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Edwardian Period Tiled Hallway Floor Renovation Coundon Coventry

Edwardian Tiled Hallway renovation in Coundon

These photos are from a 1930’s double bay house in Coundon Coventry, a property which is quite common in the area, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are hundreds of other houses with a hidden Edwardian tiled floor in the hallway just like this one.

Edwardian Period Tiled Hallway Floor Before Renovation Coundon Coventry

The tiled floor had been under carpet for years and was very damp after removing the carpet and underlay, these floors were laid before the invention of a damp proof membrane and so need to be allowed to breathe so the moisture in the ground can rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface. The rubber backing of the carpet underlay prevents this and hence the build-up of moisture in the floor.

If the damp issue wasn’t enough the tiles had at some point in their long history been painted red and some sort of adhesive had been used to secure the carpet. After a thorough inspection I formulated a plan for the renovation and discussed the costs with the client. They were happy to go ahead and pleased to know that restoration was possible.

Cleaning an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

To break down the paint I applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to soak in for about thirty minutes before scrubbing with a rotary floor buffer fitted with a Black pad. This was followed by an application of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel waiting again for 30 minutes this time using a very coarse 50-grit pad then a 100-grit pad. The soiled gel was then removed with a wet vacuum. These coarse pads are made with industrial diamonds and are very good at removing the pattern left by the carpet and underlay which over the years becomes imprinted on the surface of the tile.

Edwardian Period Tiled Hallway Floor During Renovation Coundon Coventry

Next, to tackle the efflorescence from the lack of damp proof membrane I applied Tile Doctor Acid Gel and cleaned the floor with a 400-grit burnishing pad, the soiled gel was removed and the corners and edges treated by hand using small burnishing blocks.

The floor was then wiped over to remove further soiling. Doing it this way and using gel cleaning products instead of using lots of water to rinse off the soiling keeps the moisture in the floor to a minimum which is important on a floor like this one with inherent damp problems. The floor was then speed dried with an air mover and a heat gun. I then re-grouted the floor.

Sealing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning the following morning, I tested the floor with a damp meter to check the floor was ready for sealing. The readings were within acceptable levels which gave me the green light to proceed. It’s not a good idea to apply a sealer to a damp floor as the results can be inconsistent.

I selected to use Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a breathable sealer that will allow for moisture to rise through the tiles. The sealer really revived the colour of the tiles and really brought out their warmth.

Three coats of X-Tra seal were applied in total allowing each one to dry before applying the next. This is a very hardwearing sealer so should ensure this high traffic area is well protected for some years to come and three coats gives the floor a nice appealing shine.

Edwardian Period Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Coundon Coventry

My client was delighted with the outcome and said they would recommend us to friends and neighbours so who knows how many similar floors we will uncover! For aftercare I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Clean which is a gentle tile cleaning product designed for use on sealed tiles.

Professional Renovation of an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor in Warwickshire

Edwardian Tiled Hallway renovation in Coundon Read More »

Edwardian Hallway Floor Tiles Before and After Cleaning Sealing Coundon

Cleaning and Sealing an Edwardian Hallway Floor in Coundon

1 Comment / Coventry Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History / Mick Gayton

This Edwardian tiled hallway floor was a real hidden feature of this 1940s house in Coundon Coventry. I say hidden as it had spent years under the carpet which had protected it but had also left it ingrained with dirt. The owners decided to lift the carpet and had left the floor to dry over a few months, old floors like these do not have a damp proof membrane installed and so moisture in the subfloor was being trapped underneath. Now it was dry they were now keen to get the floor fully restored and late later last year they got in touch to have it renovated.

Edwardian Floor Before Renovation Coundon Coventry

I popped in to survey the floor and unusually for a floor of its age could find no damage or loose tiles, there was some adhesive tape to deal with along the edges but generally the floor just needed a good clean and seal. I gave them my quote which they readily accepted, and we arranged a date.

Cleaning an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

The first part of the clean which involved removing the old adhesive tape and paint on the edges and corners was carefully done by hand with a scraper. The whole floor was then given a deep clean using a 45kg floor buffer fitted with a scrubbing brush to work in different products. First, I applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go to remove the old wax polish. I find it works best if you leave products to soak in for ten minutes before scrubbing it into the tiles, this gives it time to activate and breakdown the coatings. The slurry is then rinsed off with a little water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

I repeated the process, but this time using Tile Doctors Acid Gel using as little water as possible. The Tile Doctor Acid Gel will remove old grout and other mineral deposits from the tiles and it also counters any alkaline salts which can be a problem in floors of this age. This is important as the lack of a damp proof membrane will allow salts to rise through the floor as moisture evaporates on the surface resulting in white deposits, a process known as efflorescence. Again, this was rinsed off with a little water and extracted with the wet vacuum.

This work was carried out over the winter and I was careful not to over wet the tiles as they can take a long time to dry out naturally at this time of year. The moisture levels in the tiles are always a concern as my next task would be to apply a sealer and the tiles would need to be dry for the best result.

Sealing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

Conscious of the damp issue I arranged to return to seal the floor seven days later, checking the moisture levels of the tiles with a damp meter in numerous places before starting. Fortunately, seven days had been plenty of time and the floor was dry.

The floor was then sealed with five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which allows for moisture to rise through the tile, again an important feature for a floor with no damp proof membrane. To use a sealer that was not breathable would lead to a build-up of damp under the floor where it can cause damage to the tiles and potentially work its way into the walls causing rising damp.

Edwardian Floor After Renovation Coundon Coventry

The client was very happy with the newly revived floor, it was nice to have an additional period feature revealed. Going forward I suggested the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is ideal for the regular cleaning of sealing floors and will ensure the tiles remain in this lovely condition for a long time.

Professional Restoration of an Edwardian Tiled Hallway in Warwickshire

Cleaning and Sealing an Edwardian Hallway Floor in Coundon Read More »

Victorian Tiled Floor Before and After Refurbishment in Coundon

Original Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Coundon

1 Comment / Coventry Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Mick Gayton

It’s a wonder why any property owner would want to cover an original Victorian tiled floor but I guess it was the fashion at the time. Fortunately, times have changed and home owners are now looking to restore original features back to their property as they bring a real sense of character and personality, especially if the tiles laid are colourful and have interesting design patterns.

In this case the former owner of this house in Coundon near Coventry had opted to hide the fantastic hallway and doorway Victorian tiles with carpet some 15 years earlier. Now, the new owner was keen to restore the floor as an original feature.

victorian tiled floor before refurbishment in coundon

The tiles weren’t in great shape to begin with. In several areas there was a need to reaffix or entirely replace some loose and damaged tiles. Needless to say, the tiles which has been hidden by carpet for many years were in dire need of a thorough clean and fresh seal, and there were areas where mineral salt deposits had emerged over time. A full restoration would require me to address all of these issues – here’s how I did it.

Cleaning and Repairing a Dirty and Damaged Victorian Tiled Floor

Prior to starting a deep cleaning process, I ensured the damaged and loose tiles were carefully replaced and re-grouted. Fortunately, over the years I have built up a nice collection of spare Victorian tiles so sourcing replacements for the broken ones was not a big problem.

victorian tiled floor refurbishment tiles in coundon

Then, to clean the tiles, I applied a strong cleaning solution consisting of Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which helps to remove any old sealers, and Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which deals with any ingrained dirt and general muck afflicting the tiles.

To help with the cleaning – especially in regards to the aforementioned minerals salts issue – I applied Tile Doctor Acid Gel, which is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in a handy and easy-to-apply gel form. When worked into the tile using a black scrubbing pad, the Acid Gel successfully neutralised the alkaline-based salts. To finish off the cleaning process, I steam cleaned the floor, soaked up any excess moisture with a wet vacuum, and installed fans to speed up the drying process.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Floor

The next day the tiles were dry and ready to be sealed so I wasted no time and started the application of several coats of our impregnating sealer Tile Doctor Colour Grow. As an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow penetrates and fills the pores of the stone to prevent dirt from becoming trapped. This makes it easier for the property owner to keep the tiles clean in future.

victorian tiled floor after refurbishment in coundon

Colour Grow also provides the added benefit of enhancing the colours in the tile, making them more vibrant and characterful. The natural matte finish left by Colour Grow was exactly as the customer requested. At the end of two days work I left the house with some revitalised Victorian tiles and a very happy customer.

Professional Restoration of a Dirty Victorian Tiled Floor near Coventry

Original Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Coundon Read More »

Victorian Tiles in Coundon Cleaned and Sealed

Victorian Floor Cleaned and Repaired in Coundon

1 Comment / Coventry Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Mick Gayton

Details below of a bread and butter job recently completed in Coundon near Coventry to Clean, repair and seal Victorian floor tiles. I call it a bread butter job as this is something we do a lot off and have therefore become quite proficient including colour matched repairs to grout and tile replacement.

Victorian Tiles in Coundon before cleaning

Cleaning Victorian Tiles

The tiles were quite dirty and in need of a deep clean so a 50/50 mix of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and NanoTech UltraClean was diluted with water and left to soak into the tiles for around 15 minutes before being scrubbed into the Victorian tile and grout using a slow speed rotary machine fitted with a scrubbing pad. The dirty solution was removed and the process repeated and grout lines scrubbed until I was happy the tiles were clean; this was then followed with a thorough rinse with water and a wet vacuum was used to remove the fluids and get the tile and grout as dry as possible. We have a special fan to accelerate the drying process so this switched on and moved around the floor until it was dry.

Victorian Tiles in Coundon cleaned and drying

Sealing Victorian floor tiles

Once the floor was dry we started to seal it using Tile Doctor High Shine sealer which provides stain protection as well as a very shiny finish, hopefully you can appreciate the difference in the photographs on this page.

Victorian tiled floor cleaned and sealed near Coventry

Victorian Floor Cleaned and Repaired in Coundon Read More »

Kitchen Quarry Tile Restoration in Coundon, Coventry

Coventry Tile Cleaning, Quarry Tile Cleaning, Work History / Mick Gayton

These Quarry tiles were in the kitchen of a house in Coundon, Coventry; the owner of the house found them hidden under a carpet and was keen to restore them. You can see from the photograph below they had been seriously neglected, covered in paint and cement and then finally carpet adhesive.

Restoring Quarry Tiles

First the quarry tiled floor was dry vacuumed to remove loose soil and particles from the surface. It was then cleaned using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is an acid based product useful for the removal of grout from the surface of the tile and in this case cement. The solution was worked into the tile using a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The soiled solution was removed using a wet vacuum and then rinsed with water; the process had to be repeated a second time before we were happy with the result.

The next step in the cleaning process was to use a powerful industrial steam cleaner on the surface of the quarry tiles, as well as cleaning the steam had the added advantage of neutralising the floor before sealing.

Quarry Tile Sealing

The floor was now clean and the hot steam soon evaporated so it wasn’t long before we set about sealing the Quarry Tiles with four coats for Tile Doctor Seal and Go which combines stain resistance with a durable low-sheen finish.

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Restored in Counden, Coventry

Kitchen Quarry Tile Restoration in Coundon, Coventry Read More »