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 Hampshire

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 Floor No 21 Finished

Victorian Tiled Hallway Cleaned and Sealing in Portsmouth

This beautiful Victorian tiled hallway was an original period feature at a property in Portsmouth. Some of the tiles had suffered over the years but it was still intact and functional, it was just in need of a deep clean and seal.

Cleaning a Victorian Floor Tiles

We gave the floor a thorough clean using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean mixed 50/50 with Nanotech Ultra-Clean and then diluted with water, this results in a powerful cleaning agent that’s still safe to use on these old floors. This was left to dwell for a while before being worked into the floor using a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Once we were happy with the floor we used a stiff hand brush to get into the grout joints and cleaned those up as well. The last step was to remove the soiled cleaning product using a wet vacuum and then rinse the floor down with water to remove any remaining chemical before sealing, this last step neutralises the floor which is important as leaving a cleaning product on the floor could upset the sealer.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before

Sealing the Victorian Tiled Floor

The floor was left to dry overnight and we came back the next day to seal. We were happy the floor was sufficiently dry so proceeded to seal it with four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is ideal for Victorian floor tiles providing a low sheen finish whilst offering excellent stain protection. You do have to leave each coat to dry before applying the next so it can take some time to apply.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Finished
 

Restoring a Victorian Tiled Floor

Victorian Tiled Hallway Cleaned and Sealing in Portsmouth Read More »

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Hampshire Tile Doctor

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