A customer from Stourbridge requested a visit to see what could be done about their Victorian tiled floor in the hallway. Changes to the property had required the installation of a gas pipe under the Victorian tiled floor in the hallway and so the beautiful tiles had been removed and a trench gouged out of the floor for the pipe. Naturally the owner now wanted to the tiled floor restoring to its original state.
I went over to assess the damage and informed the customer the gas pipe would need lowering by a gas safe engineer to enable me to install a new screed and continue the pattern. They agreed to get this organised and I worked out a price to restore the floor.
Happy with the quote they requested I track down the replacement tiles needed for the job and would be in touch once the gas pipe had been lowered.
Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor
Once that work was done, I returned to install a new screed level with the height of the existing base and left it to set for a few days. I had managed to source some reclaimed tiles that would match nicely so I ordered these up and returned to the property once they had arrived.
The tiles were then cut to shape and fixed in place to match the original pattern. Once set they were grouted in making sure to get a close to original match with the original floor as possible.
Once the floor has set, I was able to move onto cleaning the whole floor. To do this I applied Tile Doctor Acid Gel cleaner and scrubbed it in with a coarse 100-grit diamond pad. Being a gel, this product is more controllable and results in faster drying times. Gel cleaners are idea for Victorian floors which were installed before the invention of the damp proof membrane, their low moisture content ensures we don’t exacerbate any issues with dampness in the floor.
The gel was then rinsed off the floor using a little water and rapidly extracted using a wet vacuum. The process was then repeated using a 200-grit diamond pad to further clean and improve the surface of the tiles.
Once done the floor was inspected and stubborn stains spot cleaned by hand.
Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor
To seal the Victorian tiles, I applied a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra, this is a modern breathable sealer that improves colour and adds an appealing sheen finish. The new sealer helps blend in the replacement tiles and will protect the floor going forward ensuring any dirt remains on the surface where it can easily be cleaned away.
The customer was very pleased with the transformed floor and was especially happy with the tiling work which even if I do say myself worked out very well. I bet you can’t tell where the replacement tiles are in the finished photos.
For aftercare cleaning I left them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is specially formulated for cleaning sealed tiles. We don’t recommend tile cleaning products you find on supermarket shelves as the are usually too strong and can strip a sealer off the floor prematurely. If your choosing another product to clean your floor always read the label to make sure its compatible.
Source: Victorian Tile Cleaning Solutions and Services in Stourbridge Worcestershire
Serving Worcestershire including Stourbridge, Mark Conway is your local Tile, Stone and Grout maintenance expert. Additionally he is an agent of Tile Doctor, the largest professional Tile, Stone and grout restorative cleaning network in the UK. Tile Doctor has developed products and techniques to handle a multitude of issues surrounding tile, stone and Victorian Tiled Tile, interior, exterior, domestic or commercial.