Chester Tile Cleaning

Chester Tile Cleaning

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

Minton Hollins Victorian Floor Renovation Chester

Historically Important Victorian Hallway Floor Restored in Handbridge Chester

I was first asked to restore the large Victorian tiled hallway floor at this mansion type property in Handbridge, Cheshire two years ago. The floors had a lot of history and had been used as a template for the famous Minton Hollins encaustic tiled floor at St George’s Hall in Liverpool that was built in 1854. Unfortunately, however my work was put on hold as other restoration works including repairing dry rot took priority.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Renovation Handbridge Cheshire

I kept in touch with the owners whilst the other works progressed and kept a look out for 22 beige Octagon shaped tiles that were needed to replace some of the damaged tiles in the floor. In fact, it wasn’t until later in 2023 that I was called back to start the renovation work to the floor, by which time I had managed to source all the replacement tiles needed.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Renovation Handbridge Cheshire Victorian Tiled Floor Before Renovation Handbridge Cheshire

Handbridge is a district of Chester with a mixture of large Victorian mansion type properties on the South bank of the river Dee and workers cottages built to service the water powered factories that sprung up along the river.

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Hallway Tiles

Before starting the cleaning process my first task was to replace all the broken tiles. This needs to be done carefully so as not to dislodge any adjacent tiles and make more work for myself. Once removed the base is cleared of old cement and then the replacement tiles fitted using rapid set adhesive and cut to size where required.

Once the repairs were complete and the adhesive set, I began the cleaning process which is designed to remove and remaining protective sealer and flush out ingrained dirt from the pores of the tile. This is done by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean with a mop and then leaving it to soak into the tile for ten minutes. The floor was then scrubbed using a buffing machine fitted with a black pad and lubricated with water. The cleaning alkaline cleaning solution soon turns black with the dirt and then floor is then rinsed with water and the residue extracted with a wet vacuum.

Attention then turned to the decorative historical piece of flooring at the entrance to the hallway. This only needed to be cleaned with Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is used for regular cleaning and maintenance of tiled floors. this was applied with a two-minute dwell time before cleaning by hand using soft scrubbing brush then wiped down with damp microfiber cloths then left to dry.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The next day damp meter readings were taken from both floors to make sure they had dried and were ready to be sealed. The readings were within tolerance so work could begin on applying the first of what would be three coats of sealer.

Tile Doctor Colour Grow was chosen to seal the tiles, it’s an impregnating colour intensifier sealer which is fully breathable so it will allow for moisture to rise through tile, an important consideration for old floors that don’t have a damp proof membrane.

The sealer was applied using a paint pad and any excess is wiped off after five minutes with microfiber cloths before leaving it to dry for twenty minutes. I use air blowers around the floor to increase the drying speed.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Renovation Handbridge Cheshire Victorian Tiled Floor After Renovation Handbridge Cheshire

The owner of the property was over the moon with the work and pleased that the work to restore the property to its former condition was nearing completion after what had been four years of restoration.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Renovation Handbridge Cheshire

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in West Cheshire

Historically Important Victorian Hallway Floor Restored in Handbridge Chester Read More »

Victorian Hallway Renovation Chester City Centre

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Cleaned, Repaired and Sealed in Chester

We first renovated this Victorian hallway floor in Chester City Centre four years ago but at the time I was unable to locate all the picture tiles needed to tile a door threshold which was damaged. As a result, it was decided to just clean and seal the floor leaving the damaged tiles in place the customer said he would give us a call once the replacement tiles had been located.

Four years later and the floor needed cleaning and sealing again however this time the necessary replacement tiles had been sourced on eBay and so we were called back to do that and repair the threshold. Hallways being the main throughfare through the house do experience a lot of traffic so it’s not unusual for a sealer to wear off after a few years and need replacing.

Victorian Hallway Before Renovation Chester City Centre

Repairing and Cleaning a Victorian Hallway Tiles

The first job was to cut out the damaged tiles and replace with the replacements. This involves carefully chiselling out the old tiles so as not to disturb those adjacent. It’s not unusual for work like this to dislodge more tiles than you had intended so slow and gentle is the best approach. Once the old tiles have been removed the base is cleaned up and old adhesive scraped away.

Victorian Hallway Before Renovation Chester City Centre

The next step was to clean the floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a alkaline cleaner and stripper that will clean and remove any remaining sealer from the tiles. The solution was left to soak in for ten minutes before being scrubbed in using a weighted buffing machine fitted with a Black pad. The released dirt was then removed with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to treat the tiles to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which was applied and removed using the same method as before. This process neutralises the pH level of the floor following the use of the alkaline cleaner earlier and ensures a better bond with the sealer.

The floor was then given another rinse with water and as it was drying, we laid in the section of replacement tiles. The replacement tiles were not an exact fit so some of the edges had to be rubbed down with 50-grit Diamond burnishing blocks to make the intricate pattern work. Once the Victorian tiled jigsaw puzzle matched the space, they were secured into place using rapid set adhesive.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I left the floor to dry off overnight and returned the next day to apply a new sealer. Before doing so however I like to use a damp meter to take moisture readings from the floor. This is needed to ensure it is dry enough to seal which is important as any moisture in the tile can affect the sealer and lead to an inconsistent finish.

Victorian Hallway After Renovation Chester City Centre

The readings were fine so several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra were applied, allowing each coat to dry for thirty minutes before applying the next. This product is an acrylic breathable sealer which adds a pleasing subtle shine to the tile. This is an important feature when choosing a sealer for old floors where moisture needs to be allowed to rise through the tile, otherwise it can become trapped under the floor and reach out to the walls causing rising damp.

Victorian Hallway After Renovation Chester City Centre

The hallway looked much cleaner and brighter once done and the door threshold now closely matched the one on the other side of the hallway completing the floor. Before leaving I took time to discuss aftercare cleaning for which I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral cleaner which is designed for the daily cleaning for sealed tiles; this is important as most domestic supermarket cleaners are simply too strong and can prematurely erode the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in West Cheshire

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Cleaned, Repaired and Sealed in Chester Read More »

Limestone Tiled Restaurant Floor Renovated Chester

Cleaning a Limestone Floor in a Chester Restaurant Ready for Reopening

We were asked to clean and seal a large Limestone floor at a restaurant on the outskirts of Chester. The large hostelry and Steak House was reopening after being closed since lock down and the floor had not been cleaned since.

Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Chester Restaurant Cheshire

I arranged a visit to survey the floor and could see that although the Limestone tiles were still stained with beer, wine, and other detritus they were in good condition for a busy commercial floor. On the back of that visit, I was able to provide a detailed quote and at the request of the manager agreed to do the work three days before it was due to open.

Limestone Floor Before Cleaning Chester Restaurant Cheshire

Although this did not leave much time in the way of contingency it made a lot of sense for the manager as the floor would be pristine for the grand opening. I had calculated that the work should take two days and that left them a day for final preparations, including setting out the furniture and last-minute staff training.

Cleaning a Limestone Tiled Restaurant Floor

To get the limestone floor clean I sprayed the area with a mixture of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean (a multi-purpose degreaser tile cleaner) and Tile Doctor Remove and Go (a multi-purpose stripper and coatings remover). The cleaning cocktail was left to soak into the stone for a good twenty minutes to allow it time to break down ingrained dirt and marks in the old polish from around the fixed furniture and skirting boards that had been applied by the cleaners over the years.

To help the process of taking the stains out of the limestone the cleaning mixture was worked into the tile using a coarse 400-grit diamond encrusted burnishing pad. The pads are fitted to a rotary buffer machine applying weights were required to maintain a better contact with the stone. The cleaning solution turns into a dark slurry as the dirt is released from the floor and once the pad has been over each tile at least three times as vet vacuum is used to extract it.

This process was then followed up with the application of a finer 800-grit pad but applied only with water which helps lubricate the process. Again, the slurry was removed with a wet vacuum and the floor rinsed with water which is vacuumed off once more. This process is then repeated with a 1500-grit burnishing pad which starts putting the polish back on the floor. These large 17-inch pads can struggle around the edges of the floor so small six-inch burnishing pads fitted to a hand polisher are used. Once the whole floor had been treated in this manner it was rinsed down once more and dried with the wet vacuum before being left to dry out fully overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Restaurant Floor

The next day the last burnishing pad in the series was run over the floor, this is a very fine 3000-grit pad which completes the polishing process and leaves the Limestone with a healthy shine. This final pad is applied dry with only a few squirts of water applied to the surface, a process we call spray burnishing.

Lastly to protect the floor it was sealed using two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is a premium natural look penetrating and durable sealer. The sealer prevents dirt from becoming trapped in the pores of the stone and allow it to be easily cleaned off the surface. Once the last coat of sealer was dry the floor was dry the floor was buffed with a White buffing pad to improve the sheen and remove any excess sealer.

Limestone Floor After Renovation Chester Restaurant Cheshire Limestone Floor After Renovation Chester Restaurant Cheshire

I am pleased to say we didn’t encounter any complications during cleaning, so the timings worked out beautifully and the owner was able to open on schedule.

For future maintenance I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap cleaner which is a pH neutral that will gently cleans the tile whilst improving patina. Many commercial tile cleaning products are simply too strong for sealed floors and can degrade the sealer prematurely.

Limestone Floor After Renovation Chester Restaurant Cheshire

 

Professional Cleaning of a Limestone Floor in a Cheshire Restaurant

Cleaning a Limestone Floor in a Chester Restaurant Ready for Reopening Read More »

Victorian Hallway Floor Cleaned Sealed Tarvin Cheshire

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Tarvin

I was recently contacted by a client who had just moved into a large Victorian property in the West Cheshire village of Tarvin about renovating their Victorian tiled hallway. Apparently, the floor was in good condition, and it would just be a case of removing what was left of the old sealer, deep cleaning the tiles and then applying a fresh seal. Unless the floor has been regularly maintained with the same sealer it’s important to remove all traces of old sealers before applying fresh.

Victorian Hallway Before Cleaning Tarvin Cheshire

A lot of the work we do at Tile Doctor can be a lot more involved, often requiring the sourcing of matching replacement tiles and rebuilding large sections of tiled flooring so straight forward clean and seal job is always welcome.

Stripping and Cleaning a Victorian Hallway Tiles

To remove what was left of the sealer and the ingrained dirt from the pores of the Victorian tile I dressed the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. On this occasion I used a 1:3 dilution with water and applied it to the floor with a mop. I left it to soak into the tile for fifteen minutes before scrubbing so it could get to work breaking down the old sealer.

During this time, I set up a weighted floor buffer and fitted a black buffing pad, these pads are designed for scrubbing hard floors and lifting out the dirt. I applied a little water as required during this process to ensure the pad was lubricated. Shortly the cleaning solution darkened as the old sealer and dirt was released from the tile.

The soil was rinsed away with water and then removed using a wet vacuum. Once clear the floor was inspected and the process repeated until I was satisfied it was as clean as it could be and free of sealer.

Victorian Hallway After Cleaning Before Sealing Tarvin Cheshire

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I left the floor to dry off overnight and returned the next day to apply a new sealer. Before doing so however I like to use a damp meter to take moisture readings from the floor. This is needed to ensure it is dry enough to seal which is important as any moisture in the tile can affect the sealer and lead to an inconsistent finish.

To seal I started with the application of a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour intensifying breathable impregnator that soaks into the tile improving appearance and adding protection from within. Any excess sealant was removed by wiping the floor with a microfibre cloth and then it was left to dry for an hour.

This was followed with four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is an acrylic breathable sealer which adds a pleasing subtle shine to the tile. This is an important feature when choosing a sealer for old floors where moisture needs to be allowed to rise through the tile, otherwise it can become trapped under the floor and reach out to the walls causing rising damp.

Victorian Hallway After Cleaning Sealing Tarvin Cheshire

The customer was very happy with the revamped hallway which made the house a lot brighter and welcoming. Before closing I should mention that for aftercare cleaning I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral cleaner which is designed for the daily cleaning for sealed tiles, this is important as most domestic supermarket cleaners are simply too strong and can prematurely erode the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in West Cheshire

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Cleaned and Sealed in Tarvin Read More »

Welsh Slate Floor Before and After Renovation Holywell

Welsh Slate Kitchen Floor Renovated in Holywell

We were contacted by a client from the Welsh market town of Holywell asking for assistance with the renovation of a Welsh Slate floor. The stone floor was in their Kitchen and adjacent dining area and had not been professionally cleaned and resealed for several years. To prevent dirt from becoming ingrained in the pores of natural stone its important to maintain the sealer which does wear off with use.

Slate Floor Before Cleaning in Holywell

I visited the property to survey the floor and identify any potential issues and could instantly see that the Slate tiles in the large kitchen and dining area had lost their appearance and were now looking very dull indeed. It was clear the sealer had worn away and the stone now needed some love and care to get it looking as it should. To prove to the point, I ran a small cleaning demonstration on part of the floor and straight away they could see an improvement. Happy with my quote to deep clean the Slate and Grout and then reseal the job was booked in.

Slate Floor Before Cleaning in Holywell

Deep Cleaning Welsh Slate Tile Floor Tiles

The first job was to mop the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean which is a strong cleaner, stripper, and degreaser. A strong dilution is best for treating heavy soiled areas and after application it was left to dwell for ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine and water. This combination released the dirt and old sealer from the pores of the Slate. It normally works on grout lines too but in this case the grout was so dirty I had to use a wire brush to get it clean.

The manual scrubbing is of course a slower process than using a machine but was the only way to get the grout clean. The dirty residue was removed with a wet vacuum and the process was repeated until we were satisfied the Slate and grout was as clean as it could be. After a final extraction with the wet vacuum the floor was then left to dry out naturally overnight.

Sealing a Welsh Slate Kitchen Floor

Returning the next morning the floor was tested with a damp meter to make sure it was ready to seal. The readings were good, so a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow was applied which is an impregnating and colour intensifying sealer. This was left to soak into the tiles for ten minutes before rubbing the excess off with a microfibre cloth. This brought out the different natural colours out in the slate and being an impregnator offers a great defence against ingrained dirt.

Once the sealer was dry it was followed by the application of Tile Doctor Seal and Go to give the floor a nice gloss finish which the client had requested. I found it took five coats of Seal and Go to fully seal the floor but as you can see from the final photographs on this page it made an incredible difference.

Slate Floor After Renovation in Holywell Slate Floor After Renovation in Holywell

On their return from work, they were over the moon with the finished result, the floor really had been transformed and fully revived. For aftercare cleaning I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which will keep the floor clean without damaging the sealer.

Slate Floor After Renovation in Holywell

 

Professional Restoration of a Welsh Slate Tiled Floor in Flintshire

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Marble Tiled Hallway Floor Renovation Grade II Listed Building Tattenhall

Marble Entrance Hall Floor Polished in Tattenhall Listed Building

This Black and White Marble tiled hallway floor at a Grade II listed property in the village of Tattenhall has quite a history. The building was constructed in 1865 and at one time it has been the home to the high sheriff of Cheshire, and the family home of Edith Wignall the daughter of Sir Henry Tate the founder of the sugar company Tate and Lyle.

In more recent years the property had been used as a council building and even a nursing home for the elderly. After a long history of decline it has now been restored to a lavish family mansion however the marble floor had suffered over the years and still need attention. The current owner had been in touch as they wanted it restoring and basically brought back to life.

Marble Tiled Floor Before Renovation Grade II Listed Building Tattenhall

As it turns out I had already planned to go to Tattenhall the following week to work on another listed building which was formerly the village bank. After discussing the Marble floor over the phone, I agreed a date and time to pop over from the bank and inspect the floor in detail. I can provide a rough quote from photographs, which has been especially useful recently, but it’s far better for all concerned if I’m able to properly survey the floor first.

The Marble floor consisted of Black and White Mable tiles laid in a diamond pattern, it wasn’t a very large area perhaps 9 square metres in total. The tiles were well worn as described but also stained and scratched. I would see they would need a deep burnish and polish to bring them back to life and then protected with a fresh sealer. Following on from that visit I was able to provide an accurate quote which was accepted, and a date agreed for my return.

Marble Tiled Floor Before Renovation Grade II Listed Building Tattenhall

Removing Scratches and Stains from a Marble Tiled Entrance Hall Floor

The first job was to protect the surrounding heavy wooden panelling with masking film. The floor was very heavily stained yellow with deep scratches, to remove these I would have to grind the marble back until a clean fresh tile was left. To start I used a 200-grit coarse pad fitted to a weighted buffing machine, the abrasive action of the pad was lubricated with water. After inspection I found that the staining and scratches were still there, so I needed to use stronger pads, so I worked my way through a set of very coarse milling pads starting at a 50, 100 and finishing with a 200-grit pad. Again, water was used to lubricate, and the resultant slurry was removed by a powerful wet vacuum and washed down between each pad.
The milling pads had the desired effect, and I was then able to bring back the polished appearance of the Marble surface using a set of finer burnishing pads with the same process. The 400 and 800-grit pads helped to clean and remove the fine scratches left by the milling pads and then the next 1500-grit pad started to build the shine back on the marble tile.

After finishing with 1500-grit pad I washed the Marble with Tile Doctor Stone Soap and vacuumed up the residue with the wet vacuum. I left an industrial blower in place overnight to dry out the floor ready for the next morning when it would be sealed.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Entrance Hall Floor

The next morning, I used the last of the four burnishing pads which is a very fine 3000-grit to polish the floor further. This last pad is applied dry with just a spray of water to create a high gloss finish.

When I was happy, I sealed the floor with two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the fine pores of the Marble to protect it from within. This product also improves colour and after application it was left to soak into the tile for five minutes before polishing off and then leaving it to dry.

Marble Tiled Floor After Renovation Grade II Listed Building Tattenhall

The last step was to I buff the floor with a white pad. The finish was impressive, and the family were very happy with the work we had carried out. For aftercare I recommended they use Stone Soap as its designed for the regular cleaning of sealed and polished stone, as well as cleaning it also helps build the patina.

 

Professional Restoration of a Mable Tiled Hallway in West Cheshire

Marble Entrance Hall Floor Polished in Tattenhall Listed Building Read More »

Bringing Life Back to Encaustic Cement Tiles in Chester

This very old Encaustic tiled flooring was uncovered at a property in Chester when the present owners started to undertake renovation. They removed the carpets and vinyl tiles from the hallway, revealing the Encaustic tiles to find that they were in truly horrific condition. This included being covered by heavy dirt, dust and, in some parts, by a sticky black bitumen.

Encaustic tiles are made out of compressed cement, and were commonly used in properties built during the Edwardian and Victorian period. This gives us a good idea of just how old these tiles are – but the owners were keen to see what Tile Doctor could do to restore their condition.

Encaustic tiled hallway before restoration in Chester Encaustic tiled hallway before restoration in Chester

Cleaning Extremely Dirty Encaustic Cement Tiles

The black bitumen was my main concern when it came to cleaning the tiles. To remove this, along with all the other dirt and dust, our powerful cleaner for heavy soil buildup, known as Tile Doctor Remove and Go, was applied.

The product, which is also effective for removing adhesive and paint stains, was worked into the tiles then left to dwell for thirty minutes, before being scrubbed with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. The resulting cleaning residue was soaked up with a wet vac machine. This cleaning process was repeated once more over to get the tiles as clean as possible, before leaving them to dry overnight.

Sealing Encaustic Cement Tiles

The next day, damp readings were taken to make sure the floor was dry enough to seal. It’s essential to take damp readings before sealing – especially with old tiled floors that may not have a damp proof membrane installed – as even the slightest amount of excess moisture can damage the performance of the sealer.

Two types of sealer were used in this situation. First to be applied was a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating, colour intensifying sealer which enhances the best shades in the tiles. Following this, four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go were applied. This is a topical sealer, which means it builds a layer of protection on the surface of the floor, while also providing an aesthetically pleasing low-sheen finish.

The customer was over the moon at the end result. At first the floor looked to be with a lost cause, but with the right cleaning methods and products it has been a restored to a standard where it almost appears new. Another satisfied customer!

Encaustic tiled hallway after restoration in Chester Encaustic tiled hallway after restoration in Chester

 
 

Professional Restoration of an Old Encaustic Cement Floor in Cheshire

Bringing Life Back to Encaustic Cement Tiles in Chester Read More »

Newly Discovered Quarry Kitchen Tiles Restored in Chester

If you’re a first time buyer in the process of renovating or redecorating your new property, you may well discover some fantastic tiled floors hidden under your carpets. Certainly in my experience this happens quite often, so it came as no surprise when I got a call from a couple who had pulled up the carpet in the kitchen of their new house in Chester to find Quarry tiles, along with some fantastic Victorian tiles in the hallway.

Quarry tiled floor Chester Before Cleaning

While the Quarry tiles were in relatively good condition – having been shielded by carpet for many years – the couple were still understandably keen to get them back to looking their very best. I was more than happy to help them do just that.

Quarry tiled floor Chester Before Cleaning

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

Before beginning the restoration, I removed the kick boards from the kitchen cupboards so as not to damage them. I then applied a solution of our versatile, high alkaline cleaner, Tile Doctor Pro Clean, and let it soak into the tiles for a short period before scrubbing it in using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Pro Clean is suitable for use on most natural stone tiles, including Quarry, Victorian and Slate, doing the trick to break down medium to heavy soil buildup.

The floor was then rinsed off with clean water, and the resulting slurry was promptly removed using a wet vac. I then left the floor dry out overnight.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned to the property the next morning, and started out by taking a couple of damp meter readings to make sure the floor was dry enough to seal. This is an essential task before sealing any tiled floor as even the smallest amount of excess moisture can cloud the sealer and damage its performance.

To seal the floor, I firstly applied one coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which really brought out the natural reddish shades in the Quarry. As an impregnating sealer, Colour Colour fills the pores in the stone and prevents dirt from becoming ingrained. I followed the application of Colour Grow by applying three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. As a topical sealer, Seal and Go Extra forms an additional stain resistant seal on the surface of the tiles to protect against dirt and stains. It also gave the tiles a quality sheen finish as requested by the customer.

Quarry tiled floor Chester After Cleaning

The customers were very happy with their newly restored Quarry tiled floor. They left the following feedback:

“We were both thrilled to bits with how nice the Quarry tiled kitchen floor looked, after being cleaned and sealed. Alastair was a pleasure to deal with and we would highly recommend him to anyone considering having their floor done.”

Quarry tiled floor Chester After Cleaning

 
 

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor in Cheshire

Newly Discovered Quarry Kitchen Tiles Restored in Chester Read More »

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West Cheshire Tile Doctor

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