, Renovation

These photos are of a Limestone tiled floor which was installed in the Kitchen of a property in the small parish of Clipston, which is close to the towns of Market Harborough and Daventry, approximately three years ago. The customer was never very happy with it since it was laid as it never seemed to look clean asked me to cover over and work out what could be done.

On my initial visit I soon realised that the installer had not cleaned off all the grout from the tiles before applying the sealer. This effectively trapped the grout under the sealer and gave the whole floor a dirty appearance, this explained the problem the customer was frustrated with as she could never ever seem to get the floor looking clean.

Limestone Floor With Grout Haze Before Cleaning Clipston

This issue is known as Grout Haze or Grout Smears and is a problem we often come across where the floor has been laid without the excess grout residue being completely polished off the tiles after the grouting. Some manufacturers recommend the tiles are sealed before grouting to make it easier to polish the grout off later. After discussing how we could remedy this I issued a quote which the customer accepted, and we scheduled the work to be done.

Removing Grout Haze from Limestone Kitchen Tiles

I arrived on site on the arranged date, as it was a painted kitchen it was not possible to mask up the units, so I used a small hand-held polishing machine fitted with a six inch 400-grit burnishing pad to carefully clean around the edges and break through the sealant. This process was then repeated with a larger seventeen inch 400-grit burnishing pad fitted to a floor polishing machine throughout the rest of the area.

Once the original sealant had been removed using the burnishing pad the next step was to remove the Grout Haze by given the floor an acid wash with Tile Doctor Acid Gel. Being a gel, this product is easier to control than a liquid and sits on the surface where it’s needed to break down the unsightly Grout Haze. It’s left to dwell for a short period before being worked in with a special brush that is designed for this purpose. The resulting slurry is then removed with a professional wet pick up machine and the floor given a rinse with water to remove any trace of the product.

After treating the Grout Haze my next step was to refine the surface of the Limestone using a medium 800-grit and fine 1500-grit diamond encrusted burnishing pad which are applied with water and restore the polished appearance of the stone. The floor is rinsed with more water between the application of each pad to remove the slurry that is generated and then dried with the wet pickup machine.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned the following day to buff the tiles with a white polishing pad as the customer didn’t want a high shine finish which is normally achieved with the 3000-grit diamond burnishing pad, this gave a low sheen honed look as the customer had requested. The floor was then sealed with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is a natural look sealer that and will protect the newly restored and polished tiles going forward.

Limestone Floor With Grout Haze After Cleaning Clipston

The customer was very happy with the results and has left the following positive feedback on our website.

‘Professional, floor looks much better’ – Vicki S, Clipston

I gave the customer some tips on maintenance and a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap to enable her to keep the floor looking its best, this product is designed for the regular cleaning of polished stone floors and is pH neutral, so it won’t prematurely degrade the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Northamptonshire

Limestone Tiled Floor with Grout Haze Cleaned in Clipston Read More »

Scratched Victorian Hallway Tiles Before After Renovation Rushden

Removing Wax Scratches from Victorian Hallway Tiles in Rushden

1 Comment / Victorian Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / hallway, northamptonshire, Removing Wax, restoration, Rushden, scratched tiles, Victorian Tile Cleaning, victorian tiled floor

This customer called me as she was concerned about the scratches on her hallway tiles, they were not only unsightly but were also starting to trap dirt. The Victorian property in Rushden which lies between Bedford and Kettering on the east side of Northamptonshire.

We always offer a site visit to take a look at the job before doing any work, that way we can discuss what the cleaning options are, and it also demonstrates to the customer that we know what we’re talking about.

The hallway floor was a lovely and intricate example of Victorian tile installation and I could see that overall it was in good condition for its age. On closer inspection the customer was relieved to find out that it was the old wax sealant breaking down and not actually scratches on the tiles. I carried out a test on a small area to ascertain how difficult it would be to remove this wax. I realised I would be able to use Tile Doctors new product for the removal of the wax sealant, Tile Doctor Wax Away which is a fast and effective formula that is designed just for this type of job, it offers safe removal of wax and polish from tile and natural stone. We agreed the quote and the work was booked in for the following month.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Wax Removal Rushden

Cleaning/Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On our return we started to remove the wax coating using the Tile Doctor Wax Away product. It was applied neat and left to dwell for ten to fifteen minutes before working it into the floor with a small amount of water and a black stripping pad attached to a rotary machine. The resulting slurry was then removed using a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected, and I decided to repeat this process with a hand brush in a couple of small areas and around the edges to ensure the old wax sealant was fully removed in these stubborn areas. The floor was then rinsed with water to remove any remaining slurry and trace of cleaning product and the wet vacuum was used to dry the floor again.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Wax Removal Rushden

My next course of action was to run over the floor with a 400-grit burnishing pad to remove imbedded dirt and stains from the tiles, this was followed by a second rinse with water. After removing the water with wet vacuum, the floor was then left to dry out fully for a few days aided by a large fan that I left on site. It’s important that the tiles are fully dry before applying a sealer and this is even more important on older floors where no damp proof membrane has been installed.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I returned three days later and started by giving the floor a light vacuum and clean. I also took damp meter readings to check the floor was fully dry. Once I was satisfied I started to apply 2 coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow Sealant, this is a breathable sealant which will allow the tiles to breath and allow moisture vapour from the sub floor to rise through the tiles which is important in these old houses where no damp proof membrane exists. Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that works by occupying the pores in the tile thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there, the sealant enhances the natural colours in the tile and dries to a lovely natural matt finish.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Cleaning Rushden

Once finished the floor looked great and the customer was hugely relieved that the tiles could be restored easily and cost effectively, she had thought the damage may have been irreversible. Moving forward it will now be easier for her to maintain and keep clean. The floor is now back to its’ true self and properly in keeping with the rest of the period features in the house.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Northamptonshire

Removing Wax Scratches from Victorian Hallway Tiles in Rushden Read More »

Renovating a Black Limestone Patio in Walgrave

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Northampton Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Black Limestone, Natural Stone, northamptonshire, patio, Patio Sealing, Paving, stone Sealing, village, Walgrave

The following photos show a large black limestone patio that had been installed at a house in the village of Walgrave by a local builder who had sealed the stone before cleaning it first. Doing so trapped the dirt and grout smears (ka grout haze) underneath the sealer which resulted in a hazy appearance that could never be cleaned off.

Black Limestone Patio Before Cleaning Walgrave

Spring is an ideal time to work on patios which tend to get stained most from leaves and other detritus during the windy autumn and then ravaged by the winter frosts. If you want to seal the stone though its best to wait until a spell of continuous hot weather for the best results.

Cleaning a Black Limestone Patio

To clean the stone, I would first need to remove the builder’s sealer, so I started by applying Tile Doctor Remove & Go which is a strong product designed to safely remove coatings such as sealers and paint from stone and tile. A strong dilution of Remove and Go was applied to the floor and left to soak in for about ten minutes before being worked into the Limestone using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor scrubbing machine. The soiled cleaning solution was then rinsed off the patio with water and extracted using a wet vacuum.

Black Limestone Patio During Cleaning Walgrave

With the sealer removed along with the dirt then next task was to tackle the smears of grout that had been left on the surface of the stone. To do this I applied a specially developed product called Tile Doctor Acid Gel which is left to dwell on the surface of the stone just long enough to weaken the unwanted grout which can be then scrubbed off. The solution is then rinsed off the patio and extracted as before. This process was done in sections worked across the length of the patio and then when finished it was given a through rinse.

Sealing a Black Limestone Patio

I would need the limestone patio to be dry before sealing so I left it fully dry out over the course of a few days before coming back to finish off, fortunately the weather was good, and it wasn’t long before I returned.

Black Limestone Patio During Sealing Walgrave

My sealer of choice for Black Limestone is Tile Doctor Colour Grow, it’s an impregnating sealer the penetrates the pores of the stone protecting it from within and simultaneously enhancing the natural colours in the stone. This product is also fully breathable which makes it ideal for external use or damp areas where moisture needs to rise through the stone and evaporate. Two coats of Colour Grow were all that was required to fully seal the stone.

Black Limestone Patio After Cleaning Walgrave

The work was a huge improvement to the look of the patio which is now vibrant, inviting and fully transformed by the process.

Limestone Patio Maintenance in Northamptonshire

Renovating a Black Limestone Patio in Walgrave Read More »

Travertine Floor Tiles Filled and Polished in Abthorpe Near Towcester

1 Comment / Silverstone Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Abthorpe, dining room, Filling Travertine, Holes in Travertine, kitchen, northamptonshire, Polishing Travertine, Stone Cleaning, tile cleaning, Towcester, Travertine Floor Polishing

The following pictures show a polished Travertine kitchen and dining room floor at a house in the small village of Abthorpe near Towcester. The stone floor had lost its shine and had become dull and difficult to clean which was mainly due to the holes that had appeared in the surface of the Travertine where dirt had become ground in and trapped. This is a common problem with all Travertine stone, the holes are natural and usually filled at the factory but due to wear and tear over time and the use of acidic cleaning products the filler can become dislodged. The small holes gave the floor an unsightly appearance and become magnets to dirt.

Polished Travertine Kitchen Floor Before Polishing Abthorpe Towcester

We find the best way to restore the shine is to apply a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads, they take off the layer of dirt and then slowly build a resilient polish on the surface; however, to get the best results we would need to fill the holes in the Travertine.

Burnishing and Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Floor

I gave the floor a sweep to remove any loose dirt and grit and started with the application of the first pad which is a coarse 400-grit and designed to remove minor scratches, old sealers and ingrained dirt. The pads fit a 17” buffer machine and is applied with water to lubricate the process, then once the pad has been applied to each tile the floor is rinsed with water and the resultant slurry is extracted using a wet vacuum.

Before moving onto the second pad in the set I gave the grout lines a clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was scrubbed into the grout using a stiff narrow brush. The pads can struggle to reach into the recessed grout lines, so I usually find this is the best way to get the grout clean.

Polished Travertine Dining Room Floor Before Polishing Abthorpe Towcester

The floor was given another rinse with water and then I continued to work through the medium 800-grit and then fine 1500-grit pads rinsing with water and then extracting the slurry with a wet vacuum after each pad.

The Travertine was now clean and after drying with fans I commenced the task of filling the holes with stone filler that matched the natural colour of the stone as close as possible, in this case the colour we opted for to achieve the best match was Straw. These activities took up most of the day so once I was done filling I left for the day, so the filler and floor could dry out thoroughly overnight.

Polished Travertine Holes Filled Before Polishing Abthorpe Towcester

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

I returned the following day and started by completing the polishing process by applying the last 3000-grit very fine burnishing pad with the 17” rotary machine, the pad is applied dry with a small amount of water sprayed on the floor as you go along. With the floor now fully dry and the filled holes polished flat the last step was to apply the sealer which will protect the floor going forwards.

Polished Travertine Kitchen Floor After Polishing Abthorpe Towcester

With Travertine floors I usually recommend Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing sealer or Ultra-Seal which is a natural look sealer. On this occasion the client preferred the natural look, so I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal and along with the previous polishing the floor now look transformed.

Professional Travertine Tiled Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Travertine Floor Tiles Filled and Polished in Abthorpe Near Towcester Read More »

Honed Limestone Kitchen Floor Restoration – Upper Boddington, Daventry

1 Comment / Daventry Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work History / Philip Vissian / Daventry, hallway, Honed Limestone, Kitchen Floor, Limestone Restoration, northamptonshire, Stone Polishing, tile cleaning, timber framed house, Upper Boddington

The following photos show a recent job we undertook at a timber framed house in the village of Upper Boddington, just south of Daventry. The client was having a new kitchen installed but didn’t want to replace the floor as it was generally in good condition, just dull with some staining and general wear and tear.

As the photos show the kitchen units had already been removed and as the tiles were wall to wall this was an ideal time to have this work carried out as the kitchen was being reconfigured and the customer wanted the floor to look uniform throughout, we also included the hallway in the cleaning process.

Honed Limestone Floor Before Restoration Upper Boddington

Burnishing and Cleaning Polished Limestone Tiles

With tiles made of Limestone, Travertine, Marble and other high quality polished stone, we find that the best way to restore appearance is through a process known as burnishing and in the before photo you will see the specialised grinding and polishing equipment we use to achieve brilliant results and a professional finish.

As the tiles were worn and stained in the high traffic areas we applied Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which had been diluted and decanted into a pump-up sprayer. After leaving it to soak in for ten minutes it was scrubbed into the tile and grout using a rotary floor machine and a stiff brush. This was followed by washing and rinsing of floors with water and extracting the soil with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to apply a full set of Tile Doctor Stone Burnishing pads from 200 grit, 400 grit, 800 grit and finishing with 1500 grit for a honed look. We worked through the pads in 10 metre sections at a time lubricating with water and rinsing with water between each pad.

The kitchen and hallway floors were then allowed to dry out fully overnight.

Sealing Polished Limestone Tiles

The next day I returned to the property and completed the polishing process by applying the very fine 3000 grit burnishing pad with a little water and leaves a high shine finish.

The floor was then sealed with three coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal, which is a premium, natural look, impregnating sealer designed to provide maximum stain protection without altering the colour of the stone. The sealer takes an hour to dry and with three coats to apply it took most of the day to finish.

Honed Limestone Floor After Restoration Upper Boddington

The customer was happy with the results and left the following 5-star review on our site.

“Superb Service Chris P, Daventry”

Professional Cleaning, Polishing and Sealing of a Honed Limestone Floor in Northamptonshire

Honed Limestone Kitchen Floor Restoration – Upper Boddington, Daventry Read More »

Pitted Travertine Floor Tiles Filled and Polished in Rushden

1 Comment / Rushden Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Bathroom, Filling Travertine, hallway, Holes in Travertine, kitchen, northamptonshire, Pitted Travertine, Polishing Travertine, Rushden, Stone Cleaning, tile cleaning

Not only do we carry out the deep cleaning and restoration of all types of natural stone, we can also carry out repairs such as the filling of holes in stone, whether it be limestone, marble or as in this case Travertine. Travertine in particular is prone to a natural process of erosion know as pitting, this results in holes developing that easily fill up with dirt and muck over time and can be a real problem to maintain.

Pitted Travertine Before Filled Polished Rushden

This customer in Rushden called me in, as he felt the floor hadn’t been properly maintained since it had been installed twelve years prior and he was becoming concerned about the number of holes and pits that were appearing in the high traffic areas. The Travertine tiles had been laid in the hallway, kitchen and upstairs bathroom of the property but the problem was most apparent in the Kitchen.

Burnishing and Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Floor

To get the floors clean and restore the polished appearance of the Travertine I decided to apply a set of Tile Doctor diamond encrusted burnishing pads. The process involves the application of four different pads applied in sequence from coarse to very fine, rinsing in-between each pad to remove dirt. As the floor had been installed in the Kitchen and the Hallway it made sense to split the work into two parts and work on each area separately.

The first pad is a coarse 400 grit pad that is attached to a rotary machine running at slow speed and with only water for lubrication. The pad is applied to the stone to removes minor scratches, sealers and dirt. It’s run over the entire floor and afterwards the floor is rinsed with water which is then extracted with the soil using a wet-vacuum.

I then repeated this same procedure with the second pad, which is a Medium 800 grit pad used to remove dirt from minor scratches and holes in the stone. After rinsing again, I went onto the third burnishing pad in the sequence which is a Fine 1500 grit pad that starts to rebuild the polish on the Travertine. I gave the floor another rinse and used the wet vacuum again to extract the water and soil from the floor. The last 3,000 grit super fine pad was then applied with a small amount of water sprayed onto the floor, this last pad really builds a nice shine on the stone.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Once the burnishing process was completed the floor was left to dry off fully overnight and I came back the next day to continue with the work. I took a few moisture readings to confirm the floor was dry and then applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow to seal the tiles. Colour Grow is a colour enhancing sealer that impregnates into the pores of the stone protecting it from within and improving the natural colours of the stone in the process. I particularly like to use it on Travertine as it really does bring out the brown shades in the stone.

Filling Holes in a Travertine Tiled Floor

Once the first coat of sealant had dried I started the work to fill the holes throughout the installation using appropriate colours of stone filler resin. I purposely delayed doing this until the first coat of sealer was in place in order to prevent excess resin from being absorbed into the tile and causing unwanted staining. There were quite a few holes to fill so it took a while to complete, the filler also needs several hours to dry and harden even when assisted with a fan. Excess filler is then polished off using a 17” rotary scrubbing machine fitted with a white polishing pad and any dust is carefully vacuumed up before applying a second coat of sealer. The floor was then allowed to dry before a final polish with a new 3000 grit pad to achieve a high sine finish.

Once the cleaning process was complete and the first coat of sealant had dried I then commenced the repair work by filling all holes throughout using appropriate colours of stone filler resin, the first coat of sealant is to stop the excess resin from being absorbed into the tile and causing staining, the filler is allowed to dry and harden for several hours assisted with a fan on site. Excess filler is then polished off using a 17” rotary scrubbing machine and a white buffing pad. Any dust is carefully vacuumed up before applying a second coat of sealant. This is then allowed to dry before a final polish with a new 3000 grit burnishing pad to achieve a deep sine finish.

Pitted Travertine After Filled Polished Rushden

I’m not sure the photographs really show off the transformation that I had managed to achieve, however my customer was certainly happy and left me the following glowing review via the Tile Doctor feedback system.

My hall and kitchen floor has been down for 12 years and has been a high traffic area. The Tile Doctor has literally made it look like new again. Holes filled, smooth, shiny and new again! My fully tiled bathroom has also been rejuvenated, wall tiles, shower tiles and floor tiles. The water now beads on the tiles like a freshly waxed car, and the walk-in shower has been perfectly resealed. Money very well spent.
Thank you so much! Mr.J. White, Rushden

It’s always nice to get feedback like that, it really does make your efforts feel appreciated.

Professional Travertine Tiled Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Pitted Travertine Floor Tiles Filled and Polished in Rushden Read More »

Ceramic Tile Grout Before and After Cleaning in Rushden

Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned is a Rushden Sun Room

1 Comment / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Rushden Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Deep Cleaning, Dog Soiling, grout cleaning, northamptonshire, Rushden, Sun Room

A customer from Rushden which is a large town in the east side of Northamptonshire, and my home town asked me to take a look at the Ceramic tile and grout in his Sun room. He has a large dog that sleeps on the sofa in this room and over the years the dog has walked in mud which has slowly degraded the grout lines and I suspect had probably never been sealed correctly or sealed at all.

The glazing on Ceramic tile is very resilient so we usually find it’s the grout discolouring that becomes most noticeable first due to the cementitious top layer which can trap dirt. In this case the Ceramic tiles had dulled over the years and as you might expect the white grout lines had become soiled and were almost black in places.

Ceramic Tile and Grout Before Cleaning Rushden Sun Room

Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout Before Cleaning Rushden Sun Room

Deep Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout

To get the tile and grout clean the floor was first soaked in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and this was left to dwell for ten minutes. A rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad was then used to scrub the cleaning solution into the tile and release the dirt. The pad can struggle to reach the recessed grout so to ensure this was also clean it was given a good scrub with a narrow stiff brush.

Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout During Cleaning Rushden Sun Room

We then used a spinning tool which forces hot water under high pressure onto the floor whilst simultaneously extracting the dirty water with a powerful vacuum. The objective of this action is to power wash the floor whilst rinsing and extracting the dirty cleaning solution at the same time.

We inspected the grout lines and stubborn stains were treated with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which was scrubbed in with hand brushes, this was then rinsed a second time until we were happy with the results. Grout Clean-Up is an acidic product that is particularly good at removing grout smears which can form a haze over a tile reducing its brilliance.

We then polished the floor with a white buffing pad and allowed the floor to dry overnight before returning the following day to apply Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal to all grout lines.

The furniture was too large and heavy for the customer to move out of the room, which was on a lower level than the rest of the ground floor. As a result, it was necessary to clean the floor in sections moving the furniture around the room on pads as needed.

Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout After Cleaning Rushden Sun Room

The Sun room floor look great afterwards, the grout especially looked clean and the sealer should ensure it stays that way for some time to come.

Deep Cleaning Ceramic Tile and Grout in Northamptonshire

Ceramic Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned is a Rushden Sun Room Read More »

Bleach-Damaged Slate Poolhouse Tiles Restored in Oundle

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Oundle Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf / calcium deposits, northamptonshire, Oundle, Oundle Tile Cleaning, Oundle Tile Sealing, Pool Tile Cleaning, Pool Tile Sealing, slate tile cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning in Oundle, Slate Tile Restoration in Oundle, Slate Tile Sealing, Slate Tile Sealing in Oundle

This very nice house in a village near Oundle in Northamptonshire features something we don’t see too often in residential property – an indoor swimming pool. The pool is surrounded by some very complementary and rustic looking Slate tiles which act as the flooring in the poolhouse.

Slate Tiled Pool Surround Oundle Village Before Cleaning

However, over the years, the Slate tiles had been badly damaged by the chlorine bleach which is used to sterilise the pool water. The cumulative effect of people splashing water onto the tiles or walking around wet on the floor had caused the sealant to break down and the bleach had left a white blotchiness on the stone. I was asked to rectify the situation by deep cleaning the tiles, resurfacing some of the damaged stone, and applying a fresh sealant.

Cleaning Bleach-Damaged Slate Tiles

My first course of action in restoring these tiles was to clean the entire floor using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is a strong alkaline-based cleaner for most types of natural stone. This product was scrubbed into the tiles using a stiff brush fitted to a rotary machine. After cleaning, I rinsed the floor with fresh water and used a wet vacuum to soak up the resulting slurry. Although the pool was protected with a cover I had to take care not to allow any of my cleaning water to contaminate the pool.

Slate Tiled Pool Surround Oundle Village During Cleaning

The process was effective in removing most of the white calcium deposits caused by the bleach, but not all of them. I tackled the more embedded stains with Tile Doctor Acid Gel, which is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids which treats stubborn smears such as these. The gel was brushed onto the tiles and left to dwell for 15 minutes, and then agitated using a black stripping pad fitted to a rotary machine.

After rinsing the floor again, I found that there were yet still stubborn stains remaining that didn’t respond to chemical cleaning. I decided that removing these would necessitate a more aggressive approach, and so used a set of diamond-encrusted burnishing pads to literally remove the damaged layer of stone and resurface the face of some of the badly damaged tiles.

Sealing Slate Tiles

The tiles were left to dry overnight after being cleaned and repaired. The next day, I returned to the property to applying the fresh sealant. For this I used Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a sealant which impregnates the stone to provide maximum protection and enhances its natural colours.

Slate Tiled Pool Surround Oundle Village After Cleaning

The customer was very impressed with the result and was very much keen to make sure the tiles remained in such good condition, so I made sure to provide the groundsman with instructions on routine maintenance.

I informed him that each time the pool is used the entire area needs to be hosed and brushed down as no sealer can withstand continuous exposure to chlorine bleach. I also left a complementary tin of Colour Grow sealant with him for periodic top-ups, as well as information on the yearly maintenance plan we offer at Tile Doctor.

Professional Removal of Calcium Deposits from Slate Pool House Tiles in Northamptonshire

Bleach-Damaged Slate Poolhouse Tiles Restored in Oundle Read More »

Neglected Egyptian Marble Patio Transformed in Bozeat

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf / Bozeat, Bozeat Tile Cleaning, Bozeat Tile Sealing, Egyptian Marble Patio Cleaning, Egyptian Marble Patio Sealing, Marble Patio Cleaning, Marble Patio Sealing, northamptonshire, Rust Removal

Patios are particularly difficult to keep clean as they are continuously exposed to the elements fortunately Tile Doctor specialises in cleaning and restoring all different types of natural stone internal and external.

I was recently asked to restore a patio at a house in Bozeat, a village in Northamptonshire. The patio was consisted of both floor tiles and walls, and was made of a rather uncommon stone: Egyptian-style Marble.

The customer had clearly taken pride in the presentation and aesthetic of his garden but, having a concentrated on other projects for the past couple of years, he had neglected to preserve the condition of patio. Making matters worse, the patio had never been sealed, and this had allowed dirt and moss to become ingrained in the stone. The customer was also concerned by a large rust mark left on the stone where old garden furniture had been sitting.

Egyptian Marble Patio Path Bozeat Before Cleaning

Rust Stained Egyptian Marble Patio Bozeat Before Cleaning

Upon my first visit to the property, I carried out a test clean on a small patch of Marble using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is a high-alkaline cleaner that we find particularly reliable to use on natural stone. The customer was very impressed by the sudden improvement in the condition of the test patch. I also tested a new product by the name of Tile Doctor Rust Away, which is a non-acidic rust remover. Amazingly, the product helped to reduce the rust stain by about 90%.

The full restoration was booked in to take place within a fortnight.

Cleaning an Egyptian Marble Patio

The first part of the restoration involved cleaning the entire patio with Pro Clean, although I worked one small section at a time. The product was worked into the stone using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. The resulting slurry was rinsed away using a Honda Petrol jet washer and a spinning tool, leaving the patio clear of most of the dirty, algae and moss.

Next, I treated the entire rust stain with Rust Away. The product was scrubbed in using a handheld brush and left to dwell for a few minutes, before I rinsed the area with the jet washer and spinning tool. The stone had a matte finish, but to remove the deeper staining, I needed to use a set of three diamond-encrusted burnishing pads, which we typically use for polishing stone and removing light scratches and marks.

Sealing an Egyptian Marble Patio

Luckily, the weather proved to be good, so I could return to the property the following day to seal the patio, including the walls, with Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal, which is an impregnating, natural-look sealer designed to ensure maximum stain protection.

Egyptian Marble Patio Bozeat After Cleaning

The photos really do speak for themselves, showing the amazing results and transformation of the garden. I left the happy customer with some maintenance instructions to keep the appearance of stone up as it is exposed to the elements.

Egyptian Marble Patio Path Bozeat After Cleaning

Professional Restoration of an Egyptian Marble Patio in Northamptonshire

Neglected Egyptian Marble Patio Transformed in Bozeat Read More »

Restoring a Riven Slate Patio Suffering from Grout Haze in Wollaston

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Rushden Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf / Builder, grout haze, northamptonshire, Northants, patio, Riven, Slate, tiled, Wollaston

This customer, who lives in Wollaston, a small village in Northamptonshire, called me to look at the unfortunate condition of her Riven Slate tiled patio. She had hired a builder to install it, but he had neglected to remove the grout haze which had occurred quickly enough, allowing it to set. He was subsequently unable to remove the haze because he had already sealed over it. This had left it looking very unsightly, as you can see in the photo below.

Newly Laid Riven Slate Patio Wollaston Before Cleaning

The customer initially contacted me back in December 2016. At that time, I did explain to the customer that the Winter wouldn’t be an ideal time to restore the patio, and that it would be best to carry out the work in the Spring. However, she was so unhappy with the appearance of the patio and – knowing she had guests coming over for Christmas – wanted something to be done to improve the condition of the tiles as soon as possible.

It was agreed that I would immediately carry out the removal of the old sealer and the grout haze beneath, but leave the re-sealing until the Spring of the following year when the weather was dry. The customer understood that when I returned in the Spring, the patio would require another light clean and brush to prepare it for sealing.

To put the customer’s mind at rest somewhat, I carried out a test clean on one slab of the patio using Tile Doctor impregnating, colour intensifying sealer, known as Colour Grow. This darkened the tile and provided a natural look finish, which was preferred by the customer. I also returned to the property several days later to carry out a water repellency test, but as you can see from the photo below, the rain beat me to it. Thankfully, the repellency test had positive results.

Newly Laid Riven Slate Patio Wollaston Testi Cleaning

I was then able to begin the cleaning process.

Cleaning and Sealing a Riven Slate Tiled Patio

To begin, I removed the old sealer using a strong mix of Tile Doctor Remove & Go, which is a stripper and cleaner. This product was scrubbed into the tiles with a rotary brush machine. Net, I rinsed away the resulting slurry and soaked up the water with a wet vax machine.

This initial clean exposed the true extent of the grout haze – it was over all every tile! My next course of action was therefore to remove this using Tile Doctor Acid Gel, which is a gel cleaner specially formulated to neutralise grout haze. This was allowed to dwell for a short period before I brushed it in.

Newly Laid Riven Slate Patio Wollaston During Cleaning

Following this, I gave the whole area a second brush with a small amount of water, before using a wet vax machine once again to make sure all cleaning chemicals were removed. I used the customer’s hosepipe to rinse down the entire patio as there was good drainage.

Newly Laid Riven Slate Patio Wollaston After 2nd Cleaning

I allowed the tiles to dry out naturally, before waited for a dry day in April this year to return to the property. During this day, I sealed the entire area with Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to really deepen the colour in the stone and provide the whole patio long-lasting protection against the elements.

Newly Laid Riven Slate Patio Wollaston After 1st Coat

The customer was exceptionally happy to have the patio restored to perfect condition. I’m sure she’ll make great use of it over the Summer!

Newly Laid Riven Slate Patio Wollaston Completed

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Patio Restoration in Northants

Restoring a Riven Slate Patio Suffering from Grout Haze in Wollaston Read More »

Dull and Dirty Slate Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Little Harrowden

1 Comment / Slate Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / Cleaned, Cottage, Dirty, Little Harrowden, northamptonshire, Sealed, Slate, Tiles, Wellingborough

The problems with not maintaining a natural stone floor properly are manifold. The build-up of ingrained dirt and muck is not just unhygienic, it also makes the stone appear dull and discoloured – and for many property owners, this can completely ruin the character of a room.

Here’s an example of a very dull and lacklustre Slate tiled floor at a small cottage in Little Harrowden, which is tiny village of less than 1,000 people situated roughly three miles north-west of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire. The owner was concerned that the poor condition of the floor was making the feel kitchen narrow and confined, and so she called me to help with brightening it up with a deep clean and seal. Achieving a sheen finish would help to reflect the natural light that comes into the room.

Slate Floor Before Cleaning in Little Harrowden Wellingborough

Cleaning a Dirty Slate Tiled Floor

I began the restoration by masking up the edges of the room and applying a clear silicon to the base boards of the kitchen units to prevent any water damage.

My choice of cleaner was Tile Doctor Oxy Gel, which is a strong alkaline-based gel cleaner. It’s like Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which is also alkaline-based, except it sticks to the tile due to its consistency and so it’s excellent for cleaning vertical surfaces such as bathroom walls. On this occasion, I wanted to use Oxy Gel to keep the amount of water I needed to use to a minimum. Since this was an old cottage there were a few damp issues that I wanted to avoid exacerbating.

I spread the Oxy Gel out evenly over half of the floor, before agitating it with rotary brushes. I allowed this to dwell for 10 minutes before adding a small amount of water and agitating the floor again, this time paying attention to the grout lines, which were very badly soiled. This process was subsequently carried out over the rest of the floor.

Slate Floor During Cleaning in Little Harrowden Wellingborough

I wet-vaxed each area after completion of the process and then wet-vaxed the entire floor again to neutralise the tiles and remove any remaining product. The floor was then left to dry overnight.

Sealing a Slate Tiled Floor

Returning to the property the following day, I took damp meter readings to see if the tiles were dry enough to be sealed. As I mentioned, the floor had some damp issues so this was important to check. I did, in fact, have to use a heat gun to finish drying a few damp areas of grout.

Once satisfied, I sealed the Slate with Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra, which is a breathable water-based sealer, which is ideal in situations where no damp proof membrane is present or where there are damp issues. Once dry, the sealer provides an aesthetically pleasing light sheen finish.

Slate Floor During Sealing in Little Harrowden Wellingborough

As you can see from the photo below, the deep clean and fresh seal really helped to improve the patina of this Slate tiled floor, helping the entire kitchen feel brighter and more spacious. Another satisfied client!

Slate Floor After Cleaning and Sealing in Little Harrowden Wellingborough

Professional Cleaning and Sealing for a Dirty Slate Tiled Floor in Wellingborough

Dull and Dirty Slate Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Little Harrowden Read More »

Cleaning and Grouting Sandstone Patio Paving in Kettering

1 Comment / Kettering Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / External, kettering, Natural Stone, northamptonshire, patio, Paving, pressure washing, Sandstone

At the start of the year we usually get asked to restore the appearance of patios and other outside areas which have suffered from the staining of autumn leaves and the ravages of winter cold snaps. Most patios are quite straight forward to maintain however when you’re dealing natural stone then it’s best to call in your local Tile Doctor to ensure nothing is applied to the stone that could damage it.

Such was the case with this four-year-old Sandstone Patio at a house in the town of Kettering. Unfortunately, it was not sealed when it was first installed and the combination of weather and UV sunlight had faded the tiles, this together with general soiling had greatly affected the appearance of this beautiful stone and could almost have been mistaken for concrete slabs.

Sandstone Patio Before Cleaned Re-grouted and Sealed Kettering

Maintaining Sandstone Patio Paving

My first course of action was to lightly spray the area with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a powerful tile cleaning product that is safe to use on Stone. The solution was allowed to soak in for a while before being agitated with a brush to bring out the dirt. This was followed by pressure washing with a spinning tool at a medium pressure so as to not damage the stone.

Once dry I re-grouted the entire area and then sealed with Tile Doctor Colour Grow Sealant which is a impregnating breathable product (essential for damp environments) that also enhances the natural colours of the stone.

Sandstone Patio After Cleaned Re-grouted and Sealed Kettering

Within hours of finishing the customer came home and called me straight away to say he couldn’t believe the transformation that was achieved and they looked better than when they were first laid.

Sandstone Patio Maintenance in Northamptonshire

Cleaning and Grouting Sandstone Patio Paving in Kettering Read More »

Black Limestone Shower Cubicle Before and After Cleaning Everdon Vilage

Removing Limescale staining from a Black Limestone Shower Cubicle in Everdon

1 Comment / Bathroom Tile Cleaning, Daventry Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work History / TileProf / everdon village, limescale removal, limestone tiles, northamptonshire, shower cubicle, tile cleaning, tile sealing

Limescale deposits are a big problem in many parts of the UK where hard water is common. To remove it you need to use a strong acidic cleaner however what to do if you have limescale deposits on Limestone? As many may already know, Limestone is an expensive, high-quality stone that like a lot of natural stone is acid sensitive and can be damaged with the application of acid-based products.

Black Limestone Shower Cubicle Before Cleaning Everdon Vilage

You can use acids on Limestone however if your careful and I demonstrated this recently at a property in this village of Everdon near Daventry in Northamptonshire. My customer had a fantastic black Limestone tiled shower cubicle that had been absolutely ruined by white limescale staining and it had reached the point where the situation simply couldn’t be resolved with standard cleaning products.

Cleaning and Burnishing a Stained Black Limestone Shower Cubicle

As the staining was so severe, I opted to use Tile Doctor Acid Gel to clean the tiles. This is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in gel form and is the best product for cleaning vertical services, since water based products just run off and don’t have time to work on the staining.

Working in small areas, I carefully scrubbed the product into the stone and then rinsed it off with plain water. This process was repeated across the whole cubicle, reducing the stains significantly in the process.

Next, I used a handheld polishing machine fitted with 6” diamond encrusted burnishing pads, along with some water for lubrication, to polish and deep clean the stone, removing any stubborn stains remaining on the tiles.

Sealing a Black Limestone Shower Cubicle

I left the cubicle to dry completely overnight. Upon my return the next day, I proceeded to seal the tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer.

This sealer is impregnating, meaning it fils the pores of stone to protect against ingrained dirt and staining. As well as providing stone protection, Colour Grow also enhances the natural colour in the stone – in this case, the deep black shades in the Limestone.

Black Limestone Shower Cubicle After Cleaning Everdon Vilage

Having finished the job, I gave the very happy customer some advice on keeping limescale and other staining at bay in future. I explained that proper maintenance can be conducted by simply rinsing the tiles with clean water after each use of the shower, and by using Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro tile aftercare cleaner at least once a week.

Professional Limescale Removal from Acid Sensitive Stone in Northamptonshire

Removing Limescale staining from a Black Limestone Shower Cubicle in Everdon Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Northampton Before and After Repair and Cleaning

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Northampton

1 Comment / Northampton Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / hallway, northampton, northamptonshire, tile cleaning, tile sealing, Victorian tiles

The photographs below are from a Victorian tiled hallway floor at a house in Northampton where I was called in by the owner to inspect the floor for restoration, deep cleaning and re-setting of all loose tiles covering around 3sq metres.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Northampton Before Repair and Cleaning

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Northampton Before Showing Loose Tiles

Cleaning Victorian Tiles

The initial process was to vacuum and remove any loose debris before applying Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel to the entire area. Oxy-Gel is a strong alkaline based gel cleaner/stripper which is safe to use on tile and grout and being gel based it’s very easy to control. The gel was left to get to work on the dirt for ten minutes before being scrubbed into the tile with a black stripping pad fixed to a rotary floor machine. The resultant slurry and dirt was then rinsed with water and removed using a wet vacuum. The floor now free of dirt and old sealers was now prepared ready for repairs and re-grouting.

Grouting Victorian Tiles

The next step was to remove small sections of loose tiles and then re-fixing and re-grouting as required. We took care to replace tiles into their original position to ensure they sat together correctly. Once the section was replaced I removed the tiles in the next section and repeated this process until the 3sq metres of loose tiles were all reinstalled.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Northampton During Repair

I allowed the grout to dry for a few hours before polishing off excess grout with a cloth and removing difficult grout smears with a weak solution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. The floor was then rinsed again using water to remove any trace of products and then dried using the wet vacuum.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Northampton After Repair Closeup

Sealing Victorian Tiles

I returned a few days later to ensure the floor was completely dry as dampness can be issue with this type of tile, I then vacuumed the floor and gave it a light clean with Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner to make sure it was spotless before sealing.

Once the floor had dried I took damp readings and when satisfied the floor was dry again I applied three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow Sealant for a light sheen finish and to enhance the natural colour of the floor. Colour grow is a penetrating sealer that protects from within by soaking into the pores of the tile stopping dirt from becoming ingrained there, it also enhances colour.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Northampton After Repair and Cleaning

Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Northampton Read More »

Polished Limestone Floor Before Ater Cleaning Ashton Village

Polished Limestone Tiles Burnished and Restored Near Oundle

1 Comment / Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Oundle Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / kitchen, limestone tiles, living room, northamptonshire, Oundle, polishing, tile cleaning, tile sealing

Limestone is known on the international market to be a stone of premium quality, durability and toughness, and Limestone tiles give any property a high-end wow factor when they are looking their best. To maintain that appearance however does require some work and this is where Tile Doctor is happy to assist.

This Polished Limestone tiled floor had been installed four years prior in the kitchen and living room of a house in Ashton Village, near Oundle in Northamptonshire. The tiles had lost their shine and the grout had become dirty and stained and the floor in general was proving to be increasingly difficult to clean.

Polished Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Ashton Village

This is a common problem with polished stone floors, the surface polish and sealer wear down over time allowing dirt to penetrate. At a loss with what to do to restore the appearance of the floor, the property owner called me in to give the Limestone a professional-level clean, seal and polish.

Burnishing and Cleaning Polished Limestone Tiles

With tiles made of Limestone, Travertine, Marble and other high quality polished stone, we find that the best way to restore appearance is through a process known as burnishing.

Our burnishing system involves the application of four different diamond encrusted pads. Working in small sections of between four and six square metres, I applied the first pad, which uses a coarse grit to remove light scratches and dirt, followed by a pad with a medium grit pad to prepare the floor for polishing. Next, I used the third pad with a fine grit to start the polishing process.

Before moving on to the fourth and final pad, I cleaned the grout lines using handheld brushes in combination with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is a high alkaline tile and grout cleaner that is safe to use on tiled floor. The floor was rinsed and the soiled cleaning solution extracted using a wet vacuum.

Sealing Polished Limestone Tiles

Following this, I allowed the floor to dry completely overnight. Upon my return to the property the next day, I used the fourth pad, which uses a Very Fine grit is to give the stone a high shine finish.

The floor was then ready to be sealed with Tile Doctor Ultra Seal, which is a premium, natural look, impregnating sealer designed to provide maximum stain protection. This was allowed to dry for an hour, before I then re-polished the tiles to remove any excess sealer and to refine the finish the absolute best quality possible.

Polished Limestone Floor Ater Cleaning Ashton Village

The benefit of the burnishing pad system is that no chemicals are used (just a small amount of water for lubricant) so it is environmentally-friendly. I recommend the customer to use Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner in the future to provide quick and effective maintenance. She was very pleased with the results and now she will be well-equipped to keep the floor in fantastic shape.

Professional Tile Cleaning, Polishing and Sealing for a Polished Limestone Tiled Floor Restoration near Oundle

Polished Limestone Tiles Burnished and Restored Near Oundle Read More »

Badly Stained and Pitted Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Helmdon

1 Comment / Silverstone Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / helmdon, kitchen, northamptonshire, tile cleaning, tile sealing, travertine tiles

The following pictures show the amazing results that can be achieved with a badly stained and pitted Travertine floor. Covering an area of approximately 40m2 the tiles had been laid four years earlier in the Kitchen and Hallway of a house in Helmdon Village. The sealer had since worn off and dirt had become ground into the pores of the stone making it very difficult to clean effectively. Travertine does look amazing but does need to be sealed to keep it looking that way.

Travertine Kitchen Tiles Before Cleaning Helmdon

The first few photos show the floor before any cleaning was undertaken and the customers kitchen units which we had wrapped to protect against any splashing. We always take great carewhen working in peoples homes to avoid any damage and we advise that as much furniture as possible is removed from the area to be cleaned. In this case the client was unable to move the large table as they had nowhere to store it fortunately we carry specialist furniture sliders to allow us to move furniture backwards and forwards during cleaning so were able to work around it.

Travertine Kitchen Tiles Before Cleaning Helmdon Showing Pitting

Cleaning a stained Travertine tiled floor

The floor was cleaned using a combination of Tile Doctor Burnishing Pads and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean with a stiff brush to clean out embedded soil in the tile pits and grout lines, I also carried out some repairs to missing grout along the edges and around the oak beams to match the existing colours.

The Burnishing pads are applied individually to each tile in sequence starting with acoarse pad and finishing withthe fine pad. The floor is rinsed in-between each pad and the resulting residue extracted from the floor using a wet vacuum. The pads are encrusted with diamonds and are ideal for bringing back the finish of stone surfaces like Travertine.

Travertine Kitchen Tiles During Cleaning Helmdon

The picture above should give you an idea of the machinery required to achieve professional results.

Sealing a Travertine tiled floor

Before leaving for the day the floor was given a final rinse with water and as much water and moisture as possible was extracted from the floor using the wet vacuum. When we returned the next day the floor had dried and we were able to apply the sealer. On this occasion we used Tile Doctor Colour Grow was applied to both the Travertine tiles and the grout lines, not only will this protect both the tile and grout from staining Colour Grow also enhances the natural colour and beauty of the stone.

Travertine Kitchen Tiles After Cleaning Helmdon

The owner of the property was very happy with the result and left the following comment on the Tile Doctor feedback system, I always appreciate it when clients take the trouble to do that.

“Phil was at all times pleasant to talk to, professional in his approach and accommodating of our needs. Worked very well. Richard , Helmdon”

Stained and Pitted Travertine Kitchen Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Badly Stained and Pitted Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Helmdon Read More »

Renovating Victorian Hallway Tiles in Finedon

Century-old Victorian Tiled Floor Rejuvenated in Finedon

1 Comment / Victorian Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / finedon, hallway, northamptonshire, tile cleaning, tile sealing, Victorian tiles

Finedon is a small civil parish in Northamptonshire with a big history. At the time the Domesday Book was complete in the late 11th century, the town was, in fact, a large royal manor held by the wife of Edward the Confessor.

In subsequent centuries the town has experienced a rich history and many of the current houses were built during the Victorian period (1837-1901). It came as little surprise to me, then, to get a call from a customer in the town who had recently found an original Victorian tiled floor underneath the carpet in her house.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Cleaning in Finedon

The tiles were well over a century old. They had been covered by carpet for several years at least, and once unearthed they are clearly covered in paint and other debris from renovation work that had been carried out. Naturally, the customer was keen to restore the appearance of the tiles and so she called me, the local Tile Doctor, to get the job done.

Cleaning an Original Victorian Tiled Floor

You can see from the photos above that the floor was in quite a state – it took a whole day to clean. The floor area was only around eight metres squared, but it took two litres of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and three litres of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to get it clean. Remove and Go is a very strong stripper that will just about shift any type of dirt or stain, while Tile Doctor Pro-Clean is a reliable high alkaline cleaner both products are designed for use on natural stone.

Once all the dirt, stains and paint splashes were removed, I washed down the floor with fresh water to neutralise the chemicals. I then installed some equipment to assist the drying process overnight, allowing the tiles to be sealed the next day.

There were also some cracks and missing grout that I replaced, along with some several loose tiles that I refitted.

Victorian Tiled Floor During Cleaning in Finedon

Sealing an Original Victorian Tiled Floor

I returned to the property the next day to seal the floor. To do this I used two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which provides robust protection and the quality matte finish the customer had requested.

As the name suggests, it also enhances the natural colours in the tiles, restoring character to this original feature. For a more traditional look, one litre of sealer was sufficient.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Cleaning in Finedon

Looking at the photos, you can see the huge improvement made over two days of work. One hundred years of wear and tear alleviated in 48 hours! The customer was thrilled.

100 Year Old Original Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Northamptonshire

Century-old Victorian Tiled Floor Rejuvenated in Finedon Read More »

Burnishing Travertine Tiles To Restore Lustre in Staverton

1 Comment / Daventry Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / northamptonshire, staverton, tile cleaning, tile sealing, travertine tiles

Travertine is a highly coveted and popular choice for tiled floors – and it’s easy to see why. At peak condition, it’s one of the most beautiful and eye-catching types of tile that is available. However, the appearance of the stone tends to suffer heavily from a natural process of corrosion know as pitting, which results in small holes developing that easily fill up with dirt and muck over time. This ingrained dirt is particularly difficult to remove with domestic, supermarket-quality cleaning products.

This customer, who lives in Staverton, near Daventry in Northamptonshire, was very concerned that his Travertine tiled floor had lost its former lustre and shine due to pitting issues, continued foot traffic, and the fact that the sealant has lost its performance over the last few years and hadn’t been topped up. Dirt had therefore been allowed to penetrate both the grout and stone making it look dull and uninviting.

Travertine tile before burnishing Steverton

A quote was issued and accepted to restore the floor to its former glory. It was agreed the work would best be carried out whilst the customer was away on a short break with his family.

Burnishing and Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Floor

I decided the best course of action to bring the floor back to its former glory would be to hone and polish the stone with Tile Doctor diamond encrusted burnishing pads. Our burnishing process involves removal of a very thin layer of the top surface of the stone using four pads of different grits.

The first pad has a Coarse 400 grit. It is attached to a rotary machine and, with only water for lubrication, removes minor scratches, sealers, and the top surface dirt. Working in small areas of four-six square metres each, I applied the pad across the the entire floor, rinsing in between eras and picking up the soiled solution with a wet-vac machine.

I then repeated this same procedure with the second pad, which is a Medium 800 grit pad used to remove dirt from minor scratches and holes in the stone. Next, I mixed up some Tile Doctor Pro Clean and sprayed it on the grout lines, which were only lightly soiled, and used hand brushes to clean them. The next burnishing pad I used had a Fine 1500 grit, which is used to start the polishing process.

Following the application of the first three pads, I stopped to allow the area to dry overnight. To get the best results with burnishing, it is best that the tiles are dry as otherwise you won’t achieve the highest level of shine possible. Returning the following day, I proceeded to apply the final Very Fine 3000 grit burnishing pad to achieve a very high quality polished finish.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

Once the burnishing process was completed, I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal to seal the tiles. Ultra Seal is a no-sheen, natural look impregnating sealer designed to provide maximum protection against dirt and stains. The second coat was allowed to dry for an hour before I re-polished the entire floor with a very fine 3000 grit pad to refine the polish even further.

The fantastic results can be seen in the photos below.

The customer was very happy with the result, leaving the following feedback:

“Just wanted to thank you for an excellent job in cleaning and returning our dining room and kitchen floor to its former glory. It looks fantastic! The floor definitely benefits from a more honed/polished finish.”

It’s always nice to get feedback like that, it really does make your efforts feel appreciated.

Professional Travertine Tiled Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Burnishing Travertine Tiles To Restore Lustre in Staverton Read More »

terracotta tiles before and after grout haze removal in cogenhoe

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor with Severe Grout Haze Problem Treated in Cogenhoe

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Northampton Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / cogenhoe, grout cleaning, herringbone style, kitchen, northamptonshire, terracotta tiles, tile cleaning, tile sealing

This newly installed Herringbone-style Terracotta tiled floor in a refurbished kitchen was heavily covered with patches of grout haze. The customer, who lives in the town of Cogenhoe, Northampton informed me that the tiler had supposedly sealed the floor before grouting. If this was true, the grout haze should have been very easy to remove.

However, the tiler had clearly not been entirely truthful as, when I arrived at the property to carry out a test clean, I found very little evidence of any sealer whatsoever. Nonetheless, I found that the grout haze was easily removed using a solution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, a concentrated phosphoric acid cleaner which is designed specifically for the removal of haze, mineral deposits and efflorescence.

Herringbone design terracotta floor before Cogenhoe

These Terracotta tiles were very pitted and the original tiler was correct to fill the small holes with grout to complement the rustic look of the tiles, but he should have taken the correct measures to ensure that a white misty grout haze didn’t appear over the whole area!

The customer was happy for me to proceed with restoring the floor, but also very concerned that her newly installed hand painted kitchen units would be damaged by the chemical cleaning products. I assured her that I would cover them up completely and carry out all work along the plinths by hand.

Removing Grout Haze from Terracotta Tiles

Once on site, I covered the kitchen units to protect them and proceeded to mix up a solution of Grout Clean Up. This was applied firstly around the edges of the floor and scrubbed into the stone by hand using a stiff brush.

Working in areas of four square metres each so as to not the leave the product on the floor too long, I applied the solution to pre-wet the floor ready for the next part of the process. This was to apply Tile Doctor Acid Gel, our blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids, leave it to dwell for a few minutes has then agitate it to neutralise and remove the copious grout haze. Once each area had been treated I rinsed it with water to remove any chemicals.

Herringbone design terracotta floor during Cogenhoe

Sealing Terracotta Tiles

With the entire floor treated, I installed a dehumidifier to help the tiles to dry quickly overnight. The next day I returned to the property to apply two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This is an impregnating sealer which provides robust protection while also lifting the natural shades in the Terracotta.

Each coat was polished in by hand, leaving an hour for drying between coats. I then waited another hour before giving the whole floor a final polish with a buffing machine to remove any excess sealant.

Herringbone design terracotta floor after Cogenhoe

The result achieved in the space of 24 hours was fantastic and the customer was exceptionally pleased. Despite the severity of the grout haze problem, the combination of the right products allowed me to handily resolve it. The addition of a properly applied and top quality sealer will help to ensure the floor is protected from staining, something which is essential in a kitchen.

Resolving Installation Issues with a newly installed Terracotta Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor with Severe Grout Haze Problem Treated in Cogenhoe Read More »

350-Year Old Original Quarry Tiles Salvaged and Restored in Ringstead

1 Comment / Cranford Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / northamptonshire, quarry tiles, ringstead, tile cleaning, tile sealing

It’s not every day that I get to work on a 350-year old property, however, not too long I was contacted by a client who was in the process of renovating one in the village of Ringstead, complete with an original Quarry tiled floor.

After removing the old flooring in the property, the client had discovered a broken-up screed of concrete covering the original tiles, the remnants of which can be seen in the photos below. He proceeded to manually scrape the screed off over the course of several days – successfully removing about 60 per cent of it – but found there to be many stubborn areas and instances where the tiles were badly cracked and would need replacing.

As a passionate renovator, the client treats restoring old properties as a labour of love, and only recruits professional help when he really needs it, so it was a real compliment to be consulted to see if the floor was salvageable. I’ve worked on floors in an equally bad state before so I was confident it could be restored, I provided a quote which was accepted and a date was agreed to start the work.

Cleaning 350-Year Old Quarry Tiles

Upon arriving at the property, my first course of action was to run my rotary machine, fitted with a dry concrete cleaning brush, over the entire area to remove dust and etch the area to allow the cleaning products to permeate the surface of the screed. I then vacuumed the area thoroughly before applying Tile Doctor Acid Gel across the entire area.

Acid Gel is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in gel form which helps to remove inherent grout haze, efflorescence and other stubborn staining. The product was left to dwell for 20 minutes, before I repeated the action with the concrete cleaning brush to work the product into the tiles. Acid Gel was left on for a further 10 minutes and agitated with handheld brushes to clean the stone. Following this, the resulting cleaning slurry was removed with a wet-vac machine.

To complete the cleaning process, I used a long handled scraper to score along the top of the remaining concrete and break it down by applying Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, which is essentially the liquid version of Acid Gel. I carried out this action twice to ensure the removal of all the concrete.

Sealing 350-Year Old Quarry Tiles

The floor was then allowed to dry for 4 days; properties of this age have no damp proof membrane to the this provided time to allow excess moisture to evaporate following the cleaning.

Returning to the property, I ran some quick deal tests to check that the Quarry tiles were ready to sealed. Once I was satisfied with the condition of the floor I proceeded to apply two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, our impregnating, breathable sealant which offers provides robust protection and enhances the natural reddish shades in the Quarry.

The client was very pleased with the results. Our work has helped him massively along the way to the complete renovation of this great property. His long-term plan is to keep the Quarry tiled floor as it is, however when he encloses the area under the stairs he will use the tiles from that area to replace cracked and damaged tiles that are in the centre of the room. If more tiles he intends to source them from a reclamation yard.

Professional Restoration on a antique Quarry Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

350-Year Old Original Quarry Tiles Salvaged and Restored in Ringstead Read More »

Sandstone patio slabs after cleaning Rushden

Stained and Damaged Sandstone Patio Restoration in Rushden

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Rushden Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf / northamptonshire, patio, Rushden, sandstone tiles, tile cleaning, tile sealing

Lichen, moss and other plant-based staining is a common sight on patios exposed to the UK climate. For many property owners, it’s a very difficult task to keep patios looking great in the face of the natural effects of the environment. However always happy to help Tile Doctor is available to provide the professional cleaning and sealing needed on a regular basis.

This Sandstone tiled patio in Rushden was certainly a prime candidate for restoration. Not only was it completely covered in lichen and moss, but it was also cracked in parts and missing grout. The patio would therefore need not only cleaning and sealing, but also re-grouting.

Sandstone patio slabs before cleaning Rushden

Cleaning a Stained and Damaged Sandstone Patio

To begin the restoration, I opted to power jet wash the entire area to remove as much of the initial layers of moss. Then, I mixed a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which is a powerful and reliable alkaline cleaner suitable for use on both internal and external natural stone tiles. This was applied liberally to the patio and scrubbed into the stone to cut through the particularly stubborn stains. The two photos below show the fantastic result.

Re-grouting and Sealing a Sandstone Patio

After completing the cleaning phase, I allowed the patio to dry completely overnight before returning to re-grout the entire area with mortar. To finish off I applied a fresh sealer in the form of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra, which an acrylic-based, fully breathable sealer appropriate for outside use.

The below pictures show the final result. As you can see, it was a complete transformation – and my very happy customer will agree! With the right products and methods, it’s possible to bring new life back to weathered patios.

Professional Sandstone Patio Restoration Northamptonshire

Stained and Damaged Sandstone Patio Restoration in Rushden Read More »

Polished Travertine Tiles with Pitting Issues Restored in Oundle

1 Comment / Oundle Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / northamptonshire, Oundle, tile cleaning, tile sealing, travertine tiles

Although at first glance this Travertine tiled floor in Oundle appeared to be in decent condition, upon closer inspection however it became very clear that it was suffering from significant pitting issues and had become very dull for a polished stone. While they can’t necessarily be seen in the photographs, the floor had hundreds of small holes across the entire area, along with a few hairline settlement cracks in a few particular tiles.

It is natural for Travertine to become pitted and for small holes to appear over time. To give the stone a smooth appearance these holes are filled at the factory; however, in high traffic areas such as kitchens and living rooms these fillers pop out and the holes quickly fill with dirt and grime, making the floor grubby and difficult to clean.

Needless to say the property owner was keen to have the Travertine restored as quickly as possible to avoid the situation becoming worse.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Floor

To begin the restoration, I needed to clean the whole floor to remove the dirt and muck that had become ingrained in the Travertine. I did this using our reliable high alkaline cleaner known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which I applied liberally and worked into the stone using the Tile Doctor diamond burnishing pad system, paying special attention to the grout lines.

There are four pads in the system and each burnishing pad is fitted to a rotary machine and ran across the floor in sequence starting with the coarse pad and finishing with the fine pad using a little water to help lubricate.

Pitted travertine during cleaning Oundle

Before applying the final polishing pad, I went round on my hands and knees and filled all the holes and cracks with an appropriate colour filler which did take some time to complete.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

After allowing the new filler to dry overnight, I returned to the property to polish off any excess by hand with a cloth. Following this, I gave the tiles a final polish with the Very Fine diamond encrusted burnishing pad which gave the floor a uniform polished finish.

To protect the floor in the future the last step was to apply a fresh sealant in the form of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a fanatic product for high-end tiles like Travertine, Limestone and Marble. Colour Grow is a colour enhancing, impregnating sealer which fills the pores in the stone to prevent trapped dirt and also emphasises the natural colours and shades in the process.

The tiles were then left to dry for two hours. I then opted to test for water repellency to check the sealant would provide adequate protection, with a successful outcome. The final picture below shows the finished results: clean, well-protected Travertine tiles with improved sheen.

My customer was very pleased to have the pitting problem resolved, while also having the floor deep cleaned and sealed and left the following testimonial on the Tile Doctor feedback system.

Phil did an amazing job of repairing the holes and cracks and cleaning the pale coloured grout, which now looks like new. Lovely transformation. I have tried the Tile Doctor Stone Soap and this has given the floor a deep shine. I would gladly recommend Tile Doctor to anyone. Sonia A, Oundle

Professional Restoration of a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor in Northamptonshire

Polished Travertine Tiles with Pitting Issues Restored in Oundle Read More »

Mouldy Shower Cubicle Refreshed in Northampton

1 Comment / Bathroom Tile Cleaning, Northampton Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf / northampton, northamptonshire, shower cubicle, tile cleaning

A common problem with bathroom and shower cubicle tiles is the appearance of mould on the tile, grout and silicone which if not tackled on a regular basis will spread and threaten to severely damage the appearance of the tiles, along with the silicone. This problem is usually due to inadequate ventilation however the good news is that with early intervention with Tile Doctor Mould Away spray the problem can be reversed.

The two photos below show a bad case of this very problem at a property in Northampton, where you can see that the grout and silicone sealant had become black with mould.

Mouldy shower cubicle before Northampton

Cleaning and Repairing Damaged Shower Cubicle Grout

Firstly, I decided to cut out the damaged grout with a hand held disc cutter and remove all the silicone at the base of the shower. To treat the less invasive mould in the rest of the cubicle I sprayed it with Tile Doctor Mould Away, which is specifically designed to remove mould from silicone and grout.

I sprayed the product onto the affected areas and left it to dwell for five minutes, before scrubbing it in with a stiff grout brush, resulting in a good clean. The area was then rinsed with plain water. Finally, I replaced the grout and the silicone that I had removed earlier with a flexible grout and a white silicone, both of which include a mould inhibitor.

The photographs above show the end result. The customer was very happy with her refreshed tiles, and left the following feedback:

“Phil was brilliant – both when he came to look at the job and then when he returned to actually make the grout repairs. Most importantly he explained what was (and wasn’t possible) and did exactly what he said he would do. My shower area now looks brilliant and I’m no longer showering in fear of the tiles falling off the wall! Honest, clean, timely and totally professional. A tremendous job well done. Thank you.”

I left the customer with a bottle of Tile Doctor Aqua Pro to aid with regular cleaning. If used once or twice a week, this product will help maintain the condition of the grout. I also advised the customer that it is good practice to rinse the tiles down with plain water using the shower head after each shower to remove any soapy residue which can slowly discolour and stain grout over time.

Professional Shower Cubicle Renovation in Northamptonshire

Mouldy Shower Cubicle Refreshed in Northampton Read More »

Victorian quarry tile cleaning St. Marys church

Restoring Victorian Quarry Tiles at St. Mary’s Church, Far Cotton

1 Comment / Northampton Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / church cleaning, far cotton, northamptonshire, st mary's church, tile cleaning, tile sealing, Victorian tiles

The following job was a bit different from the kitchen and hallway restorations we normally get asked to do, in fact this request came from the vicar of St. Mary’s Church in Far Cotton who wanted us to restore some beautiful old Quarry tiles which lead up to the main aisle. The church dates back to 1885 and given the wear on some of the tiles I can only assume they date back to the same Victorian period; the church is a really welcoming, community-focused place, so it was a pleasure for me to be asked to complete the work.

The vicar’s main concern was the large amount of melted candle wax around the font – so much so that this his normal cleaners had been unable to remove it. He also wanted to know if the floors could be sealed to make ongoing maintenance easier – and this was certainly something we would be able to provide. The following photos show the condition of the floor before we started.

Cleaning Victorian Quarry Tiles

The next photo shows the work in progress from halfway down the aisle. We started by breaking down any old sealer and the troublesome candle wax, using a black stripping pad in combination of Tile Doctor Pro Clean to deep clean the floor. Since Pro Clean, a high alkaline cleaner, is highly versatile and can be used on all kinds of natural stone and tile.

While the church has cleaners that come in regularly to keep the building tidy for the parishioners, the old tiles really benefitted from a deep clean which tackled the stubborn ingrained dirt and staining that had built up over many years.

Sealing Victorian and Quarry Tiles

Once I was satisfied that the tiles had been cleaned to the best of my abilities, they were then left for two weeks to fully dry as it is an old church and, understandably, there were some inherent damp issues. As aforementioned, the vicar was keen to have the tiles sealed to make them easier to keep clean and protect them against ingrained dirt and staining for the future. There are only a few situations in which we wouldn’t recommend sealing tiles, such as if they are patio tiles which will already be under constant exposure to the weather.

The best choice of sealer for this particular situation was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is an impregnating, breathable sealer that won’t trap moisture in the floor and will provide great protection against further staining. Additionally, as an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow penetrates into the pores of the tile protecting it from within and with the added benefit of enhancing the natural colours and restoring the life and character back in the old, dull tiles. I applied it using a paint pad, before polishing it off.

I’m pleased to report that the restoration was a great success. The vicar was very impressed with the work, and I’m sure the church community will also be very happy with the new, vibrant tiles.

Professional Quarry and Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration at a Northamtonshire Church

Restoring Victorian Quarry Tiles at St. Mary’s Church, Far Cotton Read More »

Patio Slate Tiles with Grout Haze Removed and Sealed in Brackley

Slate Patio Tiles Treated for Grout Haze and Sealed in Brackley

1 Comment / Driveway and Patio Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Silverstone Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / TileProf / Brackley, northamptonshire, patio, slate tiles, tile cleaning, tile sealing

Along with internal tiled floors at residential and commercial properties, we also specialise in the cleaning, restoration and sealing of all types of external tiled floors, including patios.

This customer, who lives in the small town of Brackley in Northamptonshire, had made the unfortunate mistake of sealing a brand new Slate tiled patio without removing the layer of grout haze smeared across the surface of the tile first. With the grout trapped between the tile and the new sealant the sealer was unable to fulfil its potential and the entire floor appeared really dull and patchy. The customer contacted me about setting the situation right.

Patio Slate Tiles with Grout Haze Before Cleaning Brackley

Treating a Slate Tiled Patio for Grout Haze

My initial course of action was to remove the new sealer using Tile Doctor Remove & Go, which is specially designed to strip away sealant, as well as adhesives and paints in cases where building and decorating works have left the tiles stained. The product was applied liberally across the surface area of the patio and agitated using a rotary machine fitted with a special stripping pad. Of course, this was necessary because the grout haze could not be treated without removing the sealant first. The soiled cleaning solution was promptly soaked up using a wet-vac machine.

Once the tiles were exposed I applied Tile Doctor Acid Gel, which is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in more manageable gel form, all over the patio and allowed it to dwell for ten minutes to begin neutralising the grout haze. I then added a little water and worked the product into the patio with a stiff scrubbing brush and a rotary machine to ensure all grout haze was removed from the surface of the tiles. The remaining slurry was then removed using the wet vacuum, and I rinsed the area twice with plain water to ensure all cleaning products had been removed. It was them left to dry completely.

Patio Slate Tiles with Grout Haze Being Cleaned in Brackley

Sealing a Slate Tiled Patio

I returned to the property several days later to give the patio a fresh seal now that it was free from grout haze. First, I gave the patio a vacuum and light mop to remove any dust and debris. The customer wanted the tiles as dark as possible, therefore I suggested we use Tile Doctor Stone Oil before sealing, as this would darken the Slate significantly.

Once this was agreed, I applied one coat of Stone Oil, allowed an hour for the product to dry, and then followed this applying two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. This is our impregnating, colour enhancing sealant which provides maximum protection against ingrained dirt and stains, as well as a durable no-sheen finish.

As you can see from the photographs, the Slate tiles experienced an impressive transformation. The fresh sealant, combined with the Stone Oil, really took the appearance of the tiles to a new level and, what’s more, it will be easier for the happy customer to keep it clean in the future.

Restoring the Appearance of a Natural Slate Patio in Northamptonshire

Slate Patio Tiles Treated for Grout Haze and Sealed in Brackley Read More »

Black and Red Quarry Tiles Welton After Cleaning

Colour Restored to a Faded Black and Red Quarry Tiled Floor in Welton

1 Comment / Daventry Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / northamptonshire, quarry tiles, tile cleaning, tile sealing, welton

There are numerous factors that can contribute to a Quarry tiled floor looking worse for wear, including lack of sealer, dampness issues, and the wrong type of cleaning products. Unfortunately, this black and red Quarry tiled floor was suffering from a combination of all three: there was no sealer evident to protect against dirt and stains, and dampness in the sub-floor had caused the tiles to fade in colour and shine. The red tiles especially had faded so much that they appeared almost white.

Black and Red Quarry Tiles Welton Before Cleaning

The property owner, who lives in the town of Welton, near Daventry in Northamptonshire, was desperate to have the floor professionally restored as her efforts to clean the tiles with run-of-the-mill household products had gone unrewarded. To ensure the appearance of Quarry tiles in this high traffic area of the house, I would need to provide a deep clean and a robust, impregnating seal to prevent future damage.

Cleaning a Dirty Black and Red Quarry Tiled Floor

As is the case with most types of tiled floor in this condition, I deep cleaned this floor using our powerful alkaline cleaner, stripper, degreaser, Tile Doctor Pro Clean. The cleaning method involved spreading strong dilution of Pro Clean evenly across the floor and leaving it to dwell for a short period. This allows it to seep into the tile to help lift out and dissolve ingrained dirt.

I then agitated the solution with a scrubbing pad fitted to my rotary machine to ensure all layers of muck were removed, and then thoroughly rinsed the floor to remove the excess cleaning chemicals.

Sealing a Black and Red Quarry Tiled a Floor

Since the floor was suffering from particularly prevalent damp issues, I left it to dry for ten days (usually 24 hours will suffice) before I returned to the property to commence the sealing process. Arriving back at the property a week and a half later, I immediately took several damp meter readings to ensure the floor was dry enough for a sealant to be applied. This is incredibly important: the slightest quantity of outstanding moisture can cloud the sealant and damage its performance.

Thankfully the ten days had given the floor ample time to dry fully, and I went ahead with applying two coats of Tile Doctor’s impregnating, colour enhancing sealant called Colour Grow. As you can see from the second photo, the sealant really bought the depth of colour back to the floor, making it look very pleasing to the eye. The customer was especially pleased that the red tiles actually look red again!

Professional Restoration of a Faded and Dirty Black and Red Quarry Tiled Floor in Welton, Northamptonshire

Colour Restored to a Faded Black and Red Quarry Tiled Floor in Welton Read More »

Chinese Slate After Cleaning and Sealing in Norton near Daventry

Complete Restoration of Chinese Slate Tiles in Norton near Daventy

1 Comment / Daventry Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / chinese slate tile, Daventy, northamptonshire, tile cleaning, tile sealing

This first photo shows a classic example of a poorly maintained floor, which had faded and lost its colour due to it not being maintained or sealed for many years. In this case, the tiles were Chinese Slate, and were proving very difficult for the property owner to keep clean due to the lack of sealer to protect against dirt and stains. The grout in particular was quite discoloured and of increasing concern to the owner, prompting up the decision to contact me about a restoration job.

Chinese Slate Before Cleaning in Norton near Daventry

I agreed to the work – consisting of a deep clean and the application of a new sealer – and travelled down to the property in Norton near Daventry in Northamptonshire to see what results could be achieved.

Cleaning a Dirty Chinese Slate Tiled Floor

My primary concern when approaching this challenging restoration was to clean the grout which as aforementioned, had become dirty and discoloured. Most tiled floor owners will understand the pain of keeping grout lines clean; regular professional attention is often the easiest solution.

In this scenario, the grout was cleaned using a strong dilution of the alkaline cleaner, Tile Doctor Pro Clean, mixed with warm water. This was applied directly onto the grout lines using a spray bottle and scrubbed in using a hand held grout brush, as shown in the second photo.

Chinese Slate During Grout Cleaning in Norton near Daventry

With the grout taken care of it was now time to turn attention to the Slate tiles themselves which I tackled with more Pro-Clean but worked in this time using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. This process also stripped away any traces of old, ineffectual sealers from the tiles. This process was followed by machine rinsing the floor with cold water to neutralise the chemicals in preparation for sealing.

Additionally, any particularly stubborn areas of old sealant were removed by hand brushes in combination with undiluted Tile Doctor Remove & Go remover. These areas were also rinsed to fully remove excess cleaning products.

Sealing a Chinese Slate Tiled Floor

I allowed the floor to dry completely overnight with a dehumidifier installed to assist the drying process. Upon my return to the property the next day I carefully checked the floor was completely dry, since even the slightest amount of excess moisture can cloud the fresh sealer and damage its performance.

Once satisfied that the floor was completely dry I applied five coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go sealer to achieve a high shine finish, as per the customer’s request. This is the most popular finish for this type of flooring, as it its aesthetically pleasing whole with the assurance that the sealer is providing robust surface protection against stains and dirt.

The last photo shows the finished result with which the customer was extremely happy! Floors like this can so easily degrade into a terrible state without the right care so it’s always a great pleasure to make such a difference.

Professional Chinese Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Complete Restoration of Chinese Slate Tiles in Norton near Daventy Read More »

Red Quarry Tiles Higham Ferrers Northants After

Extremely Dirty and Damp Quarry Tiled Floor Restored in Higham Ferrers

1 Comment / Quarry Tile Cleaning, Rushden Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / dining room, higham ferrers, northamptonshire, quarry tiles, tile cleaning, tile sealing

This red Quarry tiled floor was in the dining room of a house in the East Northamptonshire market town of Higham Ferrers. Despite being an original feature of the property, the floor had never been taken care of and looked to be completely beyond salvation and what must be the worst condition I have seen in a long time.

Red Quarry Tiles Higham Ferrers Northants Before

When I first inspected the floor it became very quickly clear that it was suffering from severe damp problems, covering roughly two thirds of the entire surface area. I took damp meter readings and discovered that the floor was saturated as there was no damp proof course installed. This problem was compounded by staining from the glue residue used to hold down the linoleum which previously covered the tiles. But while some floors look beyond salvation, I was certain I could restore this one to an acceptable appearance.

A hallway in the property had the same Quarry tiles, but these had been painted with a red tile paint at some point in the past, which itself had worn off in the main traffic areas. These tiles had no damp problems and so it would just be a case of removing the rest of the paint and providing a thorough cleaning before sealing.

The customer was also keen that the dining room be restored as near as possible to the hallway tiles to try and achieve a uniform finish. I did inform the customer that due to the vast difference in condition this would be a challenge but I would do my best. A quote was given and work was booked in at the customer’s convenience.

Cleaning Extremely Dirty Quarry Tiles

Before beginning the restoration, I carried out a patch test to see which products would achieve the best results on the tiles. After vacuuming and mopping the floor to remove the immediate layers of muck, I decided my best course of action would be to use the heavy duty stripper, Tile Doctor Remove & Go.

Working in four separate sections, I applied the product then scrubbed it using a black stripping pad to a rotary machine. Remove & Go is designed to break down old sealers, paints and glues, making it an ideal product for use in this particular situation. This area was then rinsed off with a wet-vac machine and the process was repeated on the rest of the floor.

I then inspected the floor and noticed a few shiny patches where the old sealer hadn’t been fully removed, so I tackled these stubborn areas by hand with a second application of Remove & Go. A final rinse was given to the whole floor to make sure no excess cleaning products remained.

Sealing Quarry Tiles

After completing the cleaning process and removing as much water as possible using a wet vacuum, I installed a dehumidifier and left the tiles to dry for an entire month. Upon my return to the property I took damp meter readings to ensure the tiles were fully dry prior to the application of the sealer. This is crucial as excess moisture can cloud the sealer, rendering it less effective at protecting the stone.

I opted to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow to seal the floor primarily because is fully breathable and therefore ideal for floors that are prone to damp problems. It has the added bonus of being a colour intensifying sealer that really enhanced the natural reddish shades in the Quarry.

As the pictures show, there was a vast improvement in the floor and the customer was pleased with the results. It really goes to show that while a floor might look beyond salvation, wait can in fact be restored to an acceptable condition using the right methods and products. The customer was also given advice on maintenance of this type of floor to keep it looking its best for years to come.

Professional Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Extremely Dirty and Damp Quarry Tiled Floor Restored in Higham Ferrers Read More »

Polished Marble Great Doddington after restoration

Marble Tiled Sun Room and Kitchen Transformed in Great Doddington

Marble Tile Cleaning, Wellingborough Tile Cleaning, Work History / Philip Vissian / burnishing, Cracks, Great Doddington, Grout, Jasmine, kitchen, Marble, northamptonshire, repair, Stone, Sun Room, Tile

The following post shows the kind of results we can achieve for a Marble tiled floor which hadn’t been properly cleaned, polished or re-sealed for several years. This floor was also suffering from numerous cracks and other instances of damage tiles.

Polished Marble Great Doddington before restoration

I was contacted by the property owners, who live in the quaint town of Great Doddington, about making the necessary repairs and also providing the complete restoration the floor had been in desperate need of for so long.

As the property owners were due a holiday they trusted me with their keys; this turned out for the best as I was able to focus on clearing the area and carrying out the work without impacting them however it did mean I was under pressure to complete the floor in time for their return.

Cleaning and Repairing a Marble Tiled Floor

As you can see from the photographs (below), the floor appeared dull and ingrained with dirt – a deep clean was long overdue. Before I started I cleared the room was of all furniture, before brushing and vacuuming the surface of the floor to remove any dust and debris.

Then, to commence the first stage of the cleaning process, I used the Tile Doctor Burnishing pad system to polish out any light scratches and surfaces stains. I started by applying the Coarse red pad with a little water for lubrication, followed by the Medium blue pad and then the Fine yellow pad to refine the polish even further.

Next, I paid special attention to the dirty grout lines, cleaning then manually with a combination of hand brushes and Tile Doctor Pro Clean, a high alkaline cleaner that works well for removing soil buildup on a wide range of natural stone floors. The areas I cleaned came out really well, and were then dried with fans before I began the repairs.

As the cracks in the tiles were caused by settlement issues, I opted to use a flexible grout to fill them. The grout used was Jasmine in colour to best match the natural colour of the tiles. I mixed it with water and then applied it to the cracks with a trowel, before allowing it to dry for roughly an hour and then wiping of any excess. There were so many cracks and small holes to deal with that I used bits and pieces of equipment to mark where I had carried out the repairs as some can be hard to see once dry!

Sealing a Marble Tiled Floor

I returned to the property the following day to perfect the polish on the floor and seal the tiles to protect against further damage and dirt. I used the Very Fine green burnishing pad (the final of the four pad burnishing system) along with a small amount of water to finally bring these tiles back to their natural level of shine. This also helped to further blend in the repairs by removing any remaining excess filler.

My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating sealer that is a favourite for high end Marble and Limestone floors since it really enhances the natural shades in the stone. Additionally, by penetrating deep into the pores of the stone Colour Grow will provide the durable protection against ingrained dirt and stains that this floor had been lacking for a long time.

The appearance of this Marble floor was completely transformed, ready for the customers to enjoy when they arrived back form their holiday. Quite often people suffer from so-called ‘holiday hangovers’, but no doubt these customers continued to relax, enjoying their newly restored Sun room and kitchen.

Marbled Tiled Floor Restoration in Northamptonshire

Marble Tiled Sun Room and Kitchen Transformed in Great Doddington Read More »