Lingfield Tile Cleaning

Lingfield Tile Cleaning

Welcome to my Work History archive where you will find examples of the cleaning and renovation of tiles carried out in Lingfield.

Terracotta Tiled Floor Renovated Dormansland

End of Tenancy Terracotta Clean and Seal Kitchen Floor for Dormansland Landlord

A landlord contacted to have the Terracotta floor tiles in the Kitchen of a rental property in Dormansland, near Lingfield, cleaned and sealed after Tenants moved out. There are plenty of “end of tenancy cleaning” companies around however they don’t specialise on tile and grout and therefore won’t have the equipment to deep clean them properly.

Terracotta is a porous material so it has to be protected with a sealer to prevent dirt from becoming ingrained in its pores, as once this happens it’s a real struggle to remove. Pitfalls including using the wrong cleaning method which can result in scratching and not allowing the tile to dry before sealing which can result in an uneven finish.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Test Cleaning Dormansland

Before quoting for the work, I visited the property and carried out a small test clean. For this I used both a black nylon pad and then a 400-grit diamond pad. The result from the black pad was ok but not exceptional but the result from the 400-grit pad was much better. The diamond pad uses industrial diamonds to cut through and loosen the dirt however the pads are expensive, so I like to try an alternative first. The client was happy for me to go ahead, he just wanted me to ensure the floor was nice and tidy and was easy for the new tenants to keep clean and maintain.

Deep Cleaning Terracotta Tile and Grout

On arrival first I taped up the kitchen plinths and the skirting boards to protect them from the cleaning solutions I would be using which can be quite messy. I started by cleaning the grout first then the tiles. With the grout being recessed it tends to gather dirt easily and is best cleaned by hand using a wire brush and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Dormansland Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Dormansland

After the grout I turned my attention to the Terracotta tiles which were pre-wetted in Tile Doctor Remove and Go and then scrubbed using the 400-grit diamond pad mentioned earlier. Once the whole floor was treated in this way it was rinsed with water and the soiling removed with a wet vacuum.

Once done the floor was inspected and stubborn areas were retreated until I was satisfied with the condition of the Terracotta and grout. Then after a final rinse and extraction the floor was left to dry off overnight.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

Returning the next day, I tested the floor with the damp meter to check for remaining moisture. The tests confirmed that the floor was dry enough to seal, I applied three coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra. The customer wanted a strong sealer but not too glossy. The alternative Tile Doctor Seal and Go can be thought to be too glossy so Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra is a good compromise.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Dormansland

I suggested leaving a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for the incoming new tenant. Hopefully if they use it regularly, they will keep the floor in good condition. It is pH neutral and mild enough to use every day but will not compromise the newly applied seal. Standard household cleaners tend to be too strong and will break down the sealer which will take the floor back to square one.

He was delighted with the overall finish and agreed encouraging them to use the cleaner would be a good plan.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Sealing Dormansland

 

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen in West Surrey

End of Tenancy Terracotta Clean and Seal Kitchen Floor for Dormansland Landlord Read More »

Old Stone Fireplace Fully Restored in Lingfield

Restoring a 200-Year-Old Stone Fireplace in Lingfield

We are often called in to restore stone and tile where others have not been able to succeed, and this was the case with this 200-year-old stone fireplace in Lingfield. To be fair to the previous company its was covered in 5mm of paint in multiple layers so it was no easy task to restore.

Stone Fireplace Before Cleaning Lingfield Stone Fireplace Before Cleaning Lingfield

The church in Lingfield village was apparently rebuilt in 1431 so it’s not surprising to find houses here containing some impressive period features. This property also had an old Pamment tiled hallway which I wrote about in a previous article.

Removing Paint from a Stone Fireplace

To strip the multiple layers of paint off the stone fireplace I would need to apply a strong chemical, so my first task was to protect the adjacent woodwork. I tend to use a thin blue film for this as it sticks well to most surfaces and like professional decorators masking tape it doesn’t remove the paint when you remove it later.

To soften and remove the paint I applied a special paste that is brushed on and slowly emulsifies the paint so it can be easily peeled off. To ensure all the layers could be removed I blanketed the whole fireplace in a thin laminated membrane which ensures the product doesn’t evaporate. The paste is safe to use on Stone and I left it for a couple of days before returning.

I returned to the house in Lingfield and completed the messy job of stripping off the now pliable paint taking care not to damage the fireplace or the surroundings. Once done and the waste removed, I set about cleaning up the now naked stone with Tile Doctor Acid Gel.

Acid Gel is a perfect choice for this job as being a gel its easy to control and sticks to the vertical surface allowing it to be scrubbed in without running down the facia. After scrubbing the gel was carefully rinsed off with a sponge.

Stone Fireplace After Cleaning Lingfield
The restoration took a lot of manual work especially when working around the intricate carvings in the stone however the transformation was well worth it. I think you will agree the Fireplace now looks transformed.

 

Large Stone Fireplace Restored in East Surrey

Restoring a 200-Year-Old Stone Fireplace in Lingfield Read More »

Pamment Tiled Hallway Floor Before After Cleaning Lingfield

Old Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway Renovated in Lingfield

This is the first of two visits I made to a property in Lingfield, East Surrey which had some very old features including a Pamment tiled hallway and a 200-year-old stone Fireplace. In both cases the owner had made an attempt at restoring them before deciding to give up and call in Tile Doctor.

Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Lingfield Surrey Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Lingfield Surrey

For this article I’m going to focus on the Pamment tiles which like Terracotta are made from Clay and are a common flooring material in Norfolk and Suffolk. We don’t usually see Pamment tiles in Surrey however Lingfield is a very old village where the Church dates to the 14th century so you never know what you’re going to find.

Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Lingfield Surrey Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway Before Cleaning Lingfield Surrey

Cleaning Pamment Tiles

I started with the job by scrubbing the Pamment tiles with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which is a heavy-duty cleaner/stripper designed for removing coatings from stone, tile and grout. The product was applied and left to soak into the tile and grout for about ten minutes before being scrubbed in with a black pad fitted to a rotary machine. The soiled solution was then removed with a wet vacuum.

Next step was to give the tiles an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which is applied using the same method as before. Acid washing a tiled floor removes mineral deposits such as alkaline salts from efflorescence and will also take off thin grout smears that can ruin the look of a tiled floor. Once this was done and the soil removed the floor was washed down with clean water to ensure all the acid was removed and the floor neutralised.

You can see from the photographs that the grouting between the tiles had failed in areas, so this was replaced to ensure the floor was structurally sound. After cleaning up the floor it was then left to dry out thoroughly for a few days.

Sealing Pamment Tiles

On my return to do the sealing I first checked the floor had dried sufficiently with a damp meter, we never recommend sealing a damp floor as this can cause problems with the sealer curing leading to patchy results. All was well and for this floor I decided on applying a single coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal first which seeps into the pores of the tile and adds a base layer of protection. This was then followed up with multiple coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds the final layer of protection and enhances the look of the tile to leave a nice subtle sheen.

Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway After Sealing Lingfield Surrey Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway After Sealing Lingfield Surrey

The work took two days in all and as you can see the floor now looks transformed and will be much easier to maintain going forward.

Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway After Sealing Lingfield Surrey Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway After Sealing Lingfield Surrey

GET THE LOOK – Pamment Tiled Flooring

If you like the rustic look a Pamment tiled floor brings to a property, then there are several UK suppliers who still retail these tiles including Norfolk Pamments and Antique Style Flooring. Also consider searching eBay, Gumtree and reclamation yards for second hand floors for restoration.

 

Clay Pamment Tiled Floor Renovated in East Surrey

Old Clay Pamment Tiled Hallway Renovated in Lingfield Read More »

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East Surrey Tile Doctor

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