Tile Doctor was approached by a client in Merthyr Tydfil who was hoping something could be done to improve their beautiful Victorian tiled hallway floor which had been patched up with concrete during the installation of pipework under the floor.
I paid a visit to the property to run some tests, recommend a way forward and provide a quote for restoring the floor. The restoration would need to start with the patched section by removing the cement backfill and then re-tiling with matching replacements. Then to ensure the whole floor looked uniform it would need deep cleaning and sealing.
Keen for the floor to be repaired I was given the go ahead and so I started a search for replacement tiles that would be a good match for the floor. Fortunately, I was able to source some replica tiles from Tile Doctor who have had a selection of similar tiles available from other jobs they had done.
Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor
Work started by removing the old doormat and carefully cutting out the concrete backfill that went across the floor.
The rubble was carefully removed and the newly exposed cleaned up so it could be levelled with self-levelling compound which would provide a new base onto which the replacement tiles could be laid.
Floor tile replacements were then cut to shape and fixed in place with a rapid setting adhesive and grouted in using a grey grout similar to the original colour.
Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor
The floor was left to set overnight and I came back then next day to begin the cleaning process. For this I created a cocktail of three Tile Doctor cleaning products, namely Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, Remove & Go and Tile Doctor HBU Nanotech Cleaner. The products were mixed, diluted with water, and then sprayed onto the tiles. The floor was left for ten minutes to allow the products to soak into the pores of the tile and digest the dirt and coatings such as old sealers.
The floor was then scrubbed with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine to release the dirt etc from the tiles. Afterwards, the floor was rinsed thoroughly with water and the soiling extracted using a wet vacuum.
Next the floor was treated to an Acid Wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is a mild acid that removes grout haze, cement smears and counters any alkaline salts which may have built-up in the tile and could result in efflorescence later.
Finally, another rinse with clean water and the floor was then dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum. The floor was left to dry overnight.
Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor
The following day I returned and first used the damp meter to check that the floor was dry enough to seal. Satisfied with the reading I chose to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow to seal the floor. This is an impregnator which soaks into the surface of the tiles and provides a matt look with a very hard-wearing protective seal, perfect for a high traffic area. It allows for the lovely colours of the tiles to shine through.
The floor responded very well to the treatment and it was impossible to tell where the repair work had taken place. For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, this is a gentle but effective tile cleaning product designed for use on sealed floors that will ensure easy maintenance and keep the floor in great condition.
Source: Victorian Floor Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in Merthyr Tydfil Lincs
Tile Doctor has a range of sealers that cover all types of finish and situations. If your not sure which product is best for your tiles do call our helpline on 0345 512 0122 to discuss.