tile sealing Archives - South Lincolnshire Tile Doctor

Renovating Dull and Dirty Travertine Tiles in Woodhall Spa

Mucky Travertine Tiled Floor Restored Near Woodhall Spa

Quite often our customers will be new property owners who have inherited fantastic tiled floors that are in need of smartening up. Typically the previous owners struggled to maintain the floor which is not unusual when it comes to high quality natural stone such as Travertine and this was the case with this Travertine tiled floor that I recently restored at a property near Woodhall Spa, on the southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Travertine Tiled Floor Near Woodhall Spa Before Cleaning

The customer not only needed a deep clean for the tiles and grout which had become dirty and discoloured over time, but also needed for many of the small holes caused by the natural process of pitting to be filled to give the Travertine tiles a smooth and polished finish. Finally, the floor would need a fresh seal to protect it and make it easier to cleangoing forward.

Travertine Tiled Floor Near Woodhall Spa Before Cleaning

Cleaning and Repairing a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor

To begin the restoration, I applied Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to the floor, which is our reliable high alkaline cleaner designed for use on stone floors, left it to soak in and break down the dirt and then used our hot pressure Rotovaccleaning system to clean the tiles. The Rotovac is an expensive machine but makes light work of the job by deep cleaning and scrubbing the stone whilst rinsing and extracting away all of the soiled cleaning residue at the same time. It allows us to get deep into the pores of the tile and grout to eradicate ingrained dirt and stains.

I then worked through our four-stage diamond encrusted burnishing pad system which hones and polishes the surface of the tiles with excellent results. Each of the four pads is applied in turn, moving from a coarse grit all the way to a Very Fine grit.

Once I was happy with the condition of the floor it was time to deal with the holes in the Travertine by applying a two-part colour matched resin to fill the small and large holes mentioned earlier.After completing the cleaning and filling was completed I left the tiles to dry off completely overnight aided with air movers to speed up the drying process.

Travertine Tiled Floor Near Woodhall Spa After Cleaning Ensuring the floor is bone dry before sealing is important as I needed to seal the tiles the next day, and a small amount of excess moisture can cloud the sealer and damage its performance.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

When I came back the next day I tested the floor for moisture to confirm it was dry before applying two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is an impregnating sealer that intensifies and enhances the natural shades in the Travertine while also providing it with protection against dirt and stains.

With the restoration complete I left the customer with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for regular future maintenance, along with an aftercare leaflet. We recommend this product for the regular cleaning of sealed tiles as the neutral pH will help to maximise the life of the sealer and not erode it like many acid cleaning products.

Travertine Tiled Floor Near Woodhall Spa After Cleaning I think you will agree the floor now looks much better, certainly the customer was very happy with the work and left the following feedback:

“Phil and his colleague worked their magic to transform our tired looking, grimy Travertine floors into bright, shiny new look floors. Thank you so much.”

Professional Restoration of a Pitted Travertine Tiled Floor in Lincolnshire

Mucky Travertine Tiled Floor Restored Near Woodhall Spa Read More »

Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Before and After Cleaning at Sleaford Barn Conversion

Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiles Revitalised in Sleaford

1 Comment / Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Sleaford Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

I can’t stress how important a sealer is when it comes to maintaining the look of a stone floor and although they can protect a floor for many years if not maintained they will all but disappear in high traffic areas allowing dirt and stains to penetrate the pores of the stone. This gradual degradation occurs over such a long period it usually happens without being noticed.

This Sandstone tiled kitchen floor and entrance hall at a barn conversion property in Sleaford had not been sealed in eight years. Since Sandstone is naturally highly porous, dirt and staining had easily become easily ingrained in the tiles. The result? A very dull and poor looking set of tiles.

Sandstone Floor Before Cleaning Sleaford

After difficulties trying to resolve the situation by themselves, the property owners asked me to deep clean the tiles to restore the appearance of the Sandstone which had faded over the years. Thankfully we have the right products, equipment, and experience to be able to carry out the restoration quickly and efficiently.

Cleaning a Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiled Floor

The first day of work involved preparing the area by protecting other surfaces and removing the kickboards form under the kitchen units. This was followed by a deep clean of the floor firstly with our high pressure Rotovac system which applies hot water under high pressure to force out ingrained dirt and muck from the stone whilst simultaneously extracting the soil back to a tank on our van. I followed this by scrubbing and rinsing the tiles and grout with a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline powerful cleaner we use on natural stone floors. This helped to tackle any particularly deeply ingrained dirt and clean up the grout.

Sandstone Floor During Cleaning Sleaford

Following the clean, I installed turbo dryers and used the already in-built underfloor heating to dry the Sandstone, which was necessary as it is naturally a very porous stone and easily absorbs moisture.

Sandstone Floor After Cleaning Sleaford

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Floor

On the second day, the tiles were completely dry and ready to be sealed however before sealing I asked for the underfloor heating to be switched off so the fresh sealer would cure more naturally. To seal the floor, I opted to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that occupies the pores in the Sandstone so dirt can’t, additionally it’s formulated to enhance the naturally occurring colours in the Sandstone – those which after such a long time the customer was keen to see again.

Sandstone Floor During Sealing Sleaford After two coats of Colour Grow were applied, the transformation was well and truly complete. The customer was also well and truly happy. After eight years, the Sandstone tiles were restored to better than their original condition.

Sandstone Floor After Sealing Sleaford One question I often get asked is how do you know when your sealer has worn down. The answer is to conduct a water test on your tiles, if the water forms a bubble on the surface of the tile as in the photo below then it shows the sealer is doing its job.

Sandstone Floor After Cleaning Sleaford

Professional Sandstone Tiled Floor Maintenance Service in Sleaford

Dull and Dirty Sandstone Tiles Revitalised in Sleaford Read More »

Slate Floor Before and After Cleaning in Boston

Riven Slate Tiles Rejuvenated by Deep Clean and Seal in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

While fantastic to look at, Riven Slate tiles can be particularly difficult to keep clean. The natural unevenness of the stone causes dirt to become more easily trapped and more difficult to remove. Over time, heavy buildup of ingrained dirt can have the effect of dulling the colours in the stone. This was the case with this large area of Riven Slate tiles at a very busy farmhouse in the Lincolnshire port town of Boston, the original namesake for the perhaps more famous city in Massachusetts, USA.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse The property owner couldn’t figure out the best way to improve the situation and so called me in to see what could be done. Upon inspecting the tiles first hand I decided that the best course of action would be a very deep clean and the application of a fresh sealant to offer long-term protection against ingrained dirt.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse

Cleaning Dirty and a Dull Riven Slate Tiles

The cleaning process was split into two main components. Firstly, I scrubbed a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean into the tiles to remove the initial layers of soil buildup. Pro Clean is our go-to cleaner for most natural stone due to its reliability and the fact that, unlike a lot of supermarket floor cleaners, it isn’t acid-based and so won’t damage the stone.

Since the ingrained dirt problem was quite severe, I opted to also clean the tiles using our van-mounted pressure cleaning system. This very efficient system applies hot water under pressure to the to stone to penetrate deeply and eradicate particularly stubborn ingrained dirt. It then automatically extracts the soiled water back into a tank in our van.

Riven slate floor during cleaning at Boston farmhouse Satisfied that the floor had been cleaned as throughly as possible, I then installed several turbo dryers to thoroughly dry the flooring, allowing it to be ready for sealing the next day. Efficient drying was especially important here due to the amount of water used in the cleaning process; many tiled floor owners will already know that sealant cannot be applied if any moisture remains.

Riven slate floor during cleaning at Boston farmhouse

Sealing Riven Slate Tiles

To seal the tiles I used four costs of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. This is a topical sealer, meaning it forms a robust layer of protection on the surface of the tiles. Seal and Go also helps to enhance colour while providing a natural look matte finish that complements the natural stone.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse Looking at the photos of the floor before and after my work you can really get an idea of the transformation achieved in a short space of time. What a difference! The property owners were very pleased with the results, especially now that they are aware of the best way to keep their lovely Riven Slate tiles clean and protected.

Riven slate floor before cleaning at Boston farmhouse

Professional Riven Slate Tiled Floor Restoration in Lincolnshire

Riven Slate Tiles Rejuvenated by Deep Clean and Seal in Boston Read More »

Travertine Kitchen Tiles Transformed in Sleaford

1 Comment / Sleaford Tile Cleaning, Travertine Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

This fantastic Travertine tiled kitchen floor was in a bad way. Not only had it not been treated to a proper clean and seal in a long while, but it has also suffered from natural pitting, leaving lots of little holes that damaged the overall appearance of the floor. Travertine is very aesthetic, but suffers from the drawback of being quite soft compared to other types of stone (typically it sits between 3-4 on the Moh’s scale of mineral hardness).

The customer, who lives in the town of Sleaford a small Lincolnshire market town, was keen to have the situation remedied through a complete restoration. This would need to include small repairs, along with a deep clean and a fresh seal.

Travertine Floor Before Refurbishment Sleaford

Cleaning and Burnishing a Travertine Tiled Floor

My first job was to deep clean the whole area, which I did using a solution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean and clean water. Pro Clean is a strong alkaline product which has a long history of producing reliable results of a wide range of natural stone floors, including Travertine, Granite, Limestone, and Slate. I applied the solution to both the tiles and the grout lines, and proceeded to scrub it in using a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine.

This left the floor fresh and clean, but I would also need to restore the polish to the Travertine to really take its appearance to the next level. To do this I used the process known as burnishing, which essentially involves the consecutive application of different gritted pads to achieve a high quality polish on tiles. Our burnishing system, which consists of four pads, achieves fantastic results on high-end polished stone like Limestone, Marble and, of course, Travertine. I started by applying the Coarse grit burnishing pad, before gradually working my way through to the Medium, Fine, and finally Very Fine pads to achieve a brilliant shine and light reflection finish.

Travertine Floor After Deep Cleaning To round off the first day of the restoration, I used a flexible matching filler to fill up any pitted holes present on the surface of the tiles. Following this, I installed a turbo dryer to make sure the floor would dry fully overnight, and be ready to seal the following day.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Floor

The next day I returned to the property and proceeded to seal the Travertine tiles using several costs of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to protect the tiles and also really enhance the natural colours in the stone. As an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow penetrates into the stone and fills its pores to safeguard it against ingrained dirt and stains from within.

Travertine Floor After Refurbishment Sleaford

As you can see from the photographs, the combination of a deep clean, high quality polish and fresh seal really transformed the appearance of the floor from dull and lifeless to a really asset to the kitchen. The customer was absolutely delighted with the results, leaving the following feedback: “Very good job – delighted! Thank you Phil!”

Professional Tile Cleaning, Burnishing and Sealing for a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor in Sleaford

Travertine Kitchen Tiles Transformed in Sleaford Read More »

Restoring a Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor in Boston

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Flagstone Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

Recently, I was asked to visit a property in the small port town of Boston, Lincolnshire, to quote for a clean and seal. My client had recently moved into a new home, but the riven natural Sandstone flagstone floor had not been properly cared for or sealed by the previous owners and was now in need of a thorough clean. Sandstone flagstones are a popular choice for both residential and commercial use, and are especially popular in kitchens and hallways.

This particular floor was blemished by noticeable stains that had seeped into the stone. Further liquid stains were visible in other areas of the floor, as they had soaked into the stone due to the lack of a surface sealer. My primary tasks would be removing these blemishes and to provide a stain resistant surface seal to prevent damage in the future. My client also requested a natural look finish to the floor rather than a topical shine seal.

Riven Flagstone Floor Before Cleaning Boston

Cleaning a stained Flagstone tiled floor

This was a two day job. On day one, my main focus was on eliminating the stubborn stains on the stone tiles. I mixed a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline cleaner, with water to tackle the heavy soil build-up and applied the solution to the floor in sections leaving it to dwell for a short period first so it could get underneath the dirt and lift it to the surface.

I then used a combination of a stiff brush and a specialist Rotovac machine to scrub and clean the floor. The Rotovac uses water under high pressure to clean the floor and is highly effective in eliminating the difficult-to-reach dirt, particularly where it might be hidden due to the riven nature of the tiles. The cleaning process was repeated until I was satisfied with the results.

Sealing a Flagstone tiled floor

After finishing the clean I left the house, allowing the floor to dry off overnight. On day two, I returned to the house and ran damp tests to ensure that the surface was completely dry before commencing the seal.

Riven Flagstone Floor During Sealing Boston My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow. As an impregnating sealer, this product soaks into the stone to provide robust protection from within. It also contains a colour intensifier and so, as you can see from the photographs, it really helped to enhance the natural shades in the Sandstone.

Riven Flagstone Floor After Sealing Boston My client was delighted with the results and I think you will agree the floor looks transformed and much more appealing. Additionally the sealer is now protecting the stone from staining and liquids form puddles on the surface of the tile instead of soaking into its pores.

Riven Flagstone Floor After Sealing Boston

Tile cleaning and sealing for stained Flagstone tiled floor restoration in Lincolnshire

Restoring a Stained Flagstone Tiled Floor in Boston Read More »

Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Louth

1 Comment / Quarry Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

This client in the town of Louth near Horncastle had two tiled floors that were in need of attention. The first was an old Victorian tiled hallway and the second a Quarry tiled room, both had paint, plaster, adhesive and concrete on them but the Quarry tiles were in the worst condition. Hopefully the photographs below give you a good idea of the condition which would require a really deep clean and in some areas re-grouting.

Old Victorian tiled hallway before cleaning Louth

Abused Quarry Tiled Floor before cleaning Louth

Cleaning Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors

We applied pro clean to the floors and allowed to work into the tiles before using our buffer system to scrub the tiles with a black pad. Then we extract and rinse the dirty solution off the tiles into our wet vacuum system. We repeated this process till the paint and plaster had been removed.

As usual I began the job using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was left to soak into the tiles before being scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. The resultant soiled solution was extracted off into our wet vacuum system and the process repeated until the paint and plaster had been removed.

To treat the concrete and adhesive I used two other products called Tile Doctor Remove and Go and Grout Clean-Up. Again these products slowly dissolve the stains and concrete making it easier to scrub them from the surface. After several cleans the floors were thoroughly rinsed and then left to dry with some assistance from our turbo dryer system to speed up the drying process.

Sealing Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors

We left for a few days so the floors could dry out and on our return tested the tiles with our moisture meter which showed the floor was still to damp to seal so it was necessary to leave the floors for a few more days until they were bone dry.

On our return we sealed the floors with a new product in the Tile Doctor range called Seal and Go Extra which due to its highly breathable nature works very well on external tiles or older floors where there may be a damp problem. As with the original Seal and Go it leaves a subtle shine on the tile which suited the requirements of the customer who incidentally was happy with the transformation and is happy to recommend our services.

Old Victorian tiled hallway after cleaning Louth

Abused Quarry Tiled Floor after cleaning Louth

Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Lincolnshire

Victorian and Quarry Tiled Floors Cleaned and Sealed in Louth Read More »

Dirty Sandstone and Slate Floors deep cleaned and sealed in Coningsby

1 Comment / Boston Tile Cleaning, Sandstone Tile Cleaning, Slate Tile Cleaning, Sleaford Tile Cleaning, Work History / Phil

We recently deep cleaned two different tiled floors at a property in the village of Coningsby in the centre of Lincolnshire. The floor was split into two areas one laid with natural Sandstone and the other Riven Slate tiles. Both tiled areas had been sealed previously but the sealer was clearly not doing the job as the floor had a very dull finish due to dirt being absorbed into the tile.

Sandstone Tiled Floor Before Cleaning in Coningsby

Riven Slate Tiled Floor Before Cleaning in Coningsby

Cleaning Terracotta Tiles

The floors were in need of a deep clean to remove the ingrained dirt and remaining sealer so the first step was to soak the tiles in a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and then work it in using a rotary machine fitted with a black pad and a stiff brush along the grout lines. This did the job and there’s a great photograph below that shows the difference this made.

Sandstone Tiled Floor During Cleaning in Coningsby To extract the now soiled cleaning solution the floor was rinsed using water which was then extracted using our wet pick up system. Once the floor was clear we were able to see where more work was required and the process was repeated until we were happy the floor was thoroughly clean and free of any remaining sealer.

To get the floor dry a number of turbo air dryers were setup around the floor and we left for the day to allow the floor to thoroughly dry off overnight.

Sealing Terracotta Tile

The following morning we tested the tiles to make sure that both were dry which they were. We then applied Tile Doctor quality sealers to both floors; two different finishes were required for the different types of floor so we applied three coats of Colour Grow sealer to the Sandstone flooring as this impregnates the pores in the stone protecting it from staining and enhancing the natural colours to provide a natural look. We than applied four coats of Seal and Go sealer to the Slate floor, Seal and Go adds a nice subtle shine and works well on Riven Slate to highlight the different shades.

Riven Slate Tiled Floor During Sealing in Coningsby The customer was delighted with the results and left an excellent review which you can read below:
The floors look absolutely beautiful. I am very pleased with the service.
J. Gibbons, Coningsby

She wants us to return soon to seal the other stone areas in their property. As you can see from the photos the before and after is very striking. The floors were ready to take light use that same afternoon.

Sandstone Tiled Floor After Cleaining and Sealing in Coningsby

Riven Slate Tiled Floor After Cleaning and Sealing in Coningsby

Multiple tiled floors Cleaned and Sealed in Lincolnshire

Dirty Sandstone and Slate Floors deep cleaned and sealed in Coningsby Read More »