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Multi-Coloured Chinese Slate Kitchen Floor Renovation Dalston Cumbria

Multi-Coloured Slate Kitchen Floor Cleaning Dalston Cumbria

1 Comment / Dalston Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning / / , , , , , , , , , , ,

A homeowner from Dalston near Carlisle got in touch earlier this year for help with a Chinese Multi-Coloured Slate tiled floor in their kitchen/diner. The sealer had long since worn down and now dirt was getting into the pores of the stone leaving it dull and difficult to clean.

Slate is naturally porous and uneven due to its riven surface leaving it vulnerable when unsealed. Additionally, sealers wear down on the busiest parts of the floor first resulting in an uneven and unattractive appearance over time.

Multi-Coloured Chinese Slate Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Dalston Cumbria

I conducted an initial inspection to survey the floor, discuss its renovation and work out an outline plan for its renovation. Basically, the floor needed a deep clean to strip off what remained of the old sealer, flush out the ingrained dirt from the tile and grout and then apply a fresh sealer to protect it going forward.

Later that day I emailed over a detailed quote that included all the products needed to do the work. This was accepted and a date agreed for the work to start which would take two days.

Deep Cleaning a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

To get the floor clean and free of any remaining sealer a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go was spread onto the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes. This gives the product time to work its way into the pores of the stone to digest the soiling and breakdown old sealers. The floor was then scrubbed using a rotary machine fitted with a coarse 200-grit pad that opens the pores in the stone allowing for dirt and embedded grime to be flushed out.

The soiling was rinsed away and extracted with a wet vacuum before moving on to the next step which was to scrub the grout using a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. As before this was left to soak in first before being scrubbed in with a stiff brush.

Multi-Coloured Chinese Slate Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Dalston Cumbria

Before finishing for day one the floor was then given an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which further cleans the stone and neutralises the ph level of the floor after the use of the other products where are alkaline. Being acidic this product will also remove any old grout smears and other mineral deposits such as salts leaving the slate in a completely uncontaminated state. Once done the floor was given a thorough rinse and wet extraction to remove all cleaning residues.

Sealing a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

After leaving the floors to dry out fully overnight I returned the next day to apply a sealer which would add colour and an appealing finish to the slate. We had discussed the desired finish when I popped over to survey the floor and from this, I recommend using Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a hard-wearing impregnating sealer that is rated for external use so ideal for kitchen floors. Being oil based it’s quite thick so to make it more workable and to enhance the colours further I mix it 50:50 with Colour Grow which is another impregnating sealer in the Tile Doctor range.

The first coat was worked into the Slate to enhance the natural tones and then additional coats were applied as required for full coverage. The excess sealer was then buffed off with a white pad to avoid surface residue.

Multi-Coloured Chinese Slate Kitchen Floor During Sealing Dalston Cumbria

Once done the colours in the stone really popped making the floor came alive again and the customer very happy. The new sealer will keep dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away for which I recommended using a sealer safe cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner applied with a two-chamber mop.

 

Professional Renovation of a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Kitchen in North Cumbria

Multi-Coloured Slate Kitchen Floor Cleaning Dalston Cumbria Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovation Carlisle Cumbria

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovation in Carlisle

1 Comment / Carlisle Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / / , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The client from Carlisle had been putting off cleaning and sealing their Victorian tiled hallway floor for some time. Having finally decided it was overdue a clean and seal I was asked to pop round and provide a quote for its renovation.

Happy to oblige I popped over at an agreed time to inspect the floor and work out a detailed quote. I could see there were a few minor repairs to the tiling that would be needed so I included those in the work and worked out a detailed quote to bring the floor back to its original condition.

The quote was accepted and date agreed for the work to start which typically takes two days for a floor like this.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The first job was to add protection to the stair carpet, new oak doors, skirtings, and surrounding surfaces. The rotary machine I used for scrubbing the floor can cause a little mess, so I like to ensure all the adjacent areas were sealed and safeguarded from moisture and chemical exposure.

Once done I set about completing a few minor repairs which are quite common with a floor of this age where a couple of tiles had come loose and needed refixing with rapid set adhesive.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Carlisle During Cleaning

With that complete I set about on the initial deep clean which started with the application of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel across the entire floor. This was chosen for its thicker consistency and reduced use of water due to the cellar immediately below the hallway. The product was allowed to dwell on the tiles for a good ten minutes before being agitated using a deck brush and rotary scrubber fitted with a black pad.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Carlisle During Cleaning

The machine was run over each tile five or six times to lift deep-set grime and reveal the original colours of the tiles. Once done, the soiling was extracted with a wet vacuum, and the floor was neutralised with clean water which was also removed with the wet vacuum.

Next step was to treat the tiles to an acid rinse using diluted Tile Doctor Acid Gel. This is applied to the tiles as before and is used to remove cement-based residues, mineral deposits, and remaining contaminants. The gel was allowed to dwell briefly and then removed using a wet vacuum.

Multiple floor fans were deployed after the cleaning process to accelerate drying and ensure the tiles would be dry enough to seal the following day.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The next day moisture readings were taken in several spots to confirm the floor was dry and that the fans had done their job. Using Gel cleaners reduces the amount of water needed in the cleaning process which also helps reduce drying times.

To seal the tiles multiple coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow impregnating sealer were applied to enhance the natural colour, improve depth, and protect the surface. Overall, this achieved a clean, uniform, revitalised finish while maintaining the floor’s original Victorian character.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Carlisle After Cleaning Sealing

The transformation was clear and the client was extremely pleased with the result and left great feedback. For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is an effective product that won’t impact the sealer.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Carlisle After Cleaning Sealing

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North Cumbria

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovation in Carlisle Read More »

Grout Colouring Terracotta Effect Porcelain Tiles in Appleby

Changing the Grout Colour used on Porcelain tiles in Appleby

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Penrith Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning / / , , , , , , , , , , ,

A homeowner from Appleby had been in touch about their recently laid Porcelain tiled floor of approximately 20m2 in size which ran through the kitchen and adjacent utility room. The tiles resembled Terracotta but being Porcelain meant they were much easier to clean and didn’t require a sealer.

The Grout however was a different matter; the tiler had used a Sandstone coloured grout and had been badly affected by the use of strong cleaning products which damaged the grout and made it more vulnerable to ingrained dirt. The grout had quickly darkened and become patchy bringing down the overall appearance of the floor.

Terracotta Effect Porcelain Tiles Before Grout Colouring Appleby

Even washing up liquid is acidic and can damage the grout causing it to attract more dirt and id sealed prematurely degrade the sealer. This is why we always recommend the use of a neutral tile cleaner for the regular cleaning of tiled floors.

To resolve I recommended deep cleaning the floor and then applying an epoxy Grout Colouring product that would restore the appearance of the grout. Available in eleven colours these colourants are very reliable recolouring, sealing in the grout and generally rejuvenating the grout joints.

The customer was unsure which colour of colourant they wanted however I had some left-over colourants on my van so I applied a few different ones to their floor to help them decide. Happy with the plan and quote a date was agreed to do the work which would only take one day.

Applying Grout Colourant to a Porcelain Tiled Floor

The first job was to give the floor a good scrub using Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner worked in with a rotary machine fitted with a Silicon Carbide Brush. This bristles on this brush are very hard wearing and get into the grout lines. The soiling from the cleaning was then rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Terracotta Effect Porcelain Tiles During Tile Cleaning Appleby

Next a Pre-Treater cleaner was sprayed onto the grout and left to soak in for several minutes before being scrubbed in with a stiff hand brush. This gets the grout as clean as it can be and also etches the grout so it forms a stronger bond with the grout colourant which would be applied next. Once the cleaning of the Pre Treater was completed the tiles were rinsed with water then a wet vacuum was used to remove the wet solution and then force dried using floor fans.

The selected colourant was Light Grey and two coats needed to be painted onto the grout to ensure a consistent appearance. The process is quite simple although time consuming and involves painting the colourant onto the grout line with a small brush and then wiping any excess of the adjacent tile before it sets.

Once all the grout had been coloured and set the floor was given a quick polish with a soft white buffing pad fitted to the rotary machine. When finished the floor was transformed and the light grey colour brought out the warmer colour of the Terracotta Porcelain.

Terracotta Effect Porcelain Tiles After Grout Colouring Appleby Terracotta Effect Porcelain Tiles After Grout Colouring Appleby

The customer was very happy with the finish and before leaving I encouraged them to avoid the use of steam cleaners and only to use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for maintenance cleaning going forward.

Changing the Grout Colour used on Porcelain tiles in Appleby Read More »

Aldous Red Sandstone Floor Restored Greystoke

Aldous Red Sandstone Floor Milled Back to Health in Greystoke

1 Comment / Greystoke Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning / / , , , , , , , , , , ,

The customer at this 200-year-old property near Greystoke asked if we could do anything for their old Stone floor as a new Kitchen was to be fitted and a decision had to be made to either rip up the old floor or have it restored.

Aldous Red Sandstone Floor Before Renovation Greystoke

The stone was Aldous Red Sandstone which if you have read our website is something we are quite familiar with. One thing we have learned from restoring these floors over the years is that they are very forgiving and the best way to renovate them is to grind off the old and often badly stained surface. We call this process Milling and it involves applying different grades of coarse diamond pads, the result is a fresh new surface that smoother and much easier to maintain. We can also re-point the mortar which is often past its best on these old stone floors.

Having discussed my recommendation, they agreed to go ahead, and we set a date in the diary for the work to start.

Milling Aldous Red Sandstone

Milling involves the application of several coarse grades of hard diamond pads to the stone using water to lubricate the process, the water also helps make the removal of the soil easier and reduces dust. I followed our usual method of starting with a very coarse 50-grit pad and then moved up to 100 and then 200-grit milling pads rinsing and extracting the soiling in-between each pad with a wet vacuum. These 17-inch pads fit a rotary floor buffer that has weight added to ensure maximum traction between the pad and the stone floor.

Once done the next step was to rake out the loose mortar between the slabs, cleanup the area and then repoint with a breathable pointing mix in Light Grey. That was left to set and the floor was given a light clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to remove any dust and get it ready for sealing.

Sealing a Red Sandstone Tiled Floor

We returned the following day and checked the floor was dry using the moisture meter, we don’t recommend applying a sealer to a damp floor as the sealer will not cure properly. All was well, so we then applied Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is an oil based Breathable Colour enhancing sealer.

Using a breathable sealer on old stone floors like this is highly recommend as these floors rarely have a damp proof membrane installed and so it’s important to give moisture a way of rising through the floor naturally and evaporating rather than being trapped under the floor where it can eventually build up in the walls.

You can see from the photos that the work was transformational and have added new life to a 200-year-old floor which I’m sure will look even more stunning once the new kitchen has been fitted.

Aldous Red Sandstone Floor After Renovation Greystoke

For aftercare cleaning of a sealed floor, we recommend the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, it’s a mild but effective cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of an Aldous Red Sandstone Paved Floor in North Cumbria

Aldous Red Sandstone Floor Milled Back to Health in Greystoke Read More »

Black Slate Floor Renovation Glenridding Ullswater

Black Slate Floor Renovated in Glenridding Ullswater

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Ulswater Tile Cleaning / / , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I thought I would share the details of this Black Slate floor renovation we recently completed in Glenridding in Ullswater. Slate is a popular choice for flooring in the Lake District due to its abundance in the area so I’m sure it will be relief to some to know that it can be restored regardless of the state it gets into.

Black Slate Floor Before Renovation Ullswater Black Slate Floor Before Renovation Ullswater

This House was actually an old Miners Cottage based in the Valley of Glenridding and the Black Slate was actually from the mine itself. After nearly two hundred years of use the old floor was still in good structural condition although the pointing had perished in many areas and needed replacing

Unless it’s being completely removed, I always recommend putting old floors like this back into use. Reason being the lack of a damp proof membrane which if in place would prevent moisture rising through the floor; old floors like these don’t have a DPM so its best to maintain them and let them breathe so moisture can evaporate at the surface. Cover them up and you risk damp building up under the floor where it can reach out to the walls.

Re-Pointing Black Slate Flagstones in the Lake District

The first step of the renovation was to knock out the remaining pointing with an 8lb Titan hammer drill fitted with a chisel attachment. The debris was cleared and new pointing applied. For this I like to use a product called VDW800, we don’t sell it at Tile Doctor but its easily sourced on-line. and for my money it’s the best pointing product on the market. It can be used inside or outside, it’s totally waterproof but it’s also breathable, flexible and comes in four different colours.

Black Slate Floor During Renovation Ullswater

Unlike Lime pointing this product fully hardens after twenty four to forty eight hours (depending on temperature) and it doesn’t wash out. Once the pointing was completed, we left it to dry overnight.

Next, we gave the floor a general clean with Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was sprayed onto the stone floor and then after about ten minutes worked in with a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. This is good for softening up paint and old sealers so they can be rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Black Slate Floor During Renovation Ullswater

Deep Cleaning Black Slate Flagstones

The next day our attention turned to the Slate flagstones which had been stained by all types of material that had accumulated over the years; this included paint, old sealer, and bits of Varnish to name a few, you name it this floor had it.

To renovate stone when it’s this bad they only option is to use a technique we call Milling that uses very abrasive “Milling Pads” encrusted with industrial diamonds to grind off the surface to reveal new stone underneath. It also makes the stone much more smoother to walk on and as a result easier to clean going forwards. A further benefit is a smoother stone requires less sealer. The milled floor combined with the new pointing should result is an almost new floor.

The great thing about offering this service is that the customer retains the look and feel of the original floor which in this case ran from the front room, passage, and Kitchen area.

The milling pads are applied using a floor buffer which is weighted to ensure a strong contact with the stone. It does generate a lot of dust though so we use water to contain the dust and help with lubrication. Once done the floor is rinsed with more water and the resultant slurry extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next step is to apply a sealer however the Slate needed to be completely dry before we could do that so it was left to dry out for a few days.

Black Slate Floor Renovation Ullswater

Sealing a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor

Once the Stone had dried sufficiently (they never dry fully in old buildings without a DPM) the weather had changed for the worse and we had a full blizzard has arrived with snow and ice etc. It wasn’t ideal for sealing but the sealer we had chosen to use on this occasion copes well with damp due to it having an oil base and is rated for external use.

Black Slate Floor Renovation Ullswater

The sealer used is called Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal and is excellent on Black Stone as all Black Stones get their colour from the oil content inside the stone. The sealer fills up the pores in the stone resulting in a lovely dark sheen. The only disadvantage is its quite an expensive product however only one coat was needed and, on this occasion, it was the only sealer I would have recommended for this floor.

Black Slate Floor Renovation Ullswater

Once complete the floor looked completely transformed and should look great from many years to come. Assuming they and future owners of the property look after the floor it should never need Milling again just a deep clean and fresh seal ever five to seven years.

Black Slate Floor After Renovation Ullswater Black Slate Floor After Renovation Ullswater

On the subject of maintenance, we took time to discuss after care cleaning before leaving and informed them to stay clear of using a steamer as this will damage the sealer. To clean this floor I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Clean which is a mild but effective specialist tile cleaner that’s Ph neutral and comes in a concentrate so a little goes a long way. Naturally there are many tile cleaning products available in the market but you do need to careful as many are bleach bases and can harm the sealer, even washing up liquid which is a very good degreaser will damage a stone sealer.

Black Slate Floor After Renovation Ullswater

 

Professional Restoration of a Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor in Cumbria

Black Slate Floor Renovated in Glenridding Ullswater Read More »

Semi Riven Green Slate Renovation Keswick

Semi Riven Green Slate Floor in Keswick

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Keswick Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work History / / , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The owner of this property in Keswick requested a visit to take a look at their Green Slate kitchen floor. The Slate tile was the Semi Riven variety which works well in a Kitchen due to the rough surface being anti-slip however that rough surface can also trap dirt.

Some areas needed a deep clean and other areas were still in good order but because the client was not sure of which sealer, they had used in the past it would be necessary to treat all three floors with the same process and strip off the original sealer first. All were interconnected and if we only covered one room and not the next there would be a difference in the finish between the floor areas.

Semi Riven Green Slate Before Cleaning Keswick

Although the Green Slate floor was the main issue, I noticed that they had a small Quarry tiled hallway at the front of the property which looked tired, so I offered to renovate that as well. The process for cleaning and sealing Quarry tiles is virtually the same as Slate so it made sense.

Quarry Tiled Hall Floor Before Cleaning Keswick

Cleaning a Semi Riven Green Slate Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor

Before we do any work at all you will notice on one of the pictures that we apply a thin coat of clear silicone to the bottom of the units where it meets the slate, this stops water getting underneath and causing a capillary action forming and blowing the wood, or in this case MDF which is very absorbent more so than standard wood and will blow within 10 to 15 minutes of water being left to stand underneath it. Using the silicone stops this problem completely (assuming no gaps have been left for water to seep into).

Semi Riven Green Slate Before Cleaning Keswick

Working in three separate zones I started by removing the original sealer with the application of a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This product is a sealer and coatings remover. My method was to let the solution soak into the tiles for about ten minutes and then work it in using a coarse 200-grit milling pad fitted to a rotary buffer. These pads really get into the rough surface of the slate stripping off the old sealer and getting the tile clean at the same time. The slurry generated was rinsed away with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum.

Next the Slate was treated to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This process removes mineral deposits including old grout smears and really shows the tile at its best. The acidic nature of the product will also serve to neutralise the alkalinity in the tile caused by the application of Remove and Go earlier. Additionally Remove and Go is designed to strip off sealers, so I didn’t want any trace of it hanging around in the pores of the stone.

After a thorough rinse and extraction, the floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Semi Riven Green Slate Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor

I came back the next day to apply a fresh sealer to the floor checking first it was dry by taking a few moisture readings with a damp meter. Slate and Quarry tiles are porous, as it’s the top layer of Grout and without a sealer in place dirt can become lodged in the pores making it very difficult to lean.

The moisture readings confirmed the floor was dry enough to be sealed however my client was still unsure of the finish they wanted so before starting different sealers were applied on different parts of the floor so they could get an idea of how it would look.

Semi Riven Green Slate After Cleaning Keswick Semi Riven Green Slate After Cleaning Keswick

After reviewing the results Tile Doctor Colour Grow was chosen, it’s a matt effect sealer which lifts the overall finish of the stone by enhancing its natural colours, it also worked well on the Quarry tiles and will provide many years of protection.

Quarry Tiled Hall Floor After Cleaning Keswick

The client was very happy with the finished floor and especially how improved the grout looked which was an additional bonus. Before leaving I took time to explain how to maintain the floors going forward for which I always recommend a mild tile cleaner such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. Many of the products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong for cleaning a sealed floor and will strip the sealer off prematurely.

 

Professional Restoration of a Semi Riven Green Slate Tiled Kitchen diner in North Cumbria

Semi Riven Green Slate Floor in Keswick Read More »

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