Stourbridge Tile Cleaning

Stourbridge Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find examples of the cleaning and renovation of tiles carried out in Stourbridge.

Quarry Tiled Floor Restoration Stourbridge

Quarry Tiled Floor Fully Rebuilt and Restored in Stourbridge

This customer from the historic West Midland’s town of Stourbridge contacted me about their living room floor which was laid with Quarry tiles; however, one area which I suspect may have originally been a fireplace had been tiled with pale ceramic Pink tiles. These would need to be removed and replaced with matching quarry tiles if the floor was to have a consistent appearance.

Quarry Tiled Floor Before Restoration Stourbridge

Whilst surveying the floor I conducted a test clean on a section of Quarry tiles which came up well and I discussed sourcing matching replacements with the owner. I knew of a reclamation yard local close to the customer that I’ve previously used, he suggested getting his own replacements from there which I was happy with and the work was booked in.

Repairing and Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Floor

On arrival I looked at the reclaimed tiles the owner had sourced and noticed they were all approx. 5mm larger than the original tiles. So, before doing anything else I had to cut them all to size with my wet tile cutter. This is messy work with quarry tiles as they create an orange slurry when cut, if you’re not careful you’ll end up looking like an Oompa Loompa after cutting them!

Quarry Tiled Floor During Restoration Stourbridge Quarry Tiled Floor During Restoration Stourbridge

Next I had to remove the Pink Ceramic tiles and dig into the area underneath to ensure the thicker Quarry tiles would be level with the surface of the existing floor. Once the debris had been cleared, I was then able to apply a self-levelling compound to bring the sub-floor up to the required level. The levelling compound was left to dry off overnight and I returned the next day to fit the cut tiles and grout them in after the adhesive had dried.

Quarry Tiled Floor During Restoration Stourbridge Quarry Tiled Floor During Restoration Stourbridge

The next day with the replacement tiles set I was able to clean the whole floor with Tile Doctor Remove & Go which was allowed to soak in for a while and then topped up so not to dry out. I then used a silicon carbide brush fitted to a weighted rotary machine to scrub the floor and loosen all the dirt. Next job was to run a stiff brush along the grout lines to get them clean as well, before rinsing and extracting the dirt with a portable Airflex Pro wet vacuum. I use a low psi so as not to apply too much water.

The floor was then towelled off before starting the last part of the cleaning process which involves treating the tiles with an acid-rinse using a dilution of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up. This is an acidic product that can remove mineral staining and will also counter any alkaline salt deposits in the pores of the tile that could surface as the floor dries.

The floor was then rinsed and towel dried as before but this time I left a couple of floor fans in place to assist with the drying whilst I packed away the machinery.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Floor

After an hour I applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Stone Oil, I find that this helps bring the colour of the Quary tile, aids drying and minimises any efflorescence salts coming through overnight.

Quarry Tiled Floor After Restoration Stourbridge

I returned next day to fully seal the floor. The floor was old with no damp proof membrane installed and had shown signs of dampness In the past. Because of this I recommended using Tile Doctor X-Tra seal to seal the floor which is fully breathable sealer and will cope well with any damp issues. Additionally, this applied with the stone oil adds a nice slight sheen to the floor which really lifts its appearance.

Quarry Tiled Floor After Restoration Stourbridge

The deep clean and new sealer really helped blend in the replacement tiles with the original and once complete my customer was very happy with the transformation. Before leaving we discussed aftercare and I left them a complimentary bottle of Neutral Tile Cleaner to maintain the tiles going forward. This is a pH neutral product that is safe to use on sealed surfaces and won’t prematurely erode the sealer like many stronger tile cleaners you will find in supermarkets.

 

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Floor in Birmingham

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Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration Stourbridge

Renovating a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Stourbridge

This client in the old industrial market town of Stourbridge contacted me about a Victorian tiled floor they had recently discovered under their hall carpet. They wanted to have it restored to its former glory but were concerned about the small holes all along the border. These holes were for the nails that secured the carpet grip rod and the best course of action would be to remove and replace the tiles. We are usually able to source replacement tiles, either replica or reclaimed so I was reasonably confident we could manage it, however in order to be certain I needed to survey the floor and do some research.

Victorian Hallway Tile Border Before Replacement Stourbridge Victorian Hallway Tile Border Before Replacement Stourbridge

Once I was able to take a detailed look at the tiles it was clear that the floor would also need a deep clean due to being covered up by the carpet for so long, there was also some glue and residue from the floor covering which we agreed to remove. I prepared a quote for the work which the client was happy to accept, and the job was booked in.

Victorian Hallway Door Threshold Before Tile Replacement Stourbridge

Cleaning/Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The first day was spent removing the border tiles and replacing them, these are tricky to do as the skirting can be a hinderance. The tiles needed to be carefully removed so we didn’t damage the skirting. Thankfully they were all coloured black which was a bonus as replacement black tiles match very well. After cutting to size and replacing all the border, a doorway threshold was rebuilt with a mixture of original and replacement tiles.

Victorian Hallway Door Threshold During Tile Replacement Stourbridge

To finish off the first day loose tiles were reset, and the replacement tiles grouted in along with the other repaired areas. The floor was already started to look good and the colours in the Victorian tiles which were particularly vivid were really starting to come alive as the work progressed.

Victorian Hallway Tile Border Before Replacement Stourbridge Victorian Hallway Tile Border After Grouting Stourbridge

The next day the floor was cleaned with a 200-grit diamond pad attached to a rotary floor machine. We use water to lubricate the cleaning process and this turns to a grey slurry as the dirt is released from the tiles. The slurry is then rinsed off and then removed using a wet vacuum.

Next the floor was given an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up to remove any grout haze and treat any salty deposits (efflorescence) which are often present in floors of this age due to the lack of a damp-proof membrane. It also helps make a stronger bond with the sealer which would be applied later.

The floor was rinsed with water, then dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum and allowed to dry for a couple of days.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning a few days later, we checked with the moisture readings of the floor in several places using a damp meter. It confirmed that the floor had dried out fully and was ready to be sealed. Applying a sealer to a damp floor is never recommended.

To seal the Victorian tiles, I used multiple coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra which is a low sheen breathable sealer that will allow moisture to rise through the tiles, it also added a lovely subtle sheen to the tiles making the colours stand out. Using a breathable sealer is important on old floors with no damp proof membrane as to use a non-breathable sealer can lead to moisture being trapped under the floor where it could build-up and spread to the walls leading to rising damp.

Victorian Hallway Tile Border After Cleaning Stourbridge Victorian Hallway Tile Border After Replacement Stourbridge

The floor was now complete and looked great. The client was over the moon and especially pleased that we had managed to replace the border tiles with the nail holes in.

Victorian Hallway Door Threshold After Tile Replacement Stourbridge

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Birmingham

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Birmingham Tile Doctor

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