Edwardian Tiles Archives - Warwickshire Tile Doctor

Edwardian Tiled Diamond Pattern Hallway Floor Restoration Rugby

Classic Black and White Diamond Pattern Encaustic Tiled Hallway Restoration in Rugby

Earlier this year the owner of an Edwardian 1930’s double bay property in Rugby got in touch regarding an original encaustic cement tiled hallway floor that needed renovation. The floor had been covered in carpet with underlay for many years and this had recently been removed by the owner only to discover this classic floor underneath. Realising it was an original period feature they wanted to have it restored.

Edwardian Tiled Diamond Pattern Floor Before Restoration Rugby

I paid a visit to the property to survey the floor and work out a process for its restoration. It comprised of encaustic tiles (more commonly referred to as Victorian) laid in a diamond pattern throughout the main hallway.

Having inspected the floor I was able to confirm no tile repairs would be needed, and the main issue would be removing the thick layer of glue which was predominantly used around the perimeter of the floor to secure the carpet.

Edwardian Tiled Diamond Pattern Floor Before Restoration Rugby

Once that had been dealt with, the tiles would need deep cleaning to remove years of dirt and then sealing to add protection going forward. I worked out a quote based on the restoration plan and was confident the work could be completed in a day. Happy with the quote, a date for the work was scheduled.

Cleaning an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

The first job was to tackle the glue which involved applying neat Tile Doctor Remove and Go and then leaving it for ten minutes for it to soak in and break down the adhesive. Handheld scrapers where then used to carefully scrape off the glue and then this was followed up with hand-held diamond blocks of different grits to ensure all the adhesive was removed. The soiling was then extracted using a wet vacuum.

The whole floor was then cleaned using an application of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel, again left to soak in and then scrubbed this time with a buffer machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad.
The soiling was then removed with a wet vacuum and then wiped with cloths to get it as dry as possible. I also deployed a couple of floor fans to further dry the floor.

Edwardian Tiled Diamond Pattern Floor During Drying Rugby

Using a Gel cleaning product minimised the amount of water used to clean the floor and thus result in a reduction in drying times. I also deployed a couple of floor fans to assist with drying which were moved around the floor. It could need to be completely dry before sealing however so it was left for a few hours before being checked for moisture with a damp meter.

Sealing an Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway

To seal the tiles, I applied a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, leaving a good thirty minutes between coats. This sealer is fully breathable and will cope well with any moisture that rises through the tile from the foundation and allow it to evaporate. Old floors like this one were installed before the invention of damp proof membranes and so need to be allowed to breathe.

Tile Doctor Colour Grow is a colour enhancing impregnator which works by occupying the pores in the tile and thereby preventing any dirt from residing there. This keeps dirt on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Edwardian Tiled Diamond Pattern Floor After Restoration Rugby

The colour enhancer in the new sealer really made the Black tiles pop and should remain that way as long as the sealer stays in place. Regarding cleaning, I recommended they use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This product is pH neutral and so won’t impact the sealer which can be the problem with many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets.

My clients were very happy with the renovation, and I popped back a week later to check everything was fine.

Edwardian Tiled Diamond Pattern Floor After Restoration Rugby

Professional Restoration of a Edwardian Encaustic Tiled Hallway in Warwickshire

Classic Black and White Diamond Pattern Encaustic Tiled Hallway Restoration in Rugby Read More »

Cleaning and Sealing an Edwardian Hallway Floor in Coundon

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.

Edwardian Tiles