South Wales

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Renovation Bishop of Wales Residence Cardiff

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Renovation in Cardiff for the Archbishop of Wales

After undertaking restoration work for Catholic churches in the areas of Wales and England over the past years, I was recommended to the team who maintain the personal residence of the Archbishop of Wales in Cardiff. They had decided to restore the Terrazzo flooring at the property and I was invited over to quote for doing the work.

The flooring had seen many years of wear and tear due to the nature of the building and the amount of footfall relating to meetings and staff. They were delighted to have found us and I was more than happy to get involved and be able to reassure them that I was confident the floor could indeed be restored to its former glory.

Terrazzo Floor Before Renovation Bishop of Wales Residence Cardiff Terrazzo Floor Before Renovation Bishop of Wales Residence Cardiff

I attended a meeting at the property with the church architect to discuss the work needed and talk about the history of the property. It turns out the floor had been covered in carpet and this had been giving people at the property an allergic reaction due to dust accumulating in its thick pile. After removal of the carpet, they discovered the original Terrazzo floor underneath and decided it would be best to have that renovated.

The Terrazzo suffered from numerous issues including adhesive staining and the imprinted pattern of the carpet underlay, fortunately however there were no cracks which can be an issue with Terrazzo floors of this age. Having surveyed the floor I explained the method of work needed to the architect, and we then agreed the price and arranged to carry out the work on a time schedule that suited.

Terrazzo Floor Before Renovation Bishop of Wales Residence Cardiff

Cleaning and Repairing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway Floor

To start the restoration process, I began by scraping as much of the remaining adhesive and other contaminates off the surface of the floor with a handheld scraper attached with a 6-inch razor blade. Then I was able to run over the Terrazzo with a coarse 50-Grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary floor machine, this was followed by a 100-grit then 200-Grit pad to remove more ingrained residues. Water is used to lubricate this process and the slurry generated is rinsed off after the application of each pad and extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next stage was to polish the Terrazzo using a set of less aggressive burnishing pads, starting with a Tile Doctor 400-grit pad then a 800, 1500 pad again using water to lubricate the process, rinsing with water between pads and vacuuming the waste as I worked.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The Terrazzo was left to dry out overnight and the following morning the floor was tested for moisture with a damp meter. I do this to avoid applying sealer to a damp floor which can lead to an uneven finish. In this case the readings were fine so I was able to move on to apply the sealer.

The sealer used was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which contains a colour enhancing ingredient that lifts the colours in the stone whilst providing a durable hard wearing sealed finish. Additionally, this product is fully breathable which is an important consideration when sealing old floors like this that won’t have a damp proof membrane.

Terrazzo Floor After Renovation Bishop of Wales Residence Cardiff Terrazzo Floor After Renovation Bishop of Wales Residence Cardiff

Once completed the entrance hall looked a lot more welcoming for visitors, more importantly the Archbishop and the Architect were delighted with the result as they were initially unsure if it could be restored.

Terrazzo Floor After Renovation Bishop of Wales Residence Cardiff

For aftercare cleaning going forward I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild but effective pH neutral cleaner that is safe to use on sealed floors and has a nice fresh smell.

 

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in South Wales

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Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Llantwit Major

Classic Victorian Tiled Geometric Floor Renovated in Llantwit Major

This client from Llantwit Major contacted Tile Doctor regarding their Victorian tiled hallway floor which was a classic Black and White geometric design but was now stained and in need of renovation. I’m the local Tile Doctor agent covering Cardiff and the surrounding area, so they asked me to pop over and take a look.

Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Renovation Llantwit Major Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Llantwit Major

I contacted the client to arrange a viewing so I could survey the tiles and assess the work involved. The floor had been previously covered in carpet which was glued to the tiled floor. On removal of the carpet, traces of the glue were visible and heavy residues were thick in places. I worked out a quote for re-fixing the loose tiles, deep cleaning the floor and then applying a protective sealer, happy to get the work done the quote was agreed and a date scheduled.

Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Llantwit Major Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning Llantwit Major

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Work started by addressing the loose tiles which were then carefully removed and cleaned up for re use. The gaps left were also cleaned up and the tiles stuck back in place using a quick setting adhesive. I also added new metal trims to the doorway thresholds.

I scraped as much of the glue from the floor surface with a heavy-duty razor blade tool. Then I mixed a solution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go with Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU and a little Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. The combined solution was left to dwell for approximately half an hour before agitating with a course black pad. The dirty solution was then rinsed off with water and removed with a wet vacuum. I repeated this process on a couple of particularly stubborn stains.

The floor was then given an acid wash using neat Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to remove any old cement residues. Finally, the floor was rinsed again with clean water and dried with a wet vacuum. The floor was then left to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I returned the following morning to check if the floor had dried out. I used a damp meter to take a few moisture readings, which were within the acceptable level. This is particularly important on a floor of this age as there was no damp-proof membrane installed and as a result can take longer to dry out.

Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Llantwit Major Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Llantwit Major

The client wanted a low maintenance hard wearing sealer applied, so I selected Tile Doctor Colour Grow which soaks into the pores of the tiles protecting it from within, it also contains a colour enhancer which brought out the contrast in the Black and White tiles. Lastly this sealer is fully breathable and so will allow moisture to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface; this is an important consideration when selecting a sealer for a floor without a damp proof membrane.

Black and White Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Llantwit Major

Once complete the floor was transformed, and the client was very happy with the outcome. I recommended for maintenance to use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which will ensure the floor keeps its appearance.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Wales

Classic Victorian Tiled Geometric Floor Renovated in Llantwit Major Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Penarth

Restoration of a Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway in Penarth

Tile Doctor were approached by a homeowner in Penarth hoping something could be done to improve their beautiful Black and White Victorian tiled hallway floor which had been patched up with concrete during the installation of pipework under the floor.

I paid a visit to the property to survey the tiles, recommend a way forward and provide a quote for the restoration of the floor. It was clear the patched section was backfilled with cement and that would need to be cut away and then re-tiled with replacements. Then to ensure the whole floor looked uniform it would need deep cleaning and sealing.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning in Penarth

Keen for the floor to be restored back to its original appearance I was given the go ahead and so I started the search for replacement tiles that would be a good match to the existing. Fortunately, I was able to source some replica tiles from Tile Doctor who had a selection of similar tiles available from other jobs they have done.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Cleaning in Penarth

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Work started by removing the old mat and carefully cutting out the concrete backfill that went across the floor. The floor tile replacements were then cut to shape and fixed in place with rapid setting adhesive and grouted in using a grey grout similar to the original colour. They were a good match and blended in well.

Once set, the floor was thoroughly cleaned with a handheld black pad using a mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, Tile Doctor Remove & Go, and Tile Doctor HBU Nanotech Cleaner. These cleaning products all have different qualities and together produce a very effective tile cleaner. Afterwards the floor was rinsed thoroughly with water and the soiling extracted using a wet vacuum cleaner.

Next the floor was treated to an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is a mild acid that removes old grout and cement smears bringing up the appearance of the tiles even more. Finally, after another rinse with clean water and the floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum. The floor was then left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Retuning the following morning, the floor looked nice and dry, however, to be sure we tested with the damp proof meter. The readings were good, so we were ready to apply the sealer.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Cleaning in Penarth

The sealer chosen for this floor was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, the is an impregnator which soaks into the surface of the tiles and provides a matt look and a very hard-wearing protective seal. The floor looked great, the bold black and white pattern really stood out. Colour Grow is also a breathable sealer which is an important consideration when dealing with old floors that don’t have a damp proof membrane.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Cleaning in Penarth

The client was very pleased with the work we had completed. We recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for ongoing maintenance; this is a pH neutral cleaner which is mild enough to be used daily and will ensure that the sealant is kept in place.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Cleaning in Penarth

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Wales

Restoration of a Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway in Penarth Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Merthyr Tydfil

Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Merthyr Tydfil

Tile Doctor was approached by a client in Merthyr Tydfil who was hoping something could be done to improve their beautiful Victorian tiled hallway floor which had been patched up with concrete during the installation of pipework under the floor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Restoration Merthyr Tydfil

I paid a visit to the property to run some tests, recommend a way forward and provide a quote for restoring the floor. The restoration would need to start with the patched section by removing the cement backfill and then re-tiling with matching replacements. Then to ensure the whole floor looked uniform it would need deep cleaning and sealing.

Keen for the floor to be repaired I was given the go ahead and so I started a search for replacement tiles that would be a good match for the floor. Fortunately, I was able to source some replica tiles from Tile Doctor who have had a selection of similar tiles available from other jobs they had done.

Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Work started by removing the old doormat and carefully cutting out the concrete backfill that went across the floor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Restoration Merthyr Tydfil

The rubble was carefully removed and the newly exposed cleaned up so it could be levelled with self-levelling compound which would provide a new base onto which the replacement tiles could be laid.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Merthyr Tydfil

Floor tile replacements were then cut to shape and fixed in place with a rapid setting adhesive and grouted in using a grey grout similar to the original colour.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Merthyr Tydfil

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The floor was left to set overnight and I came back then next day to begin the cleaning process. For this I created a cocktail of three Tile Doctor cleaning products, namely Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, Remove & Go and Tile Doctor HBU Nanotech Cleaner. The products were mixed, diluted with water, and then sprayed onto the tiles. The floor was left for ten minutes to allow the products to soak into the pores of the tile and digest the dirt and coatings such as old sealers.
The floor was then scrubbed with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine to release the dirt etc from the tiles. Afterwards, the floor was rinsed thoroughly with water and the soiling extracted using a wet vacuum.

Next the floor was treated to an Acid Wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is a mild acid that removes grout haze, cement smears and counters any alkaline salts which may have built-up in the tile and could result in efflorescence later.

Finally, another rinse with clean water and the floor was then dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum. The floor was left to dry overnight.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The following day I returned and first used the damp meter to check that the floor was dry enough to seal. Satisfied with the reading I chose to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow to seal the floor. This is an impregnator which soaks into the surface of the tiles and provides a matt look with a very hard-wearing protective seal, perfect for a high traffic area. It allows for the lovely colours of the tiles to shine through.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Merthyr Tydfil

The floor responded very well to the treatment and it was impossible to tell where the repair work had taken place. For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, this is a gentle but effective tile cleaning product designed for use on sealed floors that will ensure easy maintenance and keep the floor in great condition.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in South Wales

Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Merthyr Tydfil Read More »

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Renovation Barry South Wales

Grubby Terrazzo Hallway Floor Renovated in Barry South Wales

The customer from Barry in South Wales contacted Tiled Doctor to see if anything could be done to revive their Terrazzo hallway floor which was in need of renovation. I contacted them and arranged a mutual time for me to pop over a survey the floor.

Terrazzo is notoriously vulnerable to movement in the subfloor as it’s made from thousands of pieces of crushed stone including marble and laid as single slab so its not just as simple as replacing a tile should any cracks form. I’m pleased to say there was no evidence of any cracks, just signs of wear and tear due to the age of the floor and general maintenance issues.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Before Renovation Barry

The customer was about to put their house on the market and the Estate Agent had advised them it would be best if they were to sort the floor out first. Naturally first impression count and the hallway would be the first thing any prospective purchases would see when entering the house. Ideally once deep cleaned and polished the Terrazzo floor would add some wow factor to the property and help turn those prospective purchases into buyers.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor Before Renovation Barry Terrazzo Hallway Floor Before Renovation Barry

Deep Cleaning a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway Floor

To renovate the Terrazzo, no chemical products would be needed for the cleaning, just a set of diamond encrusted burnishing pads starting with a coarse 400-grit pad. The pads fit to a rotary floor buffing machine which is weighted to improve contact with the floor. The coarse pad breaks out the deepest stains, removing dirt and old sealers and each pad is passed over each tile four times. Water is used to lubricate the process and it isn’t long before this turns into a dark slurry. After each pad the floor is rinsed with a little more water and the slurry extracted with a wet vacuum.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor During Renovation Barry

This process was repeated with the 800 and 1500-grit pads again rinsing and extracting in-between. After a final rinse the last pad in the sequence which is a 3000-grit pad is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto to the floor. This last pad is a polishing pad that adds a subtle satin shine to the Terrazzo.

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway Floor

Due to the fact the cleaning process involved minimal amounts of water and the last pad is applied dry the Terrazzo was dry in no time and therefore ready for sealing. For sealing I had selected Tile Doctor Colour Grow which not only seals the floor but enhances the colours of the stone segments to achieve a beautiful result.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor After Renovation Barry Terrazzo Hallway Floor After Renovation Barry

Once done the floor looked cleaner, lighter and all the little characterful motifs really stood out. The customer contacted me a week later to say that the estate agent was delighted with the decision to go ahead with the floor restoration as it had certainly transformed the floor.

Terrazzo Hallway Floor After Renovation Barry

 

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Tiled Hallway in South Wales

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Travertine Floor Tile Cleaned Sealed Cardiff South Wales

Travertine Floor Tile Refresh in Cardiff

I actually laid this Travertine floor in Cardiff myself back in 2010 and since then it has experienced a lot of wear and tear. The floor was installed throughout the kitchen and adjacent diner which are some of the busiest rooms in the house, also the client owned dogs which spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Travertine Floor Before Renovation Cardiff

Deciding it was high time for a refresh the client got in touch to have me return and to discuss some other tiling work they required. During my visit to look at the other work I could visibly see how much this floor needed a thorough renovation. Before starting work I suggested that I carry out a test clean on one tile to show what could be achieved. The demonstration worked well, and the client was delighted to see what could be achieved. This also helped me work out which cleaning products and methods would work best.

Travertine Floor Test Clean Cardiff

The property was close to the buzzing city of Cardiff, thankfully there was on site parking, which can be a bit of a problem when we work this near to the city. Over the years I have invested in a heavy rotary machine and vacuum extractor which give a better clean and makes the work more efficient.

Cleaning a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor

Focusing on the grout I started to clean the floor with a handheld scrubbing brush and a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and Tile Doctor Nano HBU tile cleaner which is also a stripper that helps to remove the old sealers and grease. These two combinations were worked into the tiles with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. Following that the floor was thoroughly rinsed with clean water and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

Travertine Floor During Renovation Cardiff Travertine Floor During Renovation Cardiff

I was then able to see where the work had been effective on the travertine and grout and was able to identify stubborn areas and spot treat them by hand. Whilst doing this manually takes a little longer it is well worth the effort to achieve the best finish. Once I was satisfied the floor was left to dry overnight for the sealer to be applied.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Diner Floor

Returning the following morning, I used the damp meter to test that the floor was dry, the floor was then ready for me to apply the sealer. The choice of sealer for this floor was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is also a colour enhancing impregnator. It soaks into the pores of the tiles rather than sitting on the surface.

Two coats of the sealer were applied, waiting for the first coat to dry before applying the next. Knowing they have two large dogs this sealer is usually my preferred choice as it is a very hard-wearing product.

Travertine Floor After Renovation Cardiff

Once complete the floor looked great, and the client was very happy with the work we carried out. We recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is pH neutral and will ensure they can maintain the floor moving forward.

Travertine Floor After Renovation Cardiff

 

Professional Renovation of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in South Wales

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Fossil Sandstone Floor Clean Seal Newport

Deep Cleaning a Fossil Sandstone Tile Kitchen Floor in Newport

The Fossil Sandstone floor pictured was installed in the kitchen of a property in Newport South Wales. The grout was originally a matching Sandstone colour, but it had been some time since the installation and now the stone and the grout had darkened with wear and ingrained dirt. The Sandstone itself was really grubby and the unique and beautiful fossils imprinted in the stone were barely recognisable.

Fossil Sandstone Kitchen Floor Tiles Before Renovation

Unhappy with the appearance of their stone floor and aware of our reputation from a friend, the owner got in touch to see what could be done and to get a quote for renovating the floor. I arranged to visit and conduct a survey and could immediately see that the protective sealer had long since worn off and not the stone was very dirty with ingrained dirt ruining its appearance.

Before creating a quote, I conducted a couple of cleaning tests on a small inconspicuous section of stone and grout to work out the best method and products to restore its appearance. Once I had worked out the best approach, I provided a quote for the renovation, and they agreed to go ahead.

Cleaning a Fossil Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

I had found the most effective method for cleaning this floor was to start by applying a combination of Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU Cleaner with the same amount of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. HBU stands for Heavy Build-Up which pretty much described the problem I was facing here however both products and versatile stone and grout cleaning products. The solution was applied to 2 square meters of floor at a time and given a light scrub with a handheld scrubbing brush paying specific attention to the grout.

Fossil Sandstone Kitchen Floor Tiles During Cleaning

The solution was left to soak into the floor for about five minutes and then with clean warm water added to the surface by a sponge from a bucket and then agitated with the scrubbing brush. It took quite a while as we were working on a small area at a time. But by working methodically it wasn’t long before it was completed.

Fossil Sandstone Kitchen Floor Tiles During Renovation

The grout joints were also scrubbed in the same way as the stone. As we cleaned the controlled areas the waste dirt was then vacuumed up. We then rinsed twice with fresh clean water, vacuuming the liquid waste away so as not to let the dirty water soak back into the tile. Afterwards the floor was inspected, and the process repeated until I was satisfied it was as clean as possible. The floor was then left to dry overnight.

Fossil Sandstone Kitchen Floor Tiles During Cleaning

Sealing a Fossil Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

On my return the sandstone tiles were tested for moisture using a damp meter. I wanted to ensure that it was dry enough to apply a sealer and I don’t recommend applying a sealer to a damp floor as the new seal won’t cure and I’d probably get a call back.

The preferred sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing impregnator that soaks into the pores of the stone to create a durable barrier that will prevent future staining and to make maintenance easier. Several coats were applied, allowing each one to dry before applying the next.

The clients were not home during the work being carried out as they went on a short break.
On their return they had a lovely surprise to see their floor looking in tip top condition.
They left a glowing feedback report to Tile Doctor stating their delight with the result. Another happy client!

Sandstone Floor Renovation Feedback Newport

Unfortunately, I forgot to get a final picture of the finished floor for this post however I did leave them a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner for aftercare cleaning.

 

Professional Cleaning of a Fossil Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor in South Wales

Deep Cleaning a Fossil Sandstone Tile Kitchen Floor in Newport Read More »

Terrazzo Church Floor Restoration Cardiff

Chancel Terrazzo Floor Restoration at a Cardiff City Church

During last summer I was asked to restore a Terrazzo floor in the chancel of a Catholic Church in the centre of Cardiff city centre. Our client was actually the architect in charge of the restoration, and he wanted to see if the Terrazzo floor that was laid around 1900 could be restored.

Terrazzo Church Floor During Restoration Vale of Glamorgan

The architect was coordinating different trades with a plan to restore the church interior back to its near original state and I’m proud to say that Tile Doctor was the architect’s choice of contractor to carry out the work. We talked though what needed to be done, how we would gain access, and agreed a plan of work, as well as the price for the job.

Deep Cleaning a Terrazzo Tiled Chancel Floor

The altar at the back of the church had been taken away for renovation which was just as well as the carpet ran underneath. With this section of the church to ourselves the first job was to remove the black rubber carpet underlay glued to the surface of the Terrazzo. To remove the bulk, it had to be scraped off using sharp blades and a great deal of effort. This was a messy process that could only be completed manually.

Terrazzo Church Floor During Restoration Vale of Glamorgan

Once the underlying Terrazzo floor was visible, I was able to work out what products and processes would be the best option for the restoration. With the bulk of the rubber out of the way I decided to try burnishing the floor with Tile Doctor Diamond Floor Pads starting with a very abrasive grade lubricated with water.

To keep the mess to a minimum the waste was vacuumed up as we went, and this made it possible to crack on across the whole area. At this first stage we also burnished around the perimeter and awkward to reach areas with a handheld polisher to ensure nothing was missed and to blend the areas.

One finished with the coarse pad the floor was given a full rinse with water and the remaining soil removed with the wet vacuum. Once done finer grit burnishing pads were applied using the same process to bring up the polish on the Terrazzo. After the wet work was completed, the floor was left to dry out for a minimum of 24 hours.

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Church Floor

On our return a few days later, the fourth and final polishing pad was used to create a shine and smooth the surface. The church council had requested a deep shine appearance to the Terrazzo so to finish the floor in two stages starting with the application of a sealer. For this floor I chose to apply two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a colour enhancing impregnating sealer which provides hard wearing surface protection whilst improving the colour contrast.

The final stage was to grind Tile Doctor High Shine Powder into the floor completing two sqm at a time and rinsing with clean water as we worked. This is a crystallising powder that provides a very high shine and provides a tough durable finish that works well on many floor types and was perfect for this terrazzo floor.

Terrazzo Church Floor After Restoration Vale of Glamorgan

Once the final polishing had been completed, we buffed the floor with a soft White Buffing Pad. The church members and architect were delighted with the finished result and contacted Tile Doctor to relay their thanks. This was a lovely project to complete, it is always nice to work within the community as well as for retail clients.

Terrazzo Church Floor After Restoration Vale of Glamorgan

 

Professional Restoration of a Terrazzo Church Floor in South Wales

Chancel Terrazzo Floor Restoration at a Cardiff City Church Read More »

Verde Limestone Kitchen Floor Renovated Cardiff

Vomit Damaged Verde Limestone Floor Renovated Following Drunken Party in Cardiff

The young gentleman who owned this property in Cardiff was distressed about his new Verde Limestone kitchen floor. He explained to me that he recently had a party at the house and one of his friends drunk too much and vomited over the stone floor. Easy enough to clean up you would think, however in a rush to clean up the mess he slipped banged his head on the corner of the worktop and ending up bleeding onto the sick.

Vomit Stained Limestone Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Cardiff

Thankfully his friend was ok. but unfortunately, the acid from the stomach, had caused the surface of the Limestone to be etched quite considerably and now appeared to show permanent wipe marks across some of the floor. Thankfully I advised that we could repolish the surface of the stone to rectify the problem, and this would soon have his floor looking good as new again. The 12mm Verde Limestone tiles have a lovely green shade and set the newly fitted kitchen off a treat. We agreed a price for the work, and I booked the job in soon after.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

To restore the appearance of the floor it needed to be burnished with a set of Tile Doctor Diamond encrusted pads which resurface the tile and rebuild the polish. I started with an abrasive 400-grit pad fitted to a weighted rotary machine worked into the Limestone using only water to lubricate the process. The floor is then rinsed with water to remove the soil which is then extracted with a wet vacuum. This process is repeated using an 800 , 1500 and finally a 3000-grit until the surface of the floor was restored with a high polish.

Vomit Stained Limestone Kitchen Floor During Renovation Cardiff

The grout was then cleaned with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a versatile cleaning solution ideal for grout cleaning. It’s diluted with water and then left to soak into the grout line for a short while before being scrubbed in. After scrubbing the waste is rinsed off with water and extracted with the wet vacuum.

The floor was left to dry overnight with assistance from a floor flan so it would be nice and dry for sealing the following day. By the end of the first day the stain was gone, and the Limestone looked so much better, much to the relief of my client.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor

The next morning, I took a few moisture readings from the tile to make sure it was dry and ready for sealing. The readings were fine, so I set about applying Tile Doctor Stone Oil to the stone. This product soaks into the pores of the stone restoring the natural oils to the stone and enhance the strong dark green colour of the Verde Limestone.

Vomit Stained Verde Limestone Kitchen Floor During Sealing Cardiff

The Limestone needed to be dry before continuing with the last stage of sealing so stone oil was left to dry off overnight and I came back the next day to finish off. People may get the impression from reading this that I am a little over cautious, but I’ve learned from experience that applying a sealer to a damp floor is not a good idea.

So the next day I returned to seal the tiles and for this floor I used three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is impregnating sealer that protects from within whilst enhancing the natural colours in the stone. The combination of the Stone Oil and Colour Grow add long lasting protection to the stone whilst improving its appearance.

Vomit Stained Verde Limestone Kitchen Floor After Renovation Cardiff

The gentleman in question was over the moon with the result as he left the following glowing feedback for me; I understand he is not planning any more parties any time soon!

We are absolutely delighted with Julian’s work! Our limestone kitchen floor was very damaged and we were worried that the damage would be irreparable – Julian diamond polished and resealed the floor and it looks like new. He was an absolute pleasure and the quality of the work was amazing. I will definitely be getting in touch to help preserve the floor in the future. Thank you!

Vomit Stained Verde Limestone Kitchen Floor After Renovation Cardiff

 

Professional Restoration of a Damaged Limestone Kitchen Floor in South East Wales

Vomit Damaged Verde Limestone Floor Renovated Following Drunken Party in Cardiff Read More »

Marble Tiled Church Floor Before After Renovation Cardiff

Black and White Marble Church Floor Tiles Renovated in Ely Cardiff

I was contacted by “The Church of the Resurrection” in the Ely suburb of Cardiff to ask if we would improve the appearance of their Marble floor. We are always up for a challenge at Tile Doctor, so I arranged an appointment to visit the church, survey the floor and recommend a solution.

Marble Church Floor Before Renovation Ely

The church itself is relatively new and dates to 1934, the black and white Marble floor tiles were original however at some point in the past it had been covered in a carpet which had been glued down. The church committee now wanted to restore the Marble tiles back to its original beauty. I carried out a test sample which proved very successful and they were delighted with the results. I was very optimistic that this floor could be saved and would look pretty good at the end. We agreed a price and arranged the most convenient time to carry the work out when the church wasn’t in use.

Marble Church Floor Before Renovation Ely

Cleaning a Marble Tiled Church Floor

On my return I started the cleaning process by working in sections using a solution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go worked in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine to breakdown the glue. Next, I worked thorough a range of burnishing pads, first changing the pad to a coarse 100-grit diamond pad which was run over the floor using the Remove and Go as a lubricant. The soil was then rinsed off the floor with more water and extracted using a wet vacuum. The pad was then changed to a 200-grit pad and the process repeated. The combination of the Remove and Go and the pads cut into the surface of the tile and remove the adhesive staining.

Marble Church Floor During Renovation Ely

Then I continued with a 400-grit diamond burnishing pad this time applied with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. After rinsing and extracting the soil I moved onto an 800-grit, 1500 grit and finally the 3000-grit pad to achieve a finish that they desired. These 17-inch diamond burnishing pads are available in set of four and really restore the deep polish of stone.

Marble Church Floor During Renovation Ely

Around the Altar there were two concrete areas which looked unsightly now that the floor was uncovered so I suggested that I carry on with the pattern of the floor using concrete paint. This proved very successful as it blended in well improving the general appearance of the area.

Marble Church Floor During Renovation Ely

Last step in the cleaning process was to improve the appearance of the Black Stone steps in front of the altar which were dull and marked from years of use. It was confined working space, so I polished these with a handheld machine fitted with 6-inch diamond burnishing pads. to restore the polished appearance of the stone.

Marble Church Floor During Renovation Ely

Sealing a Marble Tiled Church Floor

After cleaning and polishing the areas I proceeded to seal the Marble with Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the pores of the stone protecting it from within. Additionally, this sealer doesn’t change the colour of the stone, so it preserves its natural appearance. The black steps were sealed with Tile Doctor Stone Oil which really did enhance the jet-black lustre it was so in need of.

Marble Church Floor After Renovation Ely

The work was carried out in April 2019 and was completed over the coarse of a few days. The floor now looks stunning and gives the whole church a lift. Certainly, the project management team were delighted with the results as they had thought the floor was unsalvageable. They said they would highly recommend Tile Doctor again for future church projects, which is always very pleasing to hear.

Marble Church Floor After Renovation Ely Marble Church Floor After Renovation Ely

 

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tiled Church Floor in South East Wales

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Victorian Tiled Pathway Before and After Rebuild Cardiff

Damaged Victorian Tiled Path Rebuilt in Cardiff

This Victorian tiled path leading up to a lovely period house in Cardiff was in a really bad state of repair with many damaged and cracked tiles. I had already been working on their hallway tiles and the customer was hoping I would be able to salvage the original tiles in the front path. I was confident something could be done but when I started to remove a few I soon found out that would be unlikely. I made a few calls and fortunately I was able to find replacement tiles in a local salvage yard that were a perfect match.

Victorian Tiled Pathway Before Rebuild Cardiff
The border tiles were a different matter though, so I had to buy new tiles that could be mixed with old for the border which I purchased from original style. I’ve used Original Style tiles on a few occasions in the past, they have a section dedicated to Victorian Tiles and stock quite a few of the popular patterns and decorative border designs.

Rebuilding a Victorian Tiled Path

The foundation of the path was cracked and crumbling so after carefully removing as many tiles that were worth saving I rebuilt the base with a new layer of cement.

Victorian Tiled Pathway During Rebuild Cardiff Victorian Tiled Pathway During Rebuild Cardiff

Once the new base was dry I was able to start Tiling as normal, I had taken photographs of the original pattern, so I was able progress quite quickly.

Victorian Tiled Pathway During Rebuild Cardiff Victorian Tiled Pathway During Rebuild Cardiff

Once the central pattern had been laid I progressed onto the edges which took longer to lay due to the complex pattern. Once all the tiles were laid and the adhesive had set I was able to move onto Grouting.

Victorian Tiled Pathway During Rebuild Cardiff

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Path

Once the tiles were laid and grout had set I was able to move onto cleaning the whole path starting with an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to remove any grout smears left over from the grouting and also to counter act any salts within the tile which could cause problems later.

After a rinse with water the path was then give a good scrub with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a heavy-duty Tile and Grout cleaner that worked well to brings out ingrained dirt.

Sealing a Victorian Floor Sealing

The path was left to dry off overnight and I came back the next day to seal them, I left protection over the path each night after leaving and fortunately we experienced a rare spell of decent weather that week.

The sealer I chose was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, it’s fully breathable, which is important when sealing tiles exposed to damp conditions and it’s a colour enhancing sealer which brought out the best in the red quarry tiles as well as giving good protection to the tile surface.

Victorian Tiled Pathway After Rebuild Cardiff Victorian Tiled Pathway After Rebuild Cardiff

My customer was most impressed with the transformation and left the following glowing testimonial on the Tile Doctor feedback system.

“Julian was quick to respond to emails. He arrived on the date we arranged and was finished promptly. We had our hall tiles re-surfaced and the path completely relayed. Where possible outside Julian re-used the old tiles and when not then used new. The final finish is amazing and definitely gives a wow factor to the entrance to the property. Julian is trustworthy and I would highly recommend him and his work. Thanks for the hard work!
Nigel J, Cardiff 15 Jan 2018″

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Quarry Tiles in Swansea Before and After Restoration

Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor Ruined with Cement in Swansea

The owner of this Quarry tiles floor at a house in Swansea had expended much effort in its restoration and feeling exhausted decided to call in their local Tile Doctor to finish it off.

Quarry Tiles in Swansea Covered in Cement Compound Quarry Tiles in Swansea Covered in Cement Compound

I never saw the original flooring but I could see it had been covered by some sort of cement screed which had probably been used, judging by the imprints, to support large carpet tiles. I’ve come across a few floors like this, you can’t simply put carpet over a tiled surface as tiles can be slightly convex in shape and the grout lines result in dips forming in the carpet so as a result a floor levelling compound is usually applied beforehand.

After doing a cleaning sample and a test to see how stubborn the cement compound was to remove I agreed with the customer that it was possible and showing her the test results, she was happy to proceed with the work.

Quarry Tiles in Swansea Covered in Cement Compound Showing Test Clean

Removing Cement from a Quarry Tiled Floor

Before starting I took a few moisture readings with a handheld damp meter, I always recommend doing this at the start as it gives you a baseline reading that can be used to determine the floor has dried and ready for sealing later. Most old floors don’t have a damp proof membrane installed and so if the moisture readings were high I would recommend coming back to seal the floor at a warmer part of the year.

The first step was to remove all the cement compound from the surface of the tiles and then scrape as much paint and plaster off the tiles before cleaning with an undiluted mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and Remove and Go. This combination of two different products make a great team; Pro-Clean is a versatile, high alkaline cleaner that is used to deal with reasonably heavy soil build-up on natural stone and Tile. Remove and Go, also safe to use on natural stone and tile is specially formulated to remove old coatings including paint and old sealers.

Quarry Tiles in Swansea Removing Cement Compound

This solution was applied to the floor and, working in small sections, I scrubbed it into the tiles using a rotating scrubbing machine fitted with a nylon brush attachment; it was also scrubbed into the grout using a stiff brush. The floor was then rinsed, and the resulting cleaning slurry was vacuumed away using a wet-vax machine.

The final stage of the cleaning process was to run over the tiles with a coarse 200 grit diamond pad together with Grout Clean-up which is another Tile Doctor product that removes mineral deposits such as old grout and cement smears. After a final rinse I could see the all the cement had been removed and the Quarry tiles were looking much healthier and ready for sealing.

Quarry Tiles in Swansea With Cement Compound Removed

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Floor

I left the floor to dry out overnight with the aid of heater fans and all doors closed to keep it warm. When I returned the next day, I retested the floor for moisture and compared the initial readings to confirm the floor was ready for sealing.

The Quarry tiles were quite porous so to seal the Quarry tiles, I eventually used eight coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go which not only provides a protective covering but also enhances the colours of tiles especially old red quarry floor tiles.

Quarry Tiles in Swansea After Restoration

The customer was thrilled with the results of the floor and was so impressed told me she was going to recommend Tile Doctor to her friends.

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old terrazzo hallway floor during polishing Bridgend

Dirty Terrazzo Floor Deep Cleaned, Burnished and Sealed in Bridgend

Terrazzo is a quite a bit different from the natural stone floors we most commonly work with. It’s a type of flooring material that was made popular by Venetian builders in Italy in the 1920s, but is ultimately descended from styles of design that date back hundreds of years. A typical Terrazzo floor consists of chips of marble or granite set in concrete and polished to result in a smooth surface.

This Terrazzo floor, installed in the hallway of a property in Bridgend, South Wales, was in relatively good physical condition, but it had clearly lost its shine due to the build-up of dirt and muck over the years. In fact, it was first installed in around 1940! The owner was keen to have it rejuvenated to its best possible condition, so they asked me to come in to see what I could do.

Old terrazzo hallway floor before polishing Bridgend Old terrazzo hallway floor before polishing Bridgend

Cleaning and Burnishing a Dirty Terrazzo Tiled Floor

My first course of action was to apply Tile Doctor Pro Clean liberally across the floor and leave it to dwell for a short period. This is a high alkaline cleaner that is designed to deal with light to moderate soil build-up, and to strip away any old sealer remaining on the floor. I scrubbed the product in using a black pad fitted to a rotary machine and vacuumed up the resulting cleaning with a wet-vac machine.

Next, to restore the shine to the floor, I undertook a process known as burnishing, which involves the application of diamond encrusted polishing pads. We will typically start with a Coarse grit pad to level off any uneven areas of the floor and grind down any particularly stubborn marks and stains. Then, we gradually refine the polish on the floor using Medium and Fine grit pads. A small amount of water is used as lubrication with each pad.

After I had finished applying the first three pads in our four-pad system, I gave the floor a thorough rinse and left it to dry overnight.

Old terrazzo hallway floor during polishing Bridgend

Sealing a Terrazzo Tiled Floor

I returned to the property the next day and immediately ran some damp tests to check for excess moisture issues, which one might expect with an old floor like this one. Thankfully, the floor proved dry – and I could finish the burnishing process with the fourth and final Very Fine diamond encrusted burnishing pad, which achieved a beautiful shine finish.

Finally, I sealed the floor with three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating sealer which provides robust protection and enhances the coloured patterns in the Terrazzo.

Old terrazzo hallway floor after polishing Bridgend Old terrazzo hallway floor after polishing Bridgend

As you can see from the photos above, the floor is looking so much more colourful and bright after a deep clean, polish and a fresh seal. The customer was over the moon!

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Victorian Tiled Lobby Floor Before and After Restoration Swansea

Quarry and Victorian Tiles Repaired, Cleaned and Sealed in Swansea

The owner of this property in Swansea contacted me recently about a two-part job that would involve the restoration of both a Quarry tiled hallway and a Victorian tiled lobby. The property itself dates back to 1918 – making it nearly a century old – and its safe to assume that both sets of tiles are of a similar age. As you can see from the photographs, they had certainly had absorbed a lot of wear and tear over the years, and as these tiles get older it becomes in increasingly difficult to maintain their appearance.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Hallway

A number of the Quarry tiles had at some point in the past been removed to allow the installation of electrical cables below ground, with an unsightly layer of cement left in their place. At a later point I would need to replace these tiles, but initially I needed to remove the old cement, along with any old sealer remaining on the floor by applying and scrubbing in Tile Doctor Remove & Go.

Quarry Tiled Floor Before Restoration Swansea
Next, I applied an undiluted solution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean, our effective alkaline tile cleaner, to break down and remove the ingrained dirt. I then rinsed with clean water, and removed the resulting slurry with a wet vacuum. With the floor freshly cleaned, I proceeded to retile the area where tiles were missing.

Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Lobby

The Victorian tiles in the porch/lobby room area were adjoined to the Quarry tiles. In this area there were several loose tiles, and I opted to recement and regrout them before beginning a clean.

Following this the tiles were treated to a thorough clean in a similar fashion to that provided to the Quarry tiles, however, in this case I mixed Remove and Go and Pro Clean to form a powerful cleaning solution. This was applied to the floor, left to dwell for a short period, and then scrubbed into the tiles, quickly bringing them back to life. I then lightly steamed cleaned the floor with a Karcher tool to eliminate or neutralise any chemicals that remained.

Victorian-Tiled-Lobby-Floor-During-Restoration-Swansea-114646

Sealing Quarry and Victorian Tiles

I left the two sets of tiles to dry out fully overnight. Upon my return to the property, I ran damp tests to confirm that the floors were ready to be sealed. The customer had asked for a satin finish on both floors, so I decided to use Tile Doctor Seal and Go. This topical sealer provides a durable sheen seal, and is a cost-effective option for Quarry and Victorian tiles. I applied seven coats of Seal and Go in total across both sets of tiles.

Quarry-Tiled-Floor-After-Restoration-Swansea-112352 Victorian-Tiled-Lobby-Floor-After-Restoration-Swansea-112433

The customer and myself were delighted with the results. In the space of just a couple of days these classic tiles have been brought been completely revitalised, and thanks to the application of a fresh sealer will be easier for the customer to keep clean going forward.

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Quarry Tiles After Restoration in Splott Cardiff

Badly Stained Quarry Tiles Deep Cleaned and Sealed in Splott

These Quarry tiles at a house in Splott, a small town not too far from the city of Cardiff, had certainly endured a hammering after what appeared to be recent decoration in the room. The tiles were heavily soiled, with sand and cement mixed up and splattered across the floor, along with deep paint and plaster stains.

Quarry Tiles Before Restoration in Splott Cardiff
Quarry Tiles Before Restoration in Splott Cardiff

The customer had already scraped off as much of the cement and other stubborn stains off – as much as they could, at least. Quarry may be typically hard wearing, but this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s any easier to clean when it gets into a bad way. Eager to find a solution to the problem, the customer found Tile Doctor via the Internet, and not long after we arranged for me to come down to the property to see what could be done.

Quarry Tiles Before Restoration in Splott Cardiff Quarry Tiles Before Restoration in Splott Cardiff
Quarry Tiles Before Restoration in Splott Cardiff

Upon arriving at the property and giving the tiles an initial inspection, I explained that not all stains and marks will come off or out of the tiles, as some staining is simply permanent. Nonetheless, the customer indicated they would be satisfied with any improvement made to the condition of the floor. Having restored tiles similar to these before, I knew that the results could still come off very well using the right methods and products.

Cleaning a Stained Quarry Tiled Floor

To begin I mixed a strong solution of Tile Doctor NanoTech HBU and Pro Clean, a combination of two different cleaners. Pro Clean is a versatile, high alkaline cleaner that is used to deal with reasonably heavy soil build-up on natural stone floors. It also contains stripping properties that allow it to start breaking down any old sealers when left to dwell on the tiles. NanoTech HBU takes the cleaning process a step further: it is specially formulated to use nano-sized cleaning particles to reach dirt and stains deeply ingrained in the stone, before dissolving and lifting them out.

This solution was applied to the floor and, working in small sections, I scrubbed it into the tiles using a rotating scrubbing machine fitted with a nylon brush attachment. The floor was then rinsed, and the resulting cleaning slurry was vacuumed away using a wet-vax machine.

My next concern was the grout, which was afflicted by stubborn cement marks. I opted to remove these firstly by carefully applying Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, an acid-based cleaner. Some cement marks remained despite the application, and so I attempted to manually scrape and chisel them away. While I had some good success, as mentioned not all cement stains can be removed, especially if they have been there for a long time. Some old cement mixture is as hard as flint!

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Floor

I left the floor to dry following the clean and came back two days later to seal the tiles, checking first that they were dry by taking multiple readings with the damp meter, and comparing them with earlier results.

The test results came back fine, so I started with the lengthy task of applying eight coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go sealer. Having sealed similar floors with Seal and Go before I knew the results would be very desirable, with the deep natural colours in the stone being enhanced by the product. Seal and Go is my preferred sealer for Quarry tiles as it helps disguise some permanent marks and adds a durable satin shine finish.

Quarry Tiles After Restoration in Splott Cardiff
Quarry Tiles After Restoration in Splott Cardiff

While unfortunately a stained floor like this will never be able to look good as new, the results I managed to achieve were very pleasing. Certainly there was no evidence left of recent decoration, with the vast majority of the stains and marks no longer damaging the appearance of the tiles. The fresh seal has really brought out the red and black checked pattern in the floor. Needless to say the customer’s expectations were exceeded!

Quarry Tiles After Restoration in Splott Cardiff Quarry Tiles After Restoration in Splott Cardiff
Quarry Tiles After Restoration in Splott Cardiff

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