Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of Encaustic Tile Cleaning and Renovation work carried out in South East Wales

Cleaning and Renovating Encaustic Tiles

Made from layers of cement modern production methods and stunning geometric designs have seen a resurgence in the popularity of Encaustic tiles of late. Traditionally these tiles were hand painted with patterns hydraulically pressed into the surface resulting in a large range of beautifully artistic tiles with some companies offering a bespoke design service. They are known for their durability making them a popular option for floors.

Like Ceramic, Encaustic tiles are generally very easy to clean and generally need little maintenance, however these tiles are generally micro-porous and so should be sealed to avoid dirt becoming ingrained in the tile which will make them difficult to clean. Once sealed make sure you only use a neutral pH cleaning product such as Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to clean the tiles as stronger products (especially acidic) will reduce the life of the sealer.

If regular cleaning proves to have little impact its likely the sealer has worn down and dirt has penetrated the pores of the tile. If this is the case we recommend burnishing the Encaustic tiles with a set of diamond pads and then resealing with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which will enhance the colours in the tile.

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

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Restoration Penarth

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Repair and Restored in Penarth

1 Comment / Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Penarth Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning /

Following a recommendation, this client from Penarth contacted Tile Doctor to carry out a survey on their Victorian tiled kitchen floor and come up with a plan for its restoration. Always happy to provide advice and guidance I arranged a date to pop over and take a look.

As you can see from the photographs on this page the floor was in very poor condition with many tiles needing replacing and a section missing adjacent to the wooden floor. Many stains were visible due to years of neglect as previous builders used it to mix cement and plaster.

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Restoration Penarth Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Restoration Penarth

Undeterred I advised that the floor could be restored using replacement tiles to match the existing and then with deep cleaning and sealing it should be transformed. I worked out a quote for the restoration which they were happy with.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen

After sourcing suitable replacement tiles the first job was to remove the broken and damaged areas of tiling and clean up the base ready for tiling. This is slow and careful work as the replacements had to be cut to match the existing pattern. Once the tiles were ready, they were dry fitted into place to ensure the pattern was correct before being fixed in place with a flexible adhesive and fresh grouting.

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor During Restoration Penarth

The floor was left to set overnight, and I came back the next day to start the cleaning.
As this floor was heavily soiled with a variety of different substances, I mixed a variety of Tile Doctor products to achieve the most effective way to lift the stains. The mixture contained a litre of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, Tile Doctor Remove and Go together with Tile Doctor HBU Nanotech, all of which provide different capabilities and were combined in a container which was then shaken to mix the contents.

The cleaning progressed at 1m2 at a time scrubbing the surface with a handheld pad cut from a 17″ Tile Doctor Burnishing Pad, scrubbing the pitted areas with a scrubbing brush, rinsing with clean water and vacuuming up as I worked.

Once the floor was clean it was then given an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to help neutralise efflorescent salts and remove cement smears. Being acidic it also neutralises the floor after cleaning with the alkaline products used earlier.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Kitchen

The floor was left to dry for 2 days as it had a considerable amount of liquids applied during the cleaning process.

The chosen sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a durable tile impregnator. It also acts as a base coat for the next sealer applied which was Tile Doctor Seal & Go which provides a satin shine finish and enhances the rich colours. Both sealers allow for vapour transmission (aka breathable) which is important feature for floors laid without a damp proof membrane.

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor After Restoration Penarth

The floor looked stunning once complete and my clients was delighted with the service and finish of the floor. They have also passed on Tile Doctors contact details to family and friends.

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor After Restoration Penarth

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective tile cleaning product that safe to use on sealed surfaces.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Kitchen in Southeast Wales

Victorian Tiled Kitchen Floor Repair and Restored in Penarth Read More »

Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor Restoration Cardiff

Damaged Art Deco Encaustic Cement Tiled Floor Fully Restored in Cardiff

1 Comment / Cardiff Tile Cleaning, Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning /

Tile Doctor was contacted by a client who had recently purchased a 1920’s property in Cardiff with a Encaustic Tiled floor that was in a bad state. The property was having major building works carried out to bring it back to its original condition and this included the tiled floor.

Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor Before Restoration Cardiff

The floor in general was in a very bad condition with builders’ plaster and cement staining in many areas, and to make things worse a lot of tiles were missing and damaged. Normally replacing tiles isn’t a problem but these particular tiles were very uncommon in colour shape and size and the pattern was very reminiscent of the Art Deco designs that were fashionable when the house was built.

Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor Before Restoration Cardiff Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor Before Restoration Cardiff

Having surveyed the floor I came up with a restoration plan and explained that it should be possible cut the shape out of a larger tile and try to match the colour as best as possible. Once the clients and I decided on the closest colour I was then able to plan the restoration project in detail and provide an accurate quote.

Cleaning and Repairing an Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor

Before we could even contemplate cleaning the floor it had to be whole so the 1st job was to prepare the damaged areas for tile replacements. This involves carefully removing the damaged tile and cleaning up the foundation beneath ready to accept a replacement.

Next step was to cut all the replacement tiles to replicate the octagonal shape and size then dry fit them to check if any adjustments were needed. Once all the replacement tiles had been cut, they were fixed in place with flexible adhesive and then grouted. The floor then needed time to set before cleaning so that was it for the first day.

On day two work stated to deep clean the encaustic tiled floor of previous sealers and paint. To do this it was covered in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean combined with Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU Remover for extra power. This was left to soak into the floor for a good fifteen minutes before scrubbing it by hand with a black scrubbing pad cut to size. Working it into the floor like this is less aggressive than with a machine and ensures 100% coverage with no gaps in the cleaning. Once done the floor was rinsed and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next stage was to clean the floor working at 1 m2 at a time, again with a coarse black pad cut from a 17″ Tile Doctor pad. This time the pad was used to work in Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up into the surface to remove the cement smears. As work progressed the floor was rinsed with fresh water and all the residues vacuumed away. Working this way allowed me to keep progressing until I was satisfied the whole floor was clear and as clean as it ever could be.

The floor was then left for two days so it would be completely dry for the next step of applying a protective sealer.

Sealing an Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor

The client wanted a natural matt finish to the floor, so I had recommended sealing it with Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer that leaves a very durable matt finish.

Colour Glow allows for vapour transmission which is essential on old floors like this one that don’t have a damp proof membrane. The sealer soaks into the pores of the cement tile protecting it from within and ensure dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Art Deco Encaustic Tiled Floor After Restoration Cardiff

The clients were delighted with the results and relieved I was able to restore the floor as an original feature. They were told by other contractors that the floor would have to be removed and replaced at a substantial cost.

For aftercare cleaning I advised the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild yet effective tile cleaner that won’t impact the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of an Art Deco Encaustic Cement Tiled Floor in Southeast Wales

Damaged Art Deco Encaustic Cement Tiled Floor Fully Restored in Cardiff Read More »

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