Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Muswell Hill, London

Posted on June 20, 2018 by TileProf

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It must seem to he reader of this site that the only we get in North London relates to Victorian and Edwardian tiled floors. They are certainly popular, and we do get our fair share, but I can assure we also work on all types of tile, stone and grout however at the moment there appears to be a huge demand for our services in restoring Victorian and Edwardian tiled floors.

This post which comes from a property in the London suburb of Muswell Hill which is well known for Victorian and Edwardian houses. The owners had decided to improve the look of their hallway and uncovered an original Edwardian tiled floor after pulling up the carpet. Realising it was an original feature of their period property they decided to get it cleaned, repaired and restored back to its rightful splendour.

Edwardian Hallway Before Restoration Muswell Hill

Deep Cleaning an Edwardian Tiled Floor

Our first task was to protect the area surrounding the tiles from splashing by applying a protective polythene tape to the thresholds and door fronts etc. We then started preparing the floor for cleaning by removing the glue that was used to hold the carpet gripper to the tiles. A sharp blade was used to carefully scrape the adhesive off the tile and then the area was spot treated using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go which was left to soak into the tile for ten minutes before being scrubbed by hand.

With the adhesive removed the whole floor was given a thorough clean using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean. The cleaning solution was left to soak in for ten minutes and then they were scrubbed with floor pads fitted to a rotary buffer machine and then by hand with stiff brushes. The floor was then rinsed, and steam cleaned with the soiled extracted off the floor using a wet vacuum.

We managed to take a photo as seen below showing the floor half way through the cleaning stages.

Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Whist carrying out the repairs to inside the front door we uncovered a distressed surface underneath the tiles, probably from all the foot traffic walking over it for so many years which required some much-needed attention. After carefully taking out the required number of tiles and setting those aside we had to lay a new covering of cement and insert stainless steel mesh plates to level the floor.

Edwardian Hallway After Cleaning and Repair Muswell Hill

After the installation of the tiles, the floor was re grouted and thoroughly cleaned and left to dry off overnight.

Sealing Edwardian Style Tiles

We returned the next day to seal the floor, first checking to ensure the tiles had dried out overnight. To start the sealing, we applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow with leaves a matt finish and left it to dry. Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that provides stain protection whilst enriching the colour of the tiles in the process.

Once the first coat was dry it was followed by the application of six coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go which adds further layers of protection but leaves a satin finish that gives a rich, natural appearance and works really well on Victorian and Edwardian tiles.

Restoring Edwardian Hallway Tiles in North London

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Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Crouch End, London

Posted on March 28, 2018 by TileProf

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Pictures below of an original Edwardian Tiled Hallway at a house in Crouch End, North London. Victorian and Edwardian properties are quite common in the area which actually dates to the 13th Century and is often used in the filming of East Enders.

We were called in to look at restoring the floor back to its former glory and when inspecting and surveying the floor we found large sections of tiles that were loose and three doorway thresholds that required rebuilding and re-tiling. If you have been following our website posts, you will know this is something we specialise in, so we were more than happy to help.

Restoring an Edwardian Tiled Floor

Before cleaning the floor our first task was to remove the loose, damaged, cracked and broken tiles. These were set aside and those that could be re-used were cleaned prior to re-laying. The remaining tiles were then cleaned using Tile Doctor Remove & Go to remove the old waxes and seals.

Over the course of three days we worked in small areas of about a metre square at a time. After cleaning the tiles were then fully rinsed and steam cleaned and left to dry. In the meantime, we began the repairs to the thresholds and central part of the floor.

After the installation of the new and reclaimed tiles the floor was re grouted using Mapei grey grout and thoroughly cleaned and left to dry overnight.

Sealing Edwardian Style Tiles

We returned the next day to seal the floor, first checking to ensure the tiles had dried out overnight. To start the sealing we applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow and left it to dry. Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that provides stain protection whilst enriching the colour of the tiles in the process.

Once the first coat was dry it was followed by the application of six coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go which is a protective Satin Seal that gives a rich, natural appearance and works really well on Victorian and Edwardian tiles.

In total the work took four days to complete and we relayed around 450 tiles in the process. Before leaving we advised our customer on how best to maintain the appearance and increase longevity of the sealer.

Restoring Edwardian Hallway Tiles in North London

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Original Edwardian Tiles Refreshed and Revitalised in Lytham St Annes

Posted on September 3, 2017 by TileProf

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We often get asked to restore original Edwardian tiles which, contrary to popular belief, are the same as Victorian tiles in their style and composition. The only discernible difference is the age of the property – whether it was built in the Victorian (1837-1901) or Edwardian period (1901-1910). As such, they can be cleaned and sealed in the same manner.

I recently visited an Edwardian period property in Lytham St Annes, a lovely coastal resort on the Lancashire coast where we have completed many restorative cleaning activities in the past. Along with its sandy beaches, the area is internationally renowned for its golf courses.

The property owner had some original Edwardian tiles which had been laid down in a vestibule and were beginning to show their age. There were several damaged tiles in the area that needed to be replaced and the entire set of tiles needed to be cleaned to achieve the best possible result.

Cleaning Original Edwardian Tiles

To begin I needed to address the issue of the damaged tiles, fortunately we are always on the lookout for old tiles and have quite a collection we can choose from, were also in touch with a number of companies that still make these tiles and so are able to source replacements one way or another.

I was therefore able to replace the broken and damaged tiles with suitable replacements that matched well with the original pattern of the floor. They were fixed in place and then once the adhesive had hardened grouted in using a matching grout.

Following this, I applied Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel to the remaining area taking care not to disturb the newly laid tiles. Based on the popular Pro-Clean product, Oxy-Gel is a strong alkaline cleaning product that breaks down dirt and grime and is safe to use on tiles however being in gel form and not liquid it stays where put, which was important the grout was still drying in the repaired area.

The Oxy-Gel was left to dwell for roughly 30 minutes before scrubbing it in with a stiff hand brush. to the tiles. I carefully rinsed away the resulting slurry and then treated the area with Tile Doctor Acid Gel, which is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in gel form. By applying the product, I could reduce the grout haze and efflorescence problems that occur in old properties like this.

Next, I carefully rinsed the floor again with water and soaked up the moisture with a wet vacuum, before leaving it to fully dry out overnight.

Sealing Original Edwardian Tiles

I returned to the property the next day with the intention of sealing the tiles; fortunately, the weather was good and after taking a couple of damp readings I was happy the tiles were completely dry. We must be careful with older buildings which don’t have a damp proof membrane fitted; if there is even a moderate amount of damp present it can cloud the sealer and damage its performance.

I started the sealing process with a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is an impregnating, colour-enhancing sealer that improves the look of the tile as well as adding internal protection. Assisted with a fan to speed up the drying time, this was followed by several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, which is a topical sealer that add further protection and the high-quality sheen finish the customer requested.

The customer was thrilled with the result and very pleased that she could salvage these fantastic original tiles. Another satisfied customer.

Professional Restoration of an Original Edwardian Tiled Vestibule in the Fylde District

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Edwardian Style Hallway Floor Cleaned and Repaired in Islington, London

Posted on August 28, 2017 by TileProf

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This customer from Islington in North London had an Edwardian Black and White tiled hallway in need of repair and restoring.

To restore the lustre of the Edwardian floor tiles the floor would need what was left of the old sealer stripped off, tiles deep cleaned, the replacing of missing and broken tiles and finally applying an impregnating colour restoring products and a protective sealer. You will full details of how this was done below.

Cleaning Edwardian Style Tiles

Before starting we covered the skirting, doors and threshold areas with protective tape. Then to remove what was left of the old sealer and clean the floor the area was left to soak in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go for about ten minutes. It was then scrubbed into the tile using a slow speed orbital floor machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and also hand held brushes to get into the corners and other tricky areas.

The now soiled cleaning solution did a good job removing the dirt and old sealer and was rinsed away using water and then extracted with a wet vacuum. The tile and grout was inspected and the process repeated where required before giving the floor a final rinse to remove any trace of cleaning product. It was getting late at this point so the floor was left to dry off thoroughly overnight.

Sealing Edwardian Style Tiles

On our return we first carried out a number of restorative tile repairs using matching Edwardian reclaimed tile replacements primarily to the door thresholds and skirting board edges. Before grouting we applied a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer to the whole floor as this would make any excess grout easier to remove. Colour Grow is also a breathable sealer that impregnates into the pores of the tile protecting it from within and also enhancing the colours in the tile.

We had to leave the floor for another day primarily to allow the grout to dry before returning the next day to complete the sealing process this time using six coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds a lovely sheen and works really well on Edwardian floor tiles.

As you can see from the picture, the floor has been restored to its original condition and with the correct maintenance; it should last for years to come.