Victorian Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find detailed examples of the cleaning and renovation of Victorian tiles carried out in North London

Cleaning and Renovating Victorian Tiles

Commonly found in the hallways of oldder UK properties Victorian tiles are very hard wearing and can provide a classic look to any space. We often find that the beauty of these tiles are hidden under years of grime and neglect and are often covered up with carpets etc as tastes have changed over the years. If this sounds familiar then all is not lost as they can be restored.

The standard bearer for quality Victorian tiles was a firm called Minton Hollins, an English manufacturer who made a very good product which lasted the test of time. Victorian building practices however did not include the use of damp proof membranes and we often find damp can be a major issue with these old floors leading to salt problems known as efflorescence.

Common problems we face when restoring Victorian tiles are the removal of carpet glue, paint splashes and cement. Loose and cracked tiles can also be a problem however due to their popularity we usually find finding replacement tiles isn’t a problem.

Below you will find detailed examples of work we have carried out in the past, it should give you some idea of what’s involved and what can be achieved with the right techniques and products.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration Belsize Park

Communal Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Belsize Park NW3

1 Comment / Camden Tile Cleaning, Finchley Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning /

Details below of the recent restoration of a small Victorian Tiled Hallway at a property in Belsize Park NW3. The hallway provided access to several flats and had previously been covered in carpet. The carpet has been secured to the tiles with gripper rod that had been glued to the tiles and there was a section of broken tiles in front of the staircase that had been removed leaving an obvious hole in the floor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Belsize Park Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Belsize Park

I carried out a survey of the floor to determine the main issues and took numerous photographs and measurements so I could locate suitable replacements. I knew that locating replacements wouldn’t be difficult as there are a few companies that specialise in this sort of thing and I know several members of the Tile Doctor network who have built up quite a collection. Once I was armed with all the costs, I email over a quote to the managing agent which was accepted and a date scheduled for the work to start.

Repair and Cleaning of a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Belsize Park

Work started by carefully removing the gripper rod and cleaning up the areas where I would need to fit replacement tiles. Tiles were then cut to fit the existing pattern and colours and dry fitted into place making small adjustments along the way until I was satisfied that I had replicated the pattern exactly. Only then were the replacements fixed into place with fresh adhesive. This type of tile restoration work is quite meticulous and the whole of the first day was spent with repairs alone.

I returned on day two to deep clean the whole floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This product is designed for removing old sealers but is also good at softening adhesives and other contaminates so they can be scrubbed off. I follow the recommended process of spraying the solution onto the surface and then letting it sit for ten minutes so it has time to breakdown the contaminates before being worked in with a 200-grit diamond pad. Once done it was rinsed off with water and the resultant soiling extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to neutralise the floor and counter any efflorescent salts that may have built up in the tiles whilst it was covered in carpet. Old floors like these don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane and shouldn’t be covered as it can prevent moisture from rising through the tile and evaporating at the surface. With the carpet gone the floor can breathe again and this can lead to trapped efflorescence salts appearing. We guard against this by giving the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel and then rinsing off with water and extracting as before.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I left the floor to dry out overnight and returned on day three to apply the sealer which will protect it from dirt becoming ingrained in the tile and improve the appearance.

I used Tile Doctor X-Tra seal for this which is an oil-based sealer that’s full breathable and will allow for moisture to rise through the tiles un-impeded. The oil in the sealer has the added advantage of restoring the colours in the tiles and certainly in this case put the life back in the floor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Belsize Park Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Belsize Park

Once done the original floor which must have been at least 100-years old was completely transformed and the tiled floor added a bit of class to the entrance to the property.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

Communal Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Belsize Park NW3 Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Rescued Kensal Rise

Damaged Original Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway Rescued in Kensal Rise

1 Comment / Camden Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

This classic original Black and White Victorian tiled floor was discovered by a customer in Kensal Rise under a lino floor when they moved in. Unfortunately, a large section of tiling was missing and had been backfilled with cement after a radiator pipe had been installed at some point in the past. The new owner understood that value that period features such as Victorian floors can add to the value of a property and was keen to have it restored.

Damaged Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Kensal Rise Damaged Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Kensal Rise

We have done numerous similar restorations in the past, so we were asked to go over, survey the floor and quote for carrying out the work. Knowing that a lot of the cement would need to be removed I started by carefully chipping away some of the cement to make sure the radiator pipe had been buried deep enough for tiling. It was so after measuring up and inspecting the rest of the floor I went ahead and issued a quote.

The client accepted so we booked in a mutually convenient date to carry out the works. The property was in a lovely street of similar properties many of which looked as if they had been restored.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The first task we did was clean the existing tiles with an application of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline coatings remover. This was diluted with water, sprayed onto the tiles, left to soak in for ten minutes and then scrubbed into the floor using a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. After rinsing off and the slurry and extracting with a wet vacuum the tiles were inspected and the process repeated where needed.

Damaged Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway During Restoration Kensal Rise

The next stage was to treat the floor to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel, this time worked in with a coarse 200-grit pad. Old floors like this one don’t have a damp proof membrane under the floor and as the moisture rises though the tile to evaporate at the surface you can find white salt deposits being left behind. Giving the floor an acid rinse like this will dissolve the salts and will also neutralise the floor after the use of an alkaline cleaner. Combine this with a coarse pad and you find the tiles come up really well, it will even remove old grout smears on the surface of the tiles. Once done the floor was rinsed again and the floor dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum.

After leaving the floor to dry off overnight we came back the next day and started the processing of excavating the cement around the heating pipe. With the rubble removed fast drying self-levelling cement was applied to a point where it was the right height for re-tiling.

On day three with the cement now dry it was tiled using matching tiles I had managed to source from Original Style Tiles who are a supplier that specialises in reproduction Victorian tiles. They have a vast range so we can usually find a very close match. The tiles were laid in a matching diamond pattern and grouted in later that afternoon.

Damaged Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway During Restoration Kensal Rise

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On the fourth and final day, we returned to seal the entire floor with a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a matt sealer that soaks into the tile occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. It also contains a colour enhancer that really brings out the contrast in the black and white tiles. It is also fully breathable so is perfect for floors of this age which lack the damp proof membrane beneath the floor that we now use in every modern build.

Damaged Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Kensal Rise Damaged Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Kensal Rise

The client was very happy with the finished result, the entrance hall was now in keeping with the rest of the period features of the property. For aftercare cleaning I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a gentle pH neutral tile cleaning product compatible for use on sealed tiles. Many household cleaning products tend to be very strong and can affect the sealer protecting the floor.

Damaged Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Kensal Rise

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

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Victorian Hallway Floor Restoration Bounds Green

Clean, Repair and Seal of a Damaged Victorian Hallway Floor in Bounds Green

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

My client discovered found this Victorian tiled floor under the carpet of a communal hallway in a large Victorian house in Bounds Green. The property had previously been converted into three flats and it seems the developers of the property dodged the cost of having the floor renovated and opted to glue down a carpet instead. The floor was in quite a state and there was a section of tiles missing where a pipe had been laid under the floor.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Restoration Bounds Green

I visited the property to survey the floor and prepare a quote for renovating the floor. With the floor in such a state I could see I would need to source replacement tiles. Whilst there I also carried out a small test clean to understand what it would take to ensure a good result could be achieved. Impressed with results from the test clean and happy with the quote my client agreed to have us back to do the work.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Day one started by deep cleaning the floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. This product weakens the glue and allows it to be removed with handheld scrapers, a steamer also comes in handy during this process.

Next step was to tackle the thin layer of cement screed which had been applied in some areas to level the floor ready for carpet. To do this a 200-grit diamond pad was fitted to the rotary floor buffer and run over the tiles along with Tile Doctor Acid Gel both to lubricate and help clean away the cement residues. This process generates a lot of soil with is rinsed off with water and extracted using a wet vacuum.

The 200-grit pad was followed up with a finer 400-grit pad to improve the condition of the tile, again using Acid Gel. After another round of rinsing and extracting the cleaning process was complete. As well as removing the cement the Acid Gel will neutralise any potential efflorescent salt issues that are a common problem with floors of this age. The floor was then rinsed with water and the soiling removed with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to tackle the damaged section of tiling where the pipe had been laid. To do this the backfilled cement was carefully chiselled out and the rubble removed. The subfloor was then rebuilt to with fast drying cement ready for tiling the next day.

For this project we were unable find existing replacement tiles that fitted exactly so instead large square tiles in the colours required were obtained from Original Features (just down the road in Crouch End N8) and then cut down to size on site.

Victorian Tiled Floor During Restoration Bounds Green Victorian Tiled Floor During Restoration Bounds Green

After cutting all the tiles to match the existing pattern I laid them into the floor using a fast-drying flexible adhesive. The floor set over lunch and were grouted later that afternoon.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The following day I returned and sealed the tiles with three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a breathable impregnating sealer that will soak into the tile adding protection. This takes a while to apply as you have to wait at least half an hour between coats to dry before applying the next.

Additionally, Colour Grow is a colour enhancing sealer and so was a perfect choice for this colourful floor. Being breathable it will also cope well with any moisture rising through the floor which is important for old floors like this which don’t have a damp proof membrane installed.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Restoration Bounds Green

My client was very happy with the newly restored Victorian tiled hallway which looked so much better than the previous carpet and had added so much more value to the property. For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, which is pH balanced cleaner that will clean the tiles without being so strong that it impacts the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

Clean, Repair and Seal of a Damaged Victorian Hallway Floor in Bounds Green Read More »

Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored Harlesden

Repairs to a Victorian Hallway Floor in Harlesden

1 Comment / Brent Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

We received a request to renovate Victorian tiled hallway floor at a house in the London borough of Harlesden NW10. My client had modernised the heating system and this unfortunately required a section of the tiled flooring to be dug up so new pipework could be laid.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Harlesden NW10

After speaking on the phone, I arranged an initial visit to the property so I could properly assess the work required and provide a price for restoring the floor. During my visit I could see there was another section of missing tiles at one of the door thresholds which would need attention. Except for the missing sections of floor I could see that the tiles themselves were in good condition for their age and would respond well to a deep clean and fresh seal.

I was confident on being able to source matching replacements for the missing tiles and reassured my client that we would be able not only repair the floor but also renovate it to a good standard. I gave them a price to do the restoration which they were happy to accept, and the work was booked.

Repairing a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

After some research I managed to source replacement tiles from the Vintage Floor Tile Company in Kent; Victorian tiles are still popular so there a few companies that keep stock so we can usually find a match.

With the replacements in hand, work started by removing the cement and loose material from the missing sections of flooring and backfilling with self-levelling compound to bring the exposed base up to the right level for tiling.

Victorian Tiled Hallway During Restoration Harlesden NW10 Victorian Tiled Hallway During Restoration Harlesden NW10

The tiles were then cut to shape as required to match the existing patten and fixed into place with a quick setting adhesive and then grouted.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

The floor was left to overnight to allow the adhesive to harden fully, and I returned the next day to deep clean the whole floor. To give the tiles are deep clean a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go was sprayed onto the floor and left to soak in for ten minutes. It was then scrubbed into the floor using a rotary machine fitted with a with a black pad. This action lifted the dirt out of the tiles and the resulting slurry was removed with the wet vacuum.

It turned out that the pores of the tiles were holding a lot of dirt, so the process was repeated until I was satisfied. Due to the age of the property, there was no damp-proof membrane installed so I do try to minimise the amount of water I use in this process as there is always a chance of exacerbating any latent efflorescence issues.

Efflorescence occurs where moisture rises through the tile bringing with it salts from underneath the floor as it evaporates on the surface. This can lead to unsightly white marks appearing on the tile. To counteract this potential problem the cleaning was followed by an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel applied with a 100 then 200-grit pad, before finishing on a 400-grit burnishing pad. The floor was again rinsed with water after the application of each pad to remove the slurry and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Once I was satisfied the floor was as clean as possible, we left site and the area was left to dry over the weekend ready for application of a new sealer.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I returned on the Monday and started by taking a few moisture readings to check the floor was dry. The floor was in an acceptable range, so I applied the first of 4 coats of sealer. For this floor I chose Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is specially formulated product that provides stain resistance with a hard wearing low-sheen finish.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Harlesden NW10

This product is also breathable which is an important feature for old floors, anything that blocks moisture from rising through the tile will cause it to become trapped underneath where it will pool and eventually reach out to the walls and result in rising damp.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Harlesden NW10

Once complete the floor looked brand new and I’m pleased to say with the deep clean and a fresh sealer applied it was impossible to tell the difference between the original and repaired sections of flooring.

For the aftercare of sealed Victorian tiled floors, I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner, it’s a mild day to day cleaner with a neutral pH that won’t damage the sealer. Many of the tile cleaning products you find in supermarkets are simply too strong.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

Repairs to a Victorian Hallway Floor in Harlesden Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before and After Restoration Highgate

Repairing and cleaning a Victorian Tiled hallway in Highgate

1 Comment / Camden Tile Cleaning, Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

This client from North London had recently bought a property in Highgate N6 and during renovation had discovered an original Victorian tiled floor in the hallway. The floor was laid in a classic black and white diamond pattern but unfortunately a large section was missing and had been filled with concrete. Furthermore, most of the remaining floor had been covered in cement and glue.

I carried out a survey of the floor to determine the main issues and was then able to email over a quote later that day that included rebuilding the missing section of flooring. I suspect the floor had been excavated at some point in the past to install central heating and then rather than have the excavated section restored it was simply back filled and then levelled with a cement screed before finally gluing down a carpet on top.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Renovation Highgate N6

Once the quote was accepted, I sourced replacement tiles from the Vintage Floor Tile company. Situated in Kent they are a reclamation yard that specialises in supplying original geometric and encaustic tiles including the major historical makers such as Minton and Craven Dunnill.

Repair and Restoration of Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Armed with replacement tiles I started by removing the concrete that had been used to backfill the missing section and prepare a new surface for tiling with quick drying cement. When ready I was able to carefully build back the original pattern using the replacements. The tiles were secured with tile adhesive and once that had gone off, they were grouted.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Renovation Highgate N6

The floor was left to set fully overnight and then the next day I was able to return and clean the whole floor using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. As usual this was left to soak into the tiles for a good ten minutes before being scrubbed into the tiles using a black scrubbing pad. The Tile Doctor Remove and Go did a good job of cleaning the floor and the cleaning solution soon turned black with dirt during the scrubbing. The floor was rinsed with water and the soil extracted with a wet vacuum. After inspecting the floor any areas that needed further work were hand scrubbed and rinsed again until I was happy the floor was clean.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Renovation Highgate N6

The last part of the cleaning process was to give the tiles an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which further cleans the floor by removing old cement residue and grout haze. It also neutralises efflorescent salts in the tiles which are a common issue with floors of this age with no damp proof membrane. After another rinse and extraction, the floor was given a final rinse and then dried as much as possible using the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I left the floor to dry out for a couple of days before returning to apply a protective sealer. Tile and Stone should be dry before sealing so I use a damp meter first to double check. All was well so to seal the tiles I proceeded to apply the first of what would be three coats of sealer. I used Tile Doctor Colour Grow for this, it works by impregnating the tile occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This product also enhances the black and white colour of the tiles and makes the floor much easier to clean.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Highgate N6

Once done the floor was transformed and needless to say my customer was very pleased with the result. For the aftercare of Victorian Tiled floors, I recommend the use of a ph neural tile cleaner such as Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner; most supermarket tile cleaners are simply too strong for use on sealed floors and can strip off the sealer prematurely.

 

Professional Repair and Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

Repairing and cleaning a Victorian Tiled hallway in Highgate Read More »

Victorian Hallway Floor Before After Restoration in Haringey

Rebuilding and Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Haringey N22

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

Convinced that their Victorian tiled hallway was beyond repair they decided to give Tile Doctor a call just in case there was a chance it could be saved. The property was in the Turnpike Lane area of Haringey in North London (N22), amongst a similar style of properties.

Victorian Floor Before Restoration Turnpike Lane N2 Victorian Floor Before Restoration Turnpike Lane N2

Victorian floor restorations are a speciality of ours, so I went over to take a look at the hallway and survey the tiles. When I got there, I could see why they thought nothing could be done as a lot of the tiles had come loose. However, I was pleased to inform them that in fact it could be restored and that as an original feature doing so should add a lot of value to the property. Happy that the floor could indeed be renovated we were given instructions to go ahead with the work and agreed a date for the job to begin.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

On Day 1 we set about lifting all the loose tiles. We then cleaned all the excessive adhesive from the subfloor and the loose tiles. With much of the subfloor now exposed we were also able to repair the badly damaged areas with quick drying cement. Some tiles were too badly damaged to relay, so these were replaced with matching reproduction tiles sourced from Original Features who are a specialist supplier of Victorian Tiles based in Crouch End.

Victorian Floor Before Restoration Turnpike Lane N2 Victorian Floor During Restoration Turnpike Lane N2

On day two we re-laid all the tiles and grouted the floor. After allowing the tile adhesive and grout to set we returned a few days later to deep clean the floor.

Cleaning involved applying a 200-grit burnishing pad to the floor lubricated with water to remove ingrained dirt. The floor was rinsed with water and the soil removed with a wet vacuum. This was followed by giving the Victorian floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. I always recommend an acid wash for tiled floors as it removes grout smears and other mineral deposits from the tiles and further improves their appearance as a result. The floor was given another rinse and again the soil was extracted with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

We then returned the next day and after checking the moisture readings were satisfactory, the floor was sealed with 3 coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which soaks into the pores of the tile improving colour and adding protection from within. This sealer gives the floor a lovely subtle finish, it would also give it great protection for some time to come particularly in a high traffic area such as the hallway.

Victorian Floor After Restoration Turnpike Lane N2 Victorian Floor After Restoration Turnpike Lane N2

Once done, the floor looked great the colours were really striking and most importantly my client was delighted and left some great feedback, see below:

Excellent service. Top quality workmanship and they worked extra late without complaint and without additional charges as the job turned out to be bigger than initially estimated. Andrew responded to all our queries in a friendly and polite manner throughout the job. By Martin T, London.

For aftercare cleaning of Sealed Victorian tiled floors, I always recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner. Most supermarket products are simply too strong for a sealed floor and will slowly strip away the sealer with use.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

Rebuilding and Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor in Haringey N22 Read More »

Edwardian Hallway Floor Before After Renovation Finchley

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Finchley

1 Comment / Finchley Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

The owners of this Edwardian property in Finchley had purchased it a couple of years prior and since then had slowly been renovating it to restore its original character. The project was almost complete and now attention had turned to the tiled floor. The tiles were in quite a state and I was asked to work our Tile Doctor magic and bring it back to its original condition.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Renovation Finchley

When they moved in the hallway had been covered with carpet which gave the tiles underneath some protection. Unfortunately, however the carpet has been secured with carpet grippers that had been glued to the tiles around the edges. There were also paint splashes on the surface that would need dealing with. On top of that the floor had a few missing tiles that had been back filled by cement to provide a level base for the carpet, the client wanted like them replaced if possible.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Renovation Finchley

After surveying the floor, I explained what could be done and ever completed a small test clean to demonstrate how the tiles would look once deep cleaned. I was confident on being able to source very similar reclaimed tiles so replacing the missing should not be a problem. The client was very happy with the initial test result and my quotation so booked me in to restore the floor.

Cleaning and Repairing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

On my return I started by applying Tile Doctor Remove and Go to soften up the glue which allowed it to be carefully peeled off the tiles with scrappers. Once all the carpet adhesive was gone, I worked a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go into the tiles using a black pad to work the cleaning solution deeper into the tiles. A wet vacuum was used to remove the slurry created, and I followed this by giving the tiles an extra clean using a 200-grit diamond burnishing pad lubricated with water.

The last step in the cleaning process was to give the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up, I did this for several reasons, first it removes old grout smears from the surface of the tile and second it neutralised any efflorescent salts lying dormant in the floor. This can be quite a problem for old floors which don’t have the benefit of a protective damp proof membrane under the floor. The floor was given a final rinse with water which was again extracted with a wet vacuum.

I then set about lifting all the loose tiles (approximately ten) and carefully removing the concrete infills. I had previously managed to source replacements for these holes from original features. Unfortunately, they didn’t sell the correct sized octagon tiles, so I had bought 150mm square tiles and then needed to cut them on site to get the right size.

After cutting and fixing the tiles I fixed them in place and regrouted the rest of the floor.

Sealing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

I then left the floor to dry out overnight and returned in the morning. Before applying a sealer, I took several moisture readings with the damp meter to make sure the tiles were dry enough to take the sealer.

I was able to confirm the floor was dry, so went ahead and applied three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealant. Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that is fully breathable sealer which is important when it comes to old floors like these that don’t have a damp proof membrane installed.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Finchley

My client was very happy with the renovated floor and for aftercare I left them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner and gave advice on how best to clean the floor going forward.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor After Renovation Finchley

 

Professional Restoration of an Edwardian Tiled Hallway in North London

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Finchley Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Repaired and Restored Haringey North London

Reviving a Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway in Haringey North London

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work by Category, Work by Location, Work History /

This client owned a property in Haringey, North London, which had a classic Victorian tiled floor laid in the hallway. Unfortunately, the floor was in a bad state, the tiles were dull and dirty and there was a missing section by the bottom of the stairs that had been back filled with cement. Fortunately for him however his neighbour decided to remove their front path which was made with matching tiles and so he was able acquire replacements from him. He then contacted us to see if we could use those tiles to fill in the missing ones and revive the whole floor with a clean and seal at the same time.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Restoration Haringey

Before quoting for the restoration work, I paid a visit to the property to survey the floor. I can give quotes from photographs, but much prefer to visit and conduct a test clean, and in this case, I was able to check the spare tiles he had acquired. From that I emailed a quote which the client was happy with, so we arranged a date to return and do the work.

Victorian Tiled Floor Before Restoration Haringey

Cleaning and Reviving a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

This was a large job, so I teamed up with Jackson Davis the Central London Tile Doctor and whilst Jackson started on cleaning the floor, I took the reclaimed tiles outside and carefully grinded off the excess cement and adhesive from them and cleaned them by hand. We managed to do this by about 3pm. Jackson and I work on a lot of jobs together so it made sense to work as a bubble from the beginning of Covid so we could continue to work together, with two of us on the job it also means we can get the job done quicker.

Cleaning the floor involved applying a 200-grit diamond burnishing pad to the tile lubricated with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go, the slurry was then rinsed off the floor with more water and then extracted with an industrial vacuum. The process was repeated on stubborn areas until we were satisfied the tiles were really clean.

We then moved onto carefully removing the cement from the floor at the bottom of the stairs and cleaning up the base. Once done the newly renovated replacement tiles were laid in place using a rapid setting adhesive which meant they could be grouted later that day before heading home. The floor was then left overnight to dry off.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

We then returned the following day and took some moisture readings with the damp meter. The readings were within the expected range, so we were good to go ahead and apply the sealer. If the floor is not dry the seal will not cure properly, and this can lead to a patchy finish.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Restoration Haringey

Three coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied to seal the tiles. This is a colour intensifying impregnating sealer that works from with and will gives the Victorian tiles durable protection, ideal for a high traffic area such as the hallway. In addition, Colour Grow is a fully breathable sealer so it will allow for moisture to rise through the tile and evaporate, this is critical for floors of this age that will not have the benefit of a damp proof membrane installed under the floor.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Restoration Haringey

The hallway is now looking transformed by the work we did, we certainly thought so, but more importantly our client was very happy with the result and now has the floor he hoped for.

 

Professional Restoration of a Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

Reviving a Classic Victorian Tiled Hallway in Haringey North London Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before After Restoration Camden

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in Camden

1 Comment / Camden Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

This detailed Victorian tiled hallway at a property in Camden was overdue some much-needed repair and maintenance. The owners of the property appreciated that original period features like this add a lot of value to a property and asked me to visit the property to quote for renovating it. The property was in a terrace of similar properties most of which appeared to have retained their Victorian character.

Victorian Hallway Floor Tile Before Restoration Camden
I inspected the floor and found there were a couple of loose, cracked, worn and broken tiles that needed to be replaced. In addition, the floor tiles needed a deep clean and then seal to bring back the wow factor. I was confident we could renovate the floor but at that point unsure if we would be able to find exact match replacements for the damaged tiles. Fortunately, Victorian tiles are still in demand and I knew of several companies I could check with so I was confident they could be found.

Victorian Hallway Floor Tile Before Restoration Camden
We discussed how long the work would take and assuming I could source the replacements agreed a price for the full restoration of the floor. After doing some research I managed to find suitable replacements with a company called Original Style and the work was scheduled for the following month.

Cleaning/Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Firstly, we prepared all areas with protective tapes to threshold edges and skirting.
This was followed by spaying the tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go which is product designed to remove old sealers and coatings. After about ten minutes the tiles were scrubbed with black scrubbing pads and scrubbing brushes. Fresh water was used to rinse the floor and the slurry was extracted using a wet vacuum.

The floor was inspected and then a second clean carried out, this time using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a Tile and Grout cleaning agent. The same process of application was used and after rinsing and extracting the dirt the tiles were given a steam clean. This ensured all the dirt was lifted out of the pores of the tile and the floor was now as clean as it possible could be.

The next step was the remove the loose and cracked tiles using the reclaimed tiles we had sourced earlier. Some cuts were necessary to get the replacements to match the originals but overall the plan worked. A quick drying adhesive was used to secure the tiles so we could apply the grout shortly after. The whole floor was then re-grouted and cleaned off to ensure a good match. The floor was left to dry off overnight, and you could already see it was now looking considerably improved.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning the next morning we checked the floor was dry using a moisture meter, this is important as to apply a sealer to damp tiles will lead to a patchy experience. All was well so we were ready to apply the sealer.

To start a single base coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer was applied to the floor and left to dry. This sealer is an impregnator that protects from within by occupying the pores in the clay tile improving colour in the process. This sealer does leave a matt finish however and the client wanted a subtle shine so one dry it was followed by four coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go. The combination of the two sealers works really well to add long lasting protection to the tiles and provide the desired finish to the floor.

Victorian Hallway Floor Tile After Restoration Camden
The floor was much improved, and the client was delighted. The detailed pattern and colours were now much more prominent, and the hallway looked much more inviting for both the owner and their guests. For the aftercare of Victorian tiles, I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is pH neutral and won’t prematurely erode the life of the sealer.

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

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Edwardian Tiled Hallway Before After Deep Restoration Finchley

Restoration of an Edwardian Tiled Hallway in Finchley

1 Comment / Finchley Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

After having their hallway carpeted for several years the owner of this Edwardian property in Finchley, North London decided they would like to restore their original tiled hallway floor. They asked me to visit and help lift the carpet to see whether restoring would be feasible. They knew from before that a few areas of tiles were damaged and did not know if replacements could be sourced.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Finchley

As requested, I went over to have a look at the newly revealed floor and make some recommendations. After carefully removing the hallway carpet we found the floor to be very dirty but importantly intact with only a few sections of loose or missing tiles. It would certainly be possible to restore it and given the length of the hallway I was confident it would look impressive when finished and be a great addition to the property.

We discussed the process and after confirming that sourcing matching reclaimed tiles as replacements was possible, we agreed a price and arranged a date to carry out the work.

Cleaning/Repairing a Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

The carpet had left quite a lot of residue on the tiles as well as adhesive from the carpet glue, so our first task was to get the Edwardian tiles clean. We carried out a detailed clean over the whole floor using Tile Doctor Remove & Go to treat the adhesive followed by a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean to remove all the dirt and old sealers. The floor was rinsed off afterwards and the soils extracted using a wet vacuum.

The next job was to begin the repairs starting with a complete inspection of the floor to lift the loose, broken and fractured tiles. The good ones were individually cleaned ready for re use. This left about 150-200 broken missing tiles that needed to be replaced. We had a number of reclaimed tiles and a selection of new style Victorian tiles we could cut to fit.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway During Restoration Finchley Edwardian Tiled Hallway During Restoration Finchley

Prior to relaying we prepared the base with new cement and levelled the floor to give a good surface. The tiles were carefully laid to the quick set adhesive, once this was dry the floor was re grouted. Once all the tiles were re-grouted the floor was cleaned of any excess grout with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is great for removing grout smears.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway During Restoration Finchley

Sealing an Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor

The floor was then sealed with a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing sealer that impregnates the tile and protects it from within. The floor was left to dry overnight, and we returned the next day to apply five coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go to give a natural satin finish, leaving each coat to dry prior to applying the next.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Finchley

The whole project took three and a half days to complete.

The client was very happy with the result, in fact it was even better than they had expected. For aftercare I recommended that they use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor clean as it is pH balanced and will ensure the seal is not undermined which can happen with other household cleaners.

Edwardian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Finchley

 

Professional Restoration of an Edwardian Tiled Hallway in North London

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Victorian Hallway Tiles Before After Renovation Mill Hill

Victorian Hallway Restoration Mill Hill, North London

1 Comment / Brent Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

This 1930’s North London property in Mill Hill had a classic tiled hallway floor laid with black and white tiles in a diamond pattern and reminiscent of the Victorian era some thirty years earlier but still popular at the time the house was built. Mill Hill was first recorded as Myllehill in 1547 and appears to be named after a “hill with a windmill”. Over the years it’s merged with the surrounding towns and is now a desirable suburb in the North London Borough of Barnet.

I first spoke to the owner of the property over the phone to get an idea of what was required and work out a convenient time to take a look at the floor; we often get customers looking for a quote over the phone but this is not always easy to do as you never know what problems you might find with an older floor until you get there.

On inspection I could see there were in fact a large number of loose tiles in the central part of the floor which would need to be reset and grouted, the floor would also need to be deep cleaned and re-sealed with a suitable sealer to get it back to its former glory. I was confident we could soon get the floor looking how it should and after discussing the process, agreed a price and a timescale for the project. The owner was keen to get the job completed as soon as possible.

Cleaning/Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Firstly, we prepared the area with protective polythene tapes to thresholds, carpets, and door fronts to ensure the surrounding areas were protected. To clean the floor a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean was applied, this is a concentrated, multi-purpose high-alkaline cleaner, stripper and degreaser and is highly recommended for use on natural stone, tile and grout. The tiles were scrubbed with both floor pads and brushes, it is easier to use brushes in the more intricate areas.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration During Cleaning Mill Hill

After the scrubbing we rinsed, and steam cleaned the floor, removing the slurry generated during the cleaning process with a wet vacuum. It was now nicely prepared ready for carrying out the repairs and the cleaning process was useful in identifying those tiles which needed extra attention.

The repairs involved resetting 50 to 60 loose tiles, the process requires carefully removing the tile, scraping out the old adhesive and grout and then replacing with new. The area is cleaned and then when the adhesive has set the tiles are re grouted in a grout chosen to best match the original. Luckily there were no damaged tiles on this floor which made the job easier. Although, we can usually track down replacements when they are needed!

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

We then left the hallway to dry off overnight, returning the next day we used a moisture meter to check the floor was dry and suitable for sealing. Old floors like these have no damp proof membrane fitted under the floor so can take time to dry out, fortunately we completed this work during warm weather, so all the readings were good.

Victorian style tiles are quite porous, so we found we need to apply give coats of sealer before they were fully sealed. We selected Tile Doctor Seal & Go to seal the tiles, it’s a specially formulated water-based blend of acrylic polymers that adds a durable stain resistant surface and leaves an appealing low-sheen finish. Being water based it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries, and it also a breathable sealer that can cope with the lack of a damp proof membrane ensuring moisture doesn’t become trapped under the floor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration After Cleaning Mill Hill

The client was very happy with the completed job, the work took a day and half to complete. Considering how many tiles had been loose the job had turned out very well. The floor is now much more manageable for her and the hallway tiles life has now been prolonged.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration After Cleaning Mill Hill

 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

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Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Repaired and Restored in Palmers Green

Geometric Victorian Tiled Hallway Repaired and Restored in Palmers Green

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

It is not uncommon for the owners of houses built in this era to discover original Victorian tiled floors and hallways. Sometimes they have been covered up with carpet or linoleum to match the trend of the day and sometimes they get covered up because they have been neglected and though beyond economical repair. Trends have now been reversed and its becoming increasingly popular to restore them and bringing them back to their former glory and who can blame them, period features are in demand and they add value to a property.

This was the case with this floor at a house in Palmers Green, North London, affectionately known by the locals as ‘Little Cyprus or Palmers Greek’. The house is situated in a street with similar properties of the same age, so it’s likely there are a few hidden Victorian tiled floors on this street!

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Palmers Green
The client asked me to visit and survey what could be done to restore the floor. As you can see from the photographs the floor in the hall is a lovely example of geometric black and white tiles. However, it is in quite a state with, cracked and missing tiles and many years of built up dirt. I discussed with the client the options and we agreed a price to carry the work out, over a couple of days.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Palmers Green

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Our first task was to protect the woodwork with protective tape including the doorway threshold edges, skirting and doors. Next, we began the cleaning the tile and grout including stripping off old coatings including sealers and waxes. To do this we applied a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean mixed 50:50 with Tile Doctor Remove & Go; when you have a combination of unknown contaminates, stubborn stains and dirt, a combination of products can be the best option. The solution was left on the floor around fifteen minutes before being worked into the floor, I find a longer dwell time makes the removal of sealers, adhesives, paints and grime easier. We then agitated the wet area using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer and used detail brushes for the more the intricate areas.

This process turned the cleaning solution in a black slurry which was extracted off the floor using a wet vacuum and the floor then steam cleaned to remove any remaining product residue and believe me there really was a lot of dirt to remove. A thorough rinse followed, and the floor was left for a short while to dry.

Next up we tackled the repairs, starting with the removal loose, cracked and broken tiles. Luckily, I had managed to source some new and reclaimed tiles locally and so we replaced these and then re-grouted. We then left the tiles overnight to dry.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning in the morning a consolidator primer seal was then applied using Tile Doctor Colour Grow which improves colour followed by four applications of Tile Doctor Seal & Go this is a specially formulated water-based blend of acrylic polymers that provides both a stain resistant surface and a protective seal as well as a lovely natural satin finish.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Palmers Green Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Palmers Green

The floor looked so much better and the black and white tiles are now very vibrant, the client is pleased they ripped up the carpet and now have a feature hallway which is in keeping with the property.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Palmers Green
 

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in North London

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Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Muswell Hill, London

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Muswell Hill, London

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

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 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.

Edwardian Hallway During Cleaning Muswell Hill

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 Before Restoration Muswell Hill 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.

Edwardian Hallway After Sealing Muswell Hill
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.

Edwardian Hallway After Sealing Muswell Hill
 

Restoring Edwardian Hallway Tiles in North London

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Tessellated Victorian Hallway Restoration in Bounds Green, North London

Tessellated Victorian Hallway Restoration in Bounds Green, North London

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

Bounds Green in North London has more than its fair share of Victorian terraced houses packed with desirable original features. When the owners of this house pulled up their hallway carpet they were excited to discover a beautiful and original black and white Tessellated tiled floor.

Victorian Hallway Before Restoration and Repair Bounds Green Lifting Carpet Victorian Hallway Before Restoration and Repair Bounds Green

Tessellated tiled floors became fashionable from the 1860s and usually featured striking geometric patterns. By the end of the century they had become an essential feature in the most ordinary Victorian terraced houses from Dover to Aberdeen. They fell out of fashion in the 1960s and 70s and were usually covered over with carpet or linoleum, but period house owners today understand their value and are restoring them back their former glory. A well-restored tessellated tiled floor not only looks incredibly attractive but is durable and hard wearing. They were originally laid by highly skilled tillers and most have already survived 100 years of family wear and tear. With the right care they will probably be good for another 100 years.

Restoring a Victorian Tessellated Tiled Floor

The first thing we did was cut away the rest of the carpet to expose the whole hallway. The floor looked in a relatively stable condition, but it was clear the floor needed a deep clean and some minor repairs.

Victorian Hallway Before Restoration and Repair Bounds Green Victorian Hallway During Restoration and Repair Bounds Green

We started off by cleaning off each individual tile with Tile Doctor Remove and Go, a multi-purpose stripper that also draws out ingrained stains and removes old sealers and coatings; this took away all the glue and dirt from the carpet. We then applied Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU which is specially designed to penetrate below tough stains, dissolve and lift them out. We left that for twenty minutes for maximum effect before lightly scrubbing. Each tile was then individually scrapped with polypropylene pads.

The next step was to remove the resultant soil by rinsing with water and extracting with a wet vacuum. We steamed cleaned each tile and carried out a second clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong cleaner and degreaser for heavily soiled and neglected tile, stone and grout that has been neglected or subjected to heavy use.

By now the floor was looking pretty good. The beautiful black and white design of the floor was once again in evidence after decades of being hidden under carpet. There were just a few more steps to complete the job and restore this floor to its original glory. We carried out the minor repairs needed, carefully re-grouted the very fine gaps between the tiles and left the floor overnight for the grout to thoroughly dry.

Sealing a Victorian Tessellated Tiled Hallway Floor

The next day we sealed the tiles with five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go to give a beautiful and natural low-sheen satin finish. This specially formulated solution also provides a stain resistant surface seal and being water based it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries.

Victorian Hallway After Restoration and Repair Bounds Green
We managed to complete the whole job in just under two days with two of our skilfully-trained technicians. Our customer was delighted with the outcome and left the following message for us on the Tile Doctor feedback system:

“The team worked hard at what seemed a fiddly job and we are very pleased with the outcome. I would recommend.” Natalie G, Bounds Green, London”

Victorian Hallway After Restoration and Repair Bounds Green
 

Professional Tessellated Victorian Hallway Floor Restoration in North London

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Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before and After Restoration Winchmore Hill London

Restoring a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Winchmore Hill

1 Comment / Enfield Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

A customer in Winchmore Hill which is part of the London borough of Enfield was having major refurbishment works done to their home which included an upgrade to the central heating system. As part of the work a new radiator had been installed in the hallway however the utility company when putting in the new heating system had chased out two deep pipe channels in the central part of their beautiful Victorian tiled hallway floor.

Victorian Hallway Before Restoration Winchmore Hill Cropped Victorian Hallway Before Restoration Winchmore Hill

This was a real shame as the majority of the floor was in good condition; the owner of course wanted the floor restored so our brief was to do exactly that and carry out repairs to the pipe channels and to all the door thresholds that were either existing or new so they all matched in.

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Our first task was to clean the tile and grout and strip off old sealers and waxes which we did by applying a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go combined with equal part of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This was scrubbed into the floor with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine and then rinsed off with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Victorian Hallway During Restoration Winchmore Hill
After deep cleaning we then carried out the tile repairs and replacements to pipe channels, missing and mislaid tiles to thresholds. Some or the tiles were replaced with matching reclaimed tiles and others were new sourced from Original Style who have a large range. Altogether we replaced circa 500 pieces of tile in order to repair the damage caused by the heating engineers and achieve a consistent pattern throughout the hallway.

Sealing Victorian Tiles

The cleaning and re-tiling work was carried out over three days and we returned on the fourth day to seal the floor with an initial two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that enhances colour.

We then protected the floor for a further week with cardboard cut to size, this allowed other trades to finish their work without messing up the floor. A week later we returned to lift the cardboard to apply the finishing seal using Tile Doctor Seal & Go which adds the final protection. Five coats were applied to reach the right level of protection and desired satin finish restoring the natural appearance and lustre of the tiles.

Victorian Hallway After Restoration Winchmore Hill Cropped Victorian Hallway After Restoration Winchmore Hill

The whole job allowing for the drying times of adhesive, grout and sealing took five days in total. It was worth it though as restored Victorian hallway really gives the property the Wow factor as you enter.

Victorian Hallway After Restoration Winchmore Hill
 

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration in North London

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Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Crouch End, London

Edwardian Tiled Hallway Floor Restored in Crouch End, London

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

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.

Edwardian Hallway Threshold Before Restoration Crouch End

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.

Edwardian Hallway Floor Before Restoration Crouch End
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.

Edwardian Hallway Threshold During Sealing Crouch End
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.

Edwardian Hallway Threshold After Restoration Crouch End
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.

Edwardian Hallway Floor After Restoration Crouch End
 

Restoring Edwardian Hallway Tiles in North London

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Rebuilt After Heating Installation in Palmers Green

Victorian Tiled Hallway Rebuilt After Heating Installation in Palmers Green

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

The owners of this property in Palmers Green, North London had uncovered an original Victorian hallway floor during renovation work. However, the priority was to have a new central heating system installed so they had to make a decision to allow the heating engineer to rip up part of the floor in order to lay new pipes.

With the floor now missing a large section most customers would agree to have the hole back-filled with concrete and then have lino installed on top, however keen to have the floor restored as an original feature they reached out to Tile Doctor who have a lot of experience in this field.

Our brief was to infill the excavated section and reinstate the floor with new original style Victorian tiles to match the existing ones.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Palmers Green

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The existing floor had been covered in Carpet which had been secured using carpet gripper fixed to the floor using adhesive, there were also old paint splashes from decorating that would need to be removed. Our first job therefore was to remove the glue and paint by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go which is a coatings remover especially designed for use on tile and stone. The product was applied, left to dwell for about twenty minutes and then scrubbed into the floor, this softened the paint and glue which could then be carefully scrapped off tile tiles.

The next step was to give the floor a deep clean with a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean to strip off what remained of old sealers and extract any ground-in dirt from the pores of the tile. Naturally this work had to be done in two sections due to the missing tiled section and then once complete each part of the floor was given a good rinse and the slurry extracted using a wet vacuum.

The floor was then inspected and a second clean was carried out to remove any stubborn staining or residue followed by a steam clean.

Rebuilding a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Following the two stages of cleaning we checked the existing floor pattern and prepared the hallway by levelling the floor in preparation for inlaying the new tiles which were chosen to offer the best possible match. We were able to source reclaimed tiles that would match up to the pattern and during this phase of the restoration work we carried out any loose tile and grout repairs and re-grouted the newly laid tiles.

Sealing Victorian Hallway Tiles

With the original tiles clean and the hallway rebuilt we left the floor to dry off fully overnight.

On our return we first checked the tiled were dry and that the grout in the new section was clear of any grout smears from the tiling work. Happy with the condition of the hallway we first applied a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that will protect the tiles from within by occupying the pores within the tile, it also enhanced the colours in the clay tile.

Once the first coat of sealer was dry it was followed by five coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go which adds further layers of protection and adds a nice subtle satin finish that works really well on Victorian tiles.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Cleaning Palmers Green
The work went very well, and the sealer consolidated the new and old tiled sections to form a seamless floor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restored in North London

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Victorian Tiled Hallway Hidden Under Carpet Fully Restored in Woodford Green

Victorian Tiled Hallway Hidden Under Carpet Fully Restored in Woodford Green

1 Comment / Redbridge Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

This lovely Victorian Tiled Hallway was discovered by a couple during the renovation of their home in Woodford Green which is a suburb of Woodford in North East London. The tiles were covered by a hallway carpet and much of it was obscured by concrete floor leveller. Fortunately just enough of the tile was exposed to give an indication of the Black and White Victorian floor underneath.

After initial investigation and discussion on what was possible, we were invited to quote to restore the floor which I’m pleased to say was accepted. The following pictures show an indication of the process we followed to restore the hallway to its former Victorian glory.

Cleaning Victorian Hallway Tiles

The first step was to remove the concrete floor levelling compound which was done very carefully using small hand tools, detail blades and scrapers. This took a lot of work as we did not want to damage the tiles underneath. You can get a feeling for this from the photographs below where we slowly remove the concrete layer over the floor to reveal the Victorian floor underneath.

Removing Concrete Leveller From Victorian Floor Tiles in Woodford Green Removing Concrete Leveller From Victorian Floor Tiles in Woodford Green

Once the Victorian tiles were all uncovered and the cement had been removed we got a good idea of the condition of the tiles and began a deep clean restorative process. The process began by giving the floor an acid wash with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which was left to dwell on the tile for ten minutes before being scrubbed in to release remaining smears of concrete and grout residue on the tiles.

The resultant soil was then removed with a wet vacuum and the floor then cleaned with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using a similar technique of leaving it to dwell and then scrubbing it in.

Cleaning Victorian Hallway Floor Tiles in Woodford Green
Once cleaned the soiled cleaning product was removed with a wet vacuum and the floor give an thorough rinse with fresh water which was followed by a steam clean to finalised the process.

Cleaning Victorian Hallway Floor Tiles in Woodford Green
With the floor now deep cleaned we moved on to addressing the three door thresholds which needed to be rebuilt to fix loose and replace broken tiles.

Victorian Hallway Floor Tile Threshold After Cleaning in Woodford Green

Sealing Victorian Hallway Tiles

The tiles were left to dry and set overnight and we returned later to seal them with an initial coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating seal as a primer before re-grouting. Colour Grow is an impregnator that seeps into the pores of the tile protecting it from within and also enhancing the colours in the tile.

Victorian Hallway Floor Tiles Regrouting in Woodford Green
Once the sealer had dried we moved on to grouting those areas which were repaired the previous day with a matching grout colour and then this was left to set

When the grout was set it was time to finish off the sealing this time using five applications of Tile Doctor Seal & Go to provide a natural sheen finish.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Full Restoration in Woodford Green
As you can see from the picture, the floor has been fully restored to its original condition and with the correct maintenance; it should last for years to come.

Full Restoration of Victorian Hallway Tiles in North London

Victorian Tiled Hallway Hidden Under Carpet Fully Restored in Woodford Green Read More »

Edwardian Clay Tile Front Pathway in Barnet

Edwardian Clay Tile Front Pathway in Barnet

1 Comment / Barnet Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

As you can see this Clay Tiled Pathway laid during the Edwardian period at the front of a house in Barnet, North London had suffered over the years and now had many broken and cracked tiles along the path. The concrete foundation had seen some movement in the past leading to a crack forming right across which had either cracked the tile or caused them to become loose.

Edwardian Clay Pathway Barnet Before Cleaning Edwardian Clay Pathway Barnet Before Cleaning

To restore the path to its original condition would require removing all the broken and loose tiles and then relaying with matching replacements and grout giving particular attention to the detailed edging pattern. Fortunately, having done a few of these jobs before I have learned where to find replacements and often keep an eye on salvage yards and ebay.

Edwardian Clay Pathway Barnet Before Cleaning Edwardian Clay Pathway Barnet Before Cleaning

Cleaning and Repairing an Edwardian Clay Tiled Pathway

The first job was to remove ingrained dirt and old coatings by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go across the entire length of the pathway. Remove and Go as its name suggests breaks down and strips off the old sealers as well as dislodging ingrained dirt. It was scrubbed in and then rinsed off with water and extracted using a wet vacuum.

Next some of the tiles which had experienced particularly stubborn staining were given an Acid Wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which removes old grout smears and mineral salts deposits which is often referred to as efflorescence. Acid Gel neutralises the alkaline salts and once scrubbed in it was removed using the wet vacuum.

Once the dirt and efflorescence had been dealt with, I focused my attention towards the tile repairs starting with the removal of the broken and loose tiles so I could get at the cracked sub-base and repair it. Once the repair had hardened I was able to relay the path using a mixture of exiting and replacement tiles taking care to match the original pattern. Before leaving for the day the tile adhesive had gone off and I was able to grout them in using a matching grout. I had also checked the weather forecast to ensure no rain was forecast that evening.

Sealing an Edwardian Clay Tiled Pathway

The weather held and the following day with a freshly cleaned and repaired path I was able to finish the job by applying two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which really brings out the natural colours in the clay tile. Once the sealer had dried I ran a white buffing pad over the path to give it that final finish before showing it to the owner of the property who I’m happy to report was extremely pleased with the result.

Edwardian Clay Pathway Barnet After Cleaning
I should mention that when choosing a Sealer for an external application it’s important to choose one which is fully breathable and can cope with the wet conditions.

Victorian Tiled Pathway and Edwardian Tiled Hallway Restored in Palmers Green

Edwardian Clay Tile Front Pathway in Barnet Read More »

Edwardian Style Hallway Floor Cleaned and Repaired in Islington, London

Edwardian Style Hallway Floor Cleaned and Repaired in Islington, London

1 Comment / Islington Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

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

Edwardian Hallway Floor Before Tile Cleaning Islington
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.

Edwardian Hallway Floor Before Tile Cleaning Islington

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.

Edwardian Hallway Floor After Tile Cleaning Islington
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.

Edwardian Hallway Floor After Tile Cleaning Islington
 

Restoring Edwardian Hallway Tiles in North London

Edwardian Style Hallway Floor Cleaned and Repaired in Islington, London Read More »

Rebuilding a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Islington

Rebuilding a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Islington

1 Comment / Islington Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

A customer in Islington had part of their Victorian tiled floor damaged due to building work and contacted us to ask if it was possible to restore it back to life as they didn’t want to lose such an original feature from their house. Victorian tiled floors are quite popular in the UK and we regularly complete restoration projects of this type so we were confident it could be restored.

Victorian tiled floor before repair Islington Victorian tiled floor before repair Islington

Laying Victorian Floor Tiles

Finding replacement tiles was the key to restoring this floor however over the years we have built-up a list of UK suppliers who specialise in Victorian tiles so fortunately we were able to source a matching set and completely rebuild the area at the bottom of the stairs with replacement tiles.

Cleaning Victorian Tiles

The next task was to set about cleaning the tiles using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in with black scrubbing pads fitted to a rotary buffer machine. The soiled solution was then extracted using a wet vacuum and the floor rinsed with water. Final step of the cleaning process was to give the tiles an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which removed old traces of grout and other mineral deposits such as efflorescence from the floor. Once happy that is had done its job is was extracted from the floor and then the tiles were given a thorough rinse and left to dry off overnight.

Sealing Victorian Tiles

Next day we sealed the floor using Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a breathable solvent based sealer, and is also very good at lifting the colours out of the clay tiles as providing a seal that will help protect the tiles from stains going forward.

Victorian tiled floor before repair Islington Victorian tiled floor before repair Islington

Another fantastic restoration completed and well worth the time that went into it, it’s great to see such a lovely feature in a house of this age which I’m sure adds value to the property.

Victorian Tiled Floor Restoration in North London

Rebuilding a Damaged Victorian Tiled Hallway in Islington Read More »

Tired Victorian and Edwardian Tiles Rejuvenated in Palmers Green

Tired Victorian and Edwardian Tiles Rejuvenated in Palmers Green

1 Comment / Haringey Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

At first sight, this Victorian tiled pathway in Palmers Green, N13 did not appear to need too many repairs, with just a few obvious broken and loose tiles to be fixed. On closer inspection however it became clear it was in need of a deep clean and fresh seal.

Palmers Green Path Before Restoration

Repairing, Cleaning and Sealing Victorian Tiles

To start, we applied Tile Doctor Remove & Go across the entire length of the pathway to break down and strip off the old sealer and provide an initial clean. In the more stubborn and difficult to reach areas where we saw the buildup of efflorescence, we applied Tile Doctor Acid Gel to neutralise the alkaline salts.

Acid Gel, as the name indicates, is a pH1 blend of Phosphoric and Hydrochloric acid in gel form, making it easier to apply to tricky areas, including sloped or vertical surfaces. Users should be aware not to use this type of product on acid-sensitive stone such as Limestone, as this can cause etching if left on too long.

Once the dirt and efflorescence buildups had been dealt with, I focused my attention towards the tile repairs, quickly realising that the extent of damage was greater than initially thought. Firstly, the numerous loose and broken tiles were removed and individually cleaned in a similar way to the rest of the floor. We then repaired the sub base ready for the existing and newly sourced tiles to be re-laid, before leaving the floor to set and dry overnight.

The next day, the pathway was grouted, before being sealed with Tile Doctor’s colour enhancing, impregnating sealer, Colour Grow to bring back the life and character to the Victorian tiles.

Palmers Green Path Before Restoration

Cleaning and Sealing Edwardian Hallway Tiles

I was also asked to renovate the Edwardian hallway tiles in the house so once finished with the pathway they were deep cleaned using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean. This also helped to break down the old sealers and waxes – followed by a careful cleaning of the grout lines using Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up in combination with 3m black pads and detail brushes.

Palmers Green Edwardian Hallway Before Cleaning
To ensure any pre existing sealer was completely removed, I followed up with a steam clean and left the tiles to dry overnight.

Upon my return to the property the next day, I completed re-grouting in the necessary areas, before sealing the tiles with five coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go, providing an aesthetically pleasing satin finish. Seal & Go is a topical, solvent-based sealer which forms a layer of durable protection on the surface of the tiles, protecting against dirt and stains.

Palmers Green Edwardian Hallway After Cleaning
The hard work invested in restoring these two floors certainly paid off, as the client was exceptionally pleased with the results, going as far as to leave the following feedback:

“I wanted to restore my tired Edwardian tiled hallway and was given Rob Voyce’s
contact details. I was very impressed with Rob and his team; they were very
professional and friendly. Rob explained the stages of the work to be carried out and
we agreed a date and the job was completed much to my satisfaction. Very pleased.”

Victorian Tiled Pathway and Edwardian Tiled Hallway Restored in Palmers Green

Tired Victorian and Edwardian Tiles Rejuvenated in Palmers Green Read More »

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Swiss Cottage

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Swiss Cottage

1 Comment / Camden Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

This Victorian floor was discovered at a house in Swiss Cottage in the London borough of Camden when the current owner took the old carpet up. It was in need of substantial restoration to bring it back to its former glory however we have had really good results from restoring similar floors so we were confident it could be done.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Before Restoration Swiss Cottage

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The carpet had literally just been taken away so we had to remove the gripper rods, underlay and deal with the adhesive which we managed to tackle using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was left to dwell and penetrate the glue for ten minutes before being scrubbed in.

Once the glue was removed the tiles were given a thorough clean using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean using the same process of leaving it to soak in and then actively scrubbing it into the floor to get the tile and grout as clean as possible. The floor was then rinsed and stubborn areas re-treated until we were satisfied with the result.

The last cleaning step was to use a steam cleaner to pull as much dirt out of the pores of the tiles as possible and a wet vacuum to extract the liquids and get the floor as dry as possible and we also re-grouted where necessary due to the damage caused by the gripper rods.

We also gave the Victorian tiles in the entrance lobby a thorough clean using the same process, although they had not been covered in carpet they were still in need of a deep clean.

Victorian Tiled Entrance Before Cleaning Swiss Cottage Victorian Tiled Entrance After Cleaning Swiss Cottage

Sealing Victorian Tiles

The floor was left to dry and when we returned the whole floor was ready to be sealed and for this we used five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds a nice shine to the floor as well as providing a surface seal that will help protect the tiles from stains going forward. For the entrance lobby we used two coats of Colour Grow which doesn’t add the shine but as an impregnating sealer we felt it would perform better with the wear at the front of the house.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Restoration Swiss Cottage
The owner of the house was very pleased with the outcome and left the following testimonial:
Prompt, courteous, hard working and great results !.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration in North London

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Swiss Cottage Read More »

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Stoke Newington

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Stoke Newington

1 Comment / Hackney Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning, Work History /

The photographs below are from a Victorian tiled hallway floor at a property in Stoke Newington in London. The floor was in need of repair with a large area very uneven and partly sunk in the middle of the pattern. The repairs were made using as many existing tiles as possible.

Victorian Tiles Before Stoke Newington

Cleaning Victorian Tiles

The first task was to set about cleaning the tiles using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and Remove & Go on the stubborn areas. Both products were applied in the same way using black scrubbing pads to work the products into the tile to release the dirt. Hand brushes were used to clean up the grout lines and the floor was rinsed and soil removed using a wet vacuum.

At this point the large loose area of tiles were removed to be cleaned of grout/adhesive for use later and the sunken area that was revealed was levelled in line with the rest of the floor base. Once the new cement base had set and the tiles useable again they were re-laid and set in position to fit the matching pattern of the remaining floor.

Victorian Tiles During Replacement Stoke Newington Victorian Tiles During Replacement Stoke Newington

Once the tile adhesive had set the last thing to do was to re-grout the repaired area making the hallway whole again and left to go off.

Sealing Victorian Tiles

When we returned the whole floor was ready to be sealed and for this we used five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds a nice shine to the floor as well as providing a surface seal that will help protect the tiles from stains going forward.

Victorian Tiles After Stoke Newington
A lot of effort went into the restoration but what a transformation and well worth the work, certainly the customer was pleased and left the following testimonial.

Rob Voyce responded very quickly to my request for a quote, and was able to complete the work to a very good standard in the agreed time. The work caused minimum disruption to the household and everything was left clean and tidy at the end of each day. I would certainly recommend the services of the Tile Doctor and I am very happy with the work that has been done on old tiles in my Victorian hallway.

Victorian Tiles After Stoke Newington
 

Victorian Tile Restoration in North London

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Stoke Newington Read More »

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