Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing Archives

White Limestone Floor Renovated in Solihull

White Limestone Floor Installation Clean and Polish in Solihull

A homeowner from Solihull contacted Tile Doctor concerning their White Limestone tiled floor, which was being marked from foot traffic and a dog with a weak bladder. Measuring approximately 150m2 the stone floor had been installed throughout the ground floor of what was a stunning award winning multi-million-pound property.

Limestone Floor Before Cleaning and Polishing Solihull

Expensive stone floors like this one do need maintenance to keep them in top condition so I reasoned that if the sealer was still doing its job, it may just need a quick polish. To be certain I went over to survey the tiles and take a closer look. Whilst there I did a sample test clean which showed the improvement the client was looking for but also revealed the stone needed to be re-sealed.

Limestone WC Floor Before Cleaning and Polishing Solihull

The floor would need a deep clean, polish and seal which given its size I calculated would take six days. Later that day I sat down and worked out a detailed quote that included all the labour and products needed to complete the project and emailed it across. The quote was agreed and a date scheduled for the work to start.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor

They say the best way to eat an elephant is in small pieces so I divided the floor into six sections, this would help with doing the work and being able to move furniture around.

Repeating the process in each section work started with a light sweep of the floor to remove grit etc. The natural stone section was then burnished starting off with a coarse 400-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary floor machine and lubricated with water. The machine had extra weights fitted to improve traction with the floor. This process grinds the dirt off the floor opening the pores in the stone so the dirt can be flushed out, the water turns into a fine slurry which is then rinsed off the floor and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Limestone Floor During Cleaning and Polishing Solihull

The 400-grit pad was then switched to a finer 800-grit burnishing pad and the process repeated followed by the 1500 grit, again rinsing and extracting between pads. These finer pads are polishing pads that start to close the pores in the stone and bring up the shine.

The next step was to scrub the grout lines using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in with a stiff brush. This was followed by burnishing the edges and corners with a handheld polisher so no area was missed. The staircase was also done this way with a set of 6″ pads.

After another rinse and extraction with the wet vacuum the polishing was finished with a very fine 3500 grit diamond pad, this pad is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile and tightens the pores to leaves the Limestone dry and gives it a natural sheen. The work took two complete sets of pads to complete.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor

To seal the stone a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal were applied, before buffing off the excess with a white pad. This sealer is almost invisible leaving the floor with a natural look. It’s also a hard-wearing impregnator that works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained and keeping it on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Limestone Hallway Floor During Sealing Solihull

The customer was very happy with the results and commented that the floor looked better than when it was laid seven years before. I left them a bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap to maintain the floor going forward, it’s a sealer safe cleaning product that helps maintain the patina on the stone.

Limestone Floor After Cleaning and Polishing Solihull

Before leaving I recommended our maintenance program to the owner, this is service we provide where we come over one a year to top up the sealer and further polish the floor with the very fine burnishing pad.

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White Limestone Floor Renovation Darlaston

Renovating a Recently Laid White Limestone Floor in Darlaston

1 Comment / Darlaston Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing / Kieron Norton

A homeowner in Darlaston near Walsall got in touch regarding their White Limestone floor, which was being easily marked from foot traffic. Dark marks were being left on the floor which they couldn’t remove.

White Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Darlaston

This was concerning as the floor had only been laid a few months earlier and it had been cleaned and sealed by another firm. When I asked about that it turns out the cleaning firm had cleaned, burnished and sealed the whole floor in one day, which was incredibly quick when you consider the floor measured 120m2! This was a red flag for me as I would have expected a floor of this size to take four days when done correctly.

White Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Darlaston

The only solution would be to do the floor properly so I popped over to survey the tiles and conduct a few tests. Whilst there I demonstrated the finish that we could achieve which they were happy with and I worked out a quote. They were happy with that and relieved the problem wasn’t more serious accepted my quote and the job was booked in.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor

I returned a few weeks later and started by dividing the floor into four zones, which would make the job more manageable and have the advantage of being able to move furniture around.

Each section was cleaned with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to dwell and soak in for ten minutes before being worked in. I use a rotary machine to scrub the floor fitted with a 240-grit silicone carbide brush which combined with the Pro-Clean loosens trapped dirt and sealers from the floor. I then went over the grout with a grout brush by hand to get that clean. Next the soiling was rinsed away with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

White Limestone Tiled Floor During Cleaning Darlaston

I then started the process of burnishing the natural stone floor, starting off with a coarse 400-grit and working through 800 and 1500 grit diamond pads fitted to the rotary machine which had extra weights added to increase traction. The pads are run over the floor with water for lubrication and after each pad the floor is rinsed and the soiling extracted with the wet vacuum. The pads struggle in the corners and edges so these are doing with a handheld polisher fitted with 6-inch burnishing pads to ensure no areas were missed.

White Limestone Tiled Floor During Cleaning Darlaston

The section was then allowed to dry with the aid of a floor fan whilst I finished off the process in a previous section by polishing the Limestone with the last pad which is very fine 3500-grit. This last pad tightens the pores and gives the stone a natural sheen, it is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Ground Floor

The last step was to seal the limestone tiles and grout using a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is a natural look sealer that doesn’t alter the look of the stone. This product is also an impregnator which works by soaking into the stone occupying the pores and ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away. Afterwards the floor was buffed with a white pad to remove any excess sealer and further bring up the appearance of the Limestone.

White Limestone Floor After Renovation Darlaston

The client was very happy with the results, and I left them a bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap to maintain the floor going forward. This will ensure the floor is easy to maintain and being a ph neutral product won’t impact the new sealer.

White Limestone Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Darlaston

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Stained Limestone Fireplace Renovated in Great Barr

1 Comment / Handsworth Wood Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing / Kieron Norton

I recently cleaned and sealed a stone floor for a customer in Great Barr who called me a couple of weeks later and asked if I could restore his Limestone fireplace. The hearth was heavily stained and that along with the usual soot markings made him decide it was overdue a clean.

Having been to the house before I was able to quote for the work quite easily. It was just a matter of explaining the process and agreeing a date for the work which should only take a day.

Limestone Fireplace Before Cleaning Great Barr

Deep Cleaning a Limestone Fireplace

After protecting the surrounding woodwork, I set about cleaning the fireplace first using hand-held 60 grit diamond blocks with only water for lubrication. The water is sprayed onto the stone and the block is worked in using a circular action to get deep into the pores.

The whole fireplace was cleaned using this method before turning my attention to the hearth. The staining on the hearth was worse so for this I first applied a coating of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel to help breakdown the stains. Being in a gel form makes this cleaning product much easier to handle in a tight space. The gel was left to soak in for fifteen minutes before being scrubbed with a black pad. The hearth was then carefully rinsed and the released soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

I followed up with further cleaning using the 60-grit diamond block to get the stone hearth as clean as possible. I then rinsed the fireplace, and went through the process again with 120, 200 and finally a 400-grit block to bring up the appearance of the stone. Only was I was satisfied did I give the Fireplace a final rinse and then dried it off with towels, air movers and a heat gun until the stone was fully dry.

Sealing a Limestone Fireplace

To seal the Limestone and make it easier to clean going forward I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal. This product is almost invisible and leaves a natural finish, it works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores, and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there.

Limestone Fireplace After Cleaning Great Barr

For aftercare cleaning I left the customer with a bottle of Tile Doctor pH Neutral Tile Cleaner which will help maintain the appearance of the fireplace. The customer was delighted with the results and said that it even looked better than when it was installed over 15 years ago!”

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Limestone Floor Installation Clean and Polish for Codsall Builder

1 Comment / Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Wolverhampton Tile Cleaning / Kieron Norton

A builder got in touch with me about aLimestone tiled floor he had installed for a client in Codsall near Wolverhampton. He was doing some renovation work on the property and clearly stone floors were not his speciality. The tiles had been sealed incorrectly and then covered up which had left marks in the stone. To his credit he did attempt to make good the issues, but ultimately got into a mess with it and decided to call us in to rectify.

I went along to survey the floor and work out a plan to rectify the issues and as part of this conducted a few tests. The testing went well and it confirmed to me which products and methods would work best on the floor, it also demonstrated that the Limestone floor could be renovated to a good standard. Luckily, I had a spare couple of days so I could do the job quickly, so the builder was very relieved, and the client pleased it was going to be resolved.

Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Codsall

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor

The firstly job was to strip the floor of the sealer and give it a deep clean. To do this I applied a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go to the floor, left it to dwell and then went over the floor with a Black pad fitted to a rotary machine. The soiling generated was then rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

After this I started burnishing the stone tiles with a 400-grit diamond pad covering each tile at least three times; the floor was then rinsed and the soiling extracted with the wet vacuum as before. I purposely worked on the floor in two sections so it didn’t dry out and leave a chalky finish, especially in the grout as this can be difficult to remove when dry. I then moved on to the 800-grit pad and then a 1500-grit pad using the same method. I also used smaller 6-inch pads around the edges and corners where the rotary machine could not reach using a hand polisher.

After rinsing and drying off with three air movers, I asked the client to have a think overnight if they wanted to leave it at the 1500-grit finish or go up to a 3000-grit very fine finish. My concern was that an adjoining room which wasn’t being cleaned wasn’t that high a finish and the two floors would look different.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Hallway Floor

I returned the next day and checked the moisture readings of the floor using a damp meter, the readings were good confirming the floor was dry and ready to be sealed. Having thought about it overnight the client agreed with my concern and was happy to leave it at a 1500 grit finish.

To seal the Limestone floor, I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a penetrating sealer that soaks into the pores of the stone to provide maximum protection and leaves a natural finish. Additionally, this sealer is particularly good in a high traffic area such as the hallway.

Limestone Floor After Renovation Codsall

My client was delighted with the transformed floor and was now happy which was a relief to the builder who was keen to get the job signed off. For aftercare cleaning I left the client a bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap which will allow them to keep the tiles clean and help to keep the polished patina finish.

Limestone Floor After Renovation Codsall

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Acid damaged black limestone patio tiles in Bromsgrove

1 Comment / Bromsgrove Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Work History / Kieron Norton

A local company in Bromsgrove were commissioned to lay a stunning and expensive Black Limestone patio for a customer who was renovating their property. Unfortunately, the company tried to clean the finished patio with brick acid, and because limestone is generally very porous and acid sensitive this discoloured the tiles to a rather unsightly, dull grey – a far cry from what their customer was expecting!

Acid Damaged Black Limestone Patio Before Restoration Bromsgrove

The company facing a large bill contacted Tile Doctor for expert advice to see if the beautiful tiles could be restored. If Tile Doctor couldn’t come to the rescue, then the company would have no choice other than to replace them at their own expense.

Black limestone paving has become incredibly popular over the last few years as its dark tones suit the current trend for a monochrome palette. It is also hard wearing and readily available.

Tile Doctor specialise in the restoration of all types of tile and stone and as their local agent, I was asked to go over and see what could be done. I realised that the brick acid will have damaged the surface of the stone so to restore it I first tried applying a coarse 200 grit diamond burnishing pad. The pad successfully demonstrated that the appearance could be restored and impressed with the difference the site foreman booked me in to complete the whole patio. Luckily the weather forecast was set fair for a few days, which would be needed to clean and seal the patio.

Restoring an Acid Damaged Limestone Patio

Made with industrial diamonds and available in different sizes and grits, burnishing pads are ideal for restoring the appearance of polished stone floors. The first step was to work on the tiles with a course 200 grit diamond pad fitted to a weighted rotary machine and lubricated with water. This took off a layer of the limestone, bringing back the original black appearance of the tiles.

Acid Damaged Black Limestone Patio During Diamond Pad Polishing Bromsgrove

Acid Damaged Black Limestone Patio During Cleaning With CRB Machine Bromsgrove

Next the patio was worked on with 400 grit diamond pads followed by 800 grit pads – the first stage of polishing – and each application was cleaned off with water. Because the property was being renovated there was a lot of dirt on the tiles and grout from construction, so I scrubbed in medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using a CRB (counter rotating brush) machine. Once done I rinsed down the area with more water and left it to dry. As you can see from the pictures it was a large area, so this work took two days to complete.

Acid Damaged Black Limestone Patio During Cleaning Bromsgrove

Sealing Limestone Patio Tiles to Restore Colour

I returned the next day to start the sealing process beginning with the application of Tile Doctor Stone-Oil which restores the deep black colour and texture to the limestone, it’s also an impregnating sealer that adds protection and improves mechanical strength once cured.

I allowed this to dry for 24 hours and then applied a coat of Ultra-Seal, a no-sheen natural-looking sealer formulated to provide maximum stain protection.

Acid Damaged Black Limestone Patio After Sealing Bromsgrove

The customer was very happy with the results. The patio tiles were fully restored to their original glory and their customer was delighted. More importantly, the company had been saved from making an insurance claim. They left the following feedback on completion:

“Great job by Kieron after the wrong cleaning solution was used on a patio we installed. Came up better than new!”

Acid Damaged Black Limestone Patio After Restoration Bromsgrove

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Birmingham City Tile Cleaning, Bordersley Green Tile Cleaning, Bournville Tile Cleaning, Bromsgrove Tile Cleaning, Ceramic Tile Cleaning, Darlaston Tile Cleaning, Dudley Tile Cleaning, Encaustic Cement Tile Cleaning, Fireplace Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Grout Cleaning, Handsworth Wood Tile Cleaning, Hollywood Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing, Marble Tile Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Redditch Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Shirley Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Smethwick Tile Cleaning, Solihull Tile Cleaning, Stourbridge Tile Cleaning, Terracotta Tile Cleaning, Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Vinyl Tile Cleaning, West Bromwich Tile Cleaning, Wolverhampton Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Kieron Norton

Birmingham Tile Doctor

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