Remove and Go Archives - Devon Tile Doctor

Marble Tile and Grout Cleaned and Polished in Crediton Devon

Grout Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor in Crediton

This customer in Crediton originally enquired about grout cleaning for their Kitchen floor, however after speaking to them on the phone I discovered their tiles where Marble and so I suggested they may be interested in our stone polishing service as well.

Interested in the possibilities I arranged a time to pop over to the house and conduct a survey and test clean. I’m based in Crediton, so it wasn’t long before I was able to pay them a visit. Whilst there demonstrating grout cleaning, I explained how Marble responds wonderfully to our diamond pad burnishing system and would be possible to go one step further and make this floor a ‘wow’ feature again. I conducted a quick demonstration of the burnishing process which went well, and they agreed it was definitely something they would like to have done and were happy to book me in for both jobs.

Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Crediton

Having agreed my quote the only thing that was left was to agree a date to do the work which would take two days. As it turns out they had planned a holiday and so I it was agreed I would do the work whilst they were away to minimise disruption.

Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Crediton

Deep Cleaning Grout and Marble Kitchen Tiles

To start, I added low level protection to then the bottom 7 inches or so of the kitchen units and walls to stop any slurry splashes. After this I applied a coat of Tile Doctor alkaline cleaning/stripping product called Remove & Go and left to dwell and soak into the stone. This emulsified and broke down what remained of the existing sealer and ingrained dirt in the grout lines which was causing the discolouration.

After ten minutes the solution was then worked into the floor using a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer. Where needed I also used a stiff grout brush along the grout lines until I was satisfied it was as clean and White as it could be. The soiled liquid was then rinsed off the floor and extracted with an industrial wet vacuum.

Next I started the burnishing process with the application of a coarse 400-grit diamond pad fitted to the rotary machine. Using only water for lubrication the pad was worked into each tile until I had covered the whole area. I then repeated this process through 800 and 1500-grit pads extracting the slurry between each pad with the wet vacuum. The pads deep clean the Marble and slowly refine the surface to build up the polished appearance.

After the 1500-grit pad I put several floor fans in place to accelerate the drying of the Marble floor before applying the last pad in the burnishing system which is a very fine 3000-grit polishing pad which adds lovely shine to the Marble and is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile.

Once done the burnishing work had been completed and it was time to let the floor completely dry out overnight so it would be ready for sealing the next day.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor

I arrived in the morning and began work by inspecting the floor and taking a few moisture readings to ensure it has completely dry. I was happy with how clean the Grout looked and how well the Marble had responded to the burnishing process. The floor had that smart, eye-catching polished appearance and just needed sealing to protect it from dirt becoming ingrained into the pores of the stone.

Having discussed choice of sealers with the customer previous we had agreed to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This is a great choice for Marble as it contains a colour enhancer that intensifies the lovely natural mineral colours in the stone which otherwise are lost when dry. Two coats were needed, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second.

Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor After Polishing Crediton

A few days later I heard back from the clients who had just arrived back from their holiday, they were overjoyed with the results I achieved not just to the grout but how well their Marble floor now looked. For aftercare cleaning of polished stone floors, we recommend using Tile Doctor Stone Soap, it’s compatible with sealers and helps maintain the patina on the stone.

Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor After Polishing Crediton

Professional Cleaning and Polishing of a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor in Devon

Grout Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor in Crediton Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Restoration Exeter Hotel

Full Victorian Hallway Floor Restoration at Exeter Hotel

1 Comment / Exeter Tile Cleaning Service, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Harry Payne

I received an inquiry from a client who was in the middle of converting and restoring an old manor house in Exeter, Devon and was keen to understand if her original Minton tiled floor could be salvaged and restored to a similar high standard which met that of the rest of the project.

The owners purchased this period property because of its characterful charm and original features, therefore if it was possible, they wanted to save the floor.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Before Restoration Exeter Hotel

After booking in a survey, I arrived at the property and spoke with one of the owners and the site foreman. It was clear that when this property was in use as a hotel the hallway was utilised for the reception and desks and furniture had taken a real toll on a lot of the individual tiles, many of which were badly chipped, cracked, and damaged.

After inspecting the Victorian floor, I worked out a restoration plan and confirmed I could source matching replacement tiles. This enabled me to create an accurate price for the work which was agreed and I booked in a two-week slot with the owners to carry out the work.

Repairing and Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I began the restoration by cutting out all the damaged and broken tiles which would need to be replaced, there were approximately 75 tiles that needed removing. After this I hand cut each coloured shaped tile by templating the originals and dry fitted before installing with adhesive.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor During Restoration Exeter Hotel

After all the tiles had been cut, fitted, grouted, and set it was time to move on to cleaning with the aim of restoring the appearance of the whole floor to its original state. I did this by using Tile Doctor’s soft milling pads 100-grit through to 800-grit lubricated with Tile Doctor Remove & Go to help clean and remove any remaining sealer from the floor. The floor is rinsed after each pad and the resultant slurry extracted with a wet vacuum.

The next step was to give the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which further cleans the tiles by removing grout haze and other contaminates. Being an acidic product, it has the added benefit of neutralising the pH level of the floor after the use of the alkaline Remove and Go earlier, it also microscopically etches the tile to improve the bond with the sealer which will be added later.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

At this point I left the floor to dry for a few days before returning to seal the floor using Tile Doctor’s X-Tra Seal which is a colour intensifying and breathable sealer. I applied two coats, allowing each one to dry before applying the next.

Once the sealer had dried, I buffed the floor with a White pad to remove any excess sealer and then ran a 1500-grit burnishing pad over the tiles which added a complimentary natural satin sheen to the tile faces throughout.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor After Restoration Exeter Hotel

The hallway looked great, what a transformation, it really complemented the lovely ornate staircase and created a very welcoming entrance to the property. My clients were very satisfied that we had been able to complete such a good restoration and had brought the place back to life enhancing the period features as they had wanted.

Since completion of the job, this restoration has featured in the well-known ‘The Escape To The Chateau’ fan club page on Facebook.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Devon

Full Victorian Hallway Floor Restoration at Exeter Hotel Read More »

Porcelain Tiled Floor Before After Renovation Sidmouth Exeter

Textured Porcelain Floor Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned and Tile Replaced in Sidmouth

1 Comment / Grout Cleaning, Porcelain Tile Cleaning, Sidmouth Tile Cleaning / Harry Payne

We were contacted by a property owner in Sidmouth near Exeter about their Textured Porcelain floor tiles in the kitchen and hallway which needed a deep clean. The tiles themselves were looking grubby and the grout had become stained and darker with ingrained dirt.

Porcelain Kitchen Diner Floor Before Cleaning Repair Sidmouth

There was also a damaged tile that needed replacing which I was happy to do. We often get asked to replace tiles but we don’t really take on tiling work unless it’s part of a bigger renovation project.

I discussed with them the service we offered and gave them a price for the work, which they were happy to proceed with. We arranged a date to complete the work the following month.

Cleaning Textured Porcelain Hallway and Kitchen Floor Tiles

I started by removing all the kickboards from below the kitchen units and then running a bead of clear silicone sealant around the bases. We tend to use a lot of water when cleaning tiles and as most kitchen units are made from MDF we like to prevent any water becoming absorbed into the units. This will prevent them becoming warped by the water so it’s worth taking the time to remove or protect them. I also added protection around the skirting boards.

The cleaning process began by spraying Tile Doctor Remove & Go onto the floor, this is an alkaline cleaner designed to remove dirt and other coatings. I left it to soak in for 45 minutes before starting to work it in with a rotary buffer fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The long dwell time gives the product time to digest and loosen the ingrained dirt in the textured tile, dips, and grout lines.

Porcelain Kitchen Diner Floor During Cleaning Sidmouth

After scrubbing the tiles, they were then rinsed with a small amount of water. I used a pressurised truck-mount water vacuum system fitted to my van to extract all the remaining soil and product from the floor.

With the soiling removed the floor was left to air dry (which took an hour or so) before neutralising the floor and removing old grout smears with a diluted acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up. After the rinse floor was given another rinse and once again the waste extracted using the truck-mount system.

After this treatment, the floor was looking so much better and I hadn’t finished.

Replacing a Porcelain Kitchen Tile

Returning the following day, the last step was to remove a broken tile and replace with a new matching tile the client had provided. I always recommend buying more tiles that you need and then keep those extras in the loft or something as you never know when they might come in handy.

To remove the broken tile, I stated by cutting though the grout lines separating it from its neighbours and then carefully breaking the tile up for with a hammer action drill fitted with a chisel bit. The bits of old tile were removed and what was left of the grout was removed using a small Grout-Out tool.

Porcelain Kitchen Diner Floor During Tile Replacement Sidmouth

Porcelain Kitchen Diner Floor During Tile Removed Sidmouth

You have to be careful when doing this sort of work as many modern kitchen floors are installed with an electric heating matt which is easily destroyed when lifting a tile. In this case there was no matt under the tile but to my surprise the was another tile so it was clear that the tiler had simply tiled over an existing tiled floor. I hear this is a popular thing to do as a tiled floor usually makes a good base.

With the area cleaned up, it was simply a case of applying fresh rapid setting adhesive and fitting the new tile in place. Once the adhesive had set, I grouted using a lime colour Mapei Grout and the job was complete. Most Porcelain tiles are sealed in the factory so it was not necessary to apply one.

Porcelain Kitchen Diner Floor After Renovation Sidmouth

The result was a fresh and tidy Porcelain tiled floor with a marked improvement particularly on the grout lines and of course a very happy client.

Professional Renovation of a Porcelain Tiled Hallway and Kitchen Floor in Devon

Textured Porcelain Floor Tile and Grout Deep Cleaned and Tile Replaced in Sidmouth Read More »

Quarry Tiled Lobby Before After Renovation Kenton Devon

Deep Cleaning and Sealing a Grubby Quarry Tiled Lobby in Kenton, Devon

1 Comment / Exeter Tile Cleaning Service, Quarry Tile Cleaning / Harry Payne

This client called us out to look at their grubby Quarry tiled lobby at the front of their property in Kenton near Exeter. Being the main entrance to the property it saw a lot of foot traffic so once the sealer had worn down it wasn’t long before the dirt started penetrating the pores of the tile and became difficult to keep clean.

Quarry Tiled Lobby Kenton Before Renovation

The property was originally a school and dated back over 200 years. The Quarry tiles in the entrance lobby were probably as old as the building and as mentioned earlier were looking worse for wear having been partially covered for years. They weren’t sure how old the tiled floor was, but they were keen to see it restored. They were therefore desperate to get the floor deep cleaned and a fresh seal applied. They agreed to my quotation, and we arranged a convenient date to carry out the work.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Hallway Floor

I started by taping up the skirting to protect it from the cleaning products we would be using. I then applied Tile Doctor Remove & Go to the floor and covered the area with plastic sheets to stop the evaporation of the products so that I could achieve a longer dwell time. This would really get to the deep-seated dirt and loosen it so it can be lifted from the pores of the tiles.

I then worked the floor with 200-grit carbide brush fitted to a rotary machine to remove the dirt ingrained in the clay pores of the tile. Some of the grout was loose and dislodged in the process, however my client was expecting this and had already arranged for his tiler to complete a full re-grout once we had finished cleaning. The soiling released by the cleaning process was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Sealing a Quarry Tiled Lobby Floor

I wanted to seal the floor the next day so I left a couple of driers in place overnight to speed up the drying process. The next morning when I returned, I first checked the floor to make sure it was dry with a moisture meter.

The dryers had worked their magic so I was able to begin sealing the floor with Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is an effective interior and exterior sealer. With the lobby being a high traffic area, I applied four coats to ensure a durable seal. The benefit of this sealer is it gave the floor a nice sheen really bringing out the depth of colour in the tiles, and with the newly applied grout the floor looked great.

Quarry Tiled Lobby Kenton After Renovation

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner. This is a pH neutral product which is gentle enough for daily use. It won’t compromise the newly applied sealer which can be a problem with the stronger bleach-based products you find in supermarket products.

The work completely transformed the Quarry tiles and my client was very happy with the completed job and told me they wished they had tackled it sooner.

Professional Restoration of a Quarry Tiled Lobby in Devon

Deep Cleaning and Sealing a Grubby Quarry Tiled Lobby in Kenton, Devon Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovated Exmouth

Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated Ready for House Sale in Exmouth

1 Comment / Exmouth Tile Cleaning, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Harry Payne

This owners of this grand Victorian property in Exmouth were putting their home on the market and so decided to have its beautiful patterned Victorian Tiled hallway floor renovated to its former glory first.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Exmouth Before Cleaning

To get the best price for your property it needs looking its best and first impressions count so it makes sense to ensure the frontage and the hallway looks its best.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I began by applying Tile Doctor Remove & Go to the floor which was then left to soak in for twenty minutes. This gives the product time to breakdown and emulsify existing sealers and loosen ingrained dirt. I then worked the floor with a 200-grit burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine which had extra weights fitted to improve contact. The pads are made with industrial Diamonds that cut into and release the dirt bringing it to the surface where it can be removed. To help with lubrication the floor was wetted with minimal amounts of water, old floors like this one will not have had a damp proof membrane installed so it’s best to keep fluids at a minimum.

The now soiled cleaning solution was extracted with a wet vacuum and I hand cleaned around the perimeter with Diamond burnishing blocks. A few rinses were required to remove the now dirty cleaning solution from the floor, again keeping water to a minimum and extracting with the wet vacuum afterwards. The Victorian tile and grout were then left to dry off overnight with the assistance from a couple for floor dryer’s that I left in place overnight.

The following day I went back over the floor with the Diamond handheld burnishing blocks focusing on anything I may have missed the day before such as paints spots from decorating and other stains. Once satisfied I gave the whole floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up worked in with a 400-grit burnishing pad. We do this to prepare the tiles for sealing and neutralises any leftover alkaline cleaning product left in the pores of the tile. This process also removes old grout smears and will counter any latent efflorescent salts in the tiles. Once done, the floor was rinsed, extracted, and left to dry off overnight as before.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Exmouth After Cleaning Sealing

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

it’s probably difficult to tell how dirty the tiles were from the earlier photographs but by the time I returned on day 3 the customers were already chuffed with how much cleaner the floor was looking.

Moisture readings taken from the floor indicated it was dry enough to seal so I set about applying a base coat of a colour enhancing sealer called Tile Doctor Colour Grow. There was 36m2 of tiling through the hallway section and into the more heavily used entrance way so it took some time to apply. One that was dry I then applied a topcoat of Tile Doctor X-Tra seal to add further protection.

Victorian Tiled Hallway Exmouth After Cleaning

The new sealer will protect against dirt from muddy wellies, boots, and pets, keeping the dirt on the surface where it can easily be removed using an everyday cleaning product like Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner.

Professional Renovation of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Devon

Victorian Tiled Hallway Renovated Ready for House Sale in Exmouth Read More »

Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor Renovation Exeter

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration Exeter, Devon

1 Comment / Exeter Tile Cleaning Service, Victorian Tile Cleaning / Harry Payne

A couple in Exeter were nearing the end of an extensive house renovation and called me in to see what could be done to revive their Victorian tiled hallway. The previous workmen had managed to tread all sorts of building materials into the tiles, however I assured them all was not lost and that it would certainly be possible to put the life back into the floor and turn it into an eye-catching original hallmark feature once more.

After the initial free home survey, I issued them with a quote which they were happy with and they booked me straight in to complete the renovation. If your having work done to your property, I would agree it makes sense to renovate the flooring last but it will help if you protect the flooring as well.

Cleaning/Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

I started the process by taping and protecting around their freshly decorated areas and custom fitted radiators. Tile Doctor Product Remove & Go was then diluted and applied to the floor and allowed to sit and dwell for a good 20 minutes. I then introduced my rotary machine with a 200-grit diamond pad to work off the stubborn surface debris, the left-over paint and cement stains. I repeated the process in some areas where the staining was particularly bad. The floor was rinsed each time and the waste was extracted with a wet vacuum.

Victorian Tiled Hallway During Renovation Exeter

A good deal of hand-block work was required around the perimeters where messy decorators had left their mark in the past. With the tile pores still open after the 200-grit pad I applied a Tile Doctor Acid Gel wash to the floor and let the product sit for half an hour before removing with the vacuum and taking any remaining excess product off with a damp cloth.

The next day I installed a course of tiles at the top end which they wanted fitting to tie in level with their freshly poured polished concrete kitchen floor. I had to build up a substrate first on top of the damp proof membrane already in place before cutting and fitting the tiles and grouting. Using quick set adhesive and grout meant these were soon dry, but they were still left overnight to set ahead of the final step of applying the sealer.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway Floor

Returning on the final day, the first job was to test that the floor was dry using a damp meter. Once satisfied the day was spent applying two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which reinstated the vibrant colours and put the life back into the original Victorian Tiles. This is a modern breathable sealer which is oil based. It provides great protection from water and staining whilst leaving a nice subtle sheen.

Victorian Tiled Hallway After Renovation Exeter

The clients were over the moon with the job and thanked me for bringing back to life this lovely feature of their period home. It was important for them to keep the balance between new and old in this modern renovation on their Victorian home. The hallway was now a lovely welcoming area.

For aftercare cleaning of sealed Victorian tiles, I recommend using Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner. It’s a mild tile and grout cleaning product that won’t prematurely erode the lift of the sealer, many supermarket brands are simply too strong for use on sealed tiles.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Devon

Victorian Tiled Hallway Restoration Exeter, Devon Read More »

Terracotta Tiled Floor Sealing in Whimple Devon

Improving the Shine on a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Whimple

1 Comment / Exeter Tile Cleaning Service, Terracotta Tile Cleaning / Harry Payne

I was contacted by a homeowner from the small village of Whimple, (Nine miles East of Exeter), about the sealer on their Terracotta kitchen tiles. The floor had only recently been cleaned and sealed by another company but the sealer left the floor looking dull and matte and she wanted a high sheen finish.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor Before Renovation Whimple

Dissatisfied with the results I was asked to strip back the Terracotta tiles again and reapply a suitable seal which would finish the tiles in a high sheen. Tile Doctor have a range of sealers for all types of floors and finish and from the brief I knew that Tile Doctor Seal and Go would be idea for this floor, it leaves a lovely sheen finish and being a water-based product, it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries.

Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

Work started by removing the kickboards and protecting up around any skirting to protect from water ingress. Once done a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove & Go was sprayed onto the Terracotta tiles and left to soak in for a good 15 minutes to give it time to emulsify and break down the seal which their previous contractor had applied.

The floor was then scrubbed using a rotary machine fitted with a stiff nylon scrubbing head. This action removed the sealer into the cleaning solution and where I was able to extract from the floor using a wet vacuum. Once removed I ran a water test over the tiles to check the sealer was gone and repeated the exercise where required until I was satisfied all the sealer was gone. This is important as the new sealer may not be compatible with the original which could result in discolouration and potentially peeling off the tile later.

Remove and Go is an alkaline product so to neutralise the ph level of the floor after stripping and to further clean the tiled I gave the floor an acid wash using diluted Grout Clean-up. After a quick scrub the excess product was removed and the floor given several rinses with water, this was followed with the wet vacuum to remove as much moisture from the tiles as possible and thereby reduce the drying time.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

The floor was left to dry out overnight and after checking moisture levels the following day I was pleased to see it had dried and was now ready to accept a fresh sealer. Before applying Seal & Go however I decided to apply a base coat of an impregnating sealer called Colour Grow which as its name suggests will enhance the natural colour in the Terracotta.

After an hour, the Colour Grow had dried and I began building up coats of acrylic seal ‘Seal & Go’. Terracotta is quite a porous material and the floor took six coats of Seal & Go before I had achieved the right level of sheen desired by the customer.

On the customers return home they were thrilled to see the new finish was exactly what they wanted and have now set up an annual maintenance plan with me to keep the sealer topped up and floor looking the way they like it.

Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor After Renovation Whimple

For day-to-day cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a pH neutral tile cleaning product and recommended for sealed Terracotta. It’s a mild cleaning product that won’t strip the tiles of the newly applied sealer like many strong household cleaners can. It comes in a concentrate form so a small amount goes along way.

Professional Restoration of a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Devon

Improving the Shine on a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor in Whimple Read More »

Cream Marble Tiled Floor Polished in Lympstone Devon

Wax Sealed 130m2 Cream Marble Tiled Floor Polished in Lympstone

1 Comment / Exeter Tile Cleaning Service, Grout Cleaning, Marble Tile Cleaning / Harry Payne

I was asked to pop over to the village of Lympstone to survey a beautiful Cream Mable tiled floor. The owner of the property was unhappy with its appearance as the wax-based product used to seal it previously had significantly dulled over the years resulting in a flat/matte look and making marks extremely obvious and difficult to remove.

Wax based products like the one used on this floor and a traditional method for protecting Marble floor but its easily marked, tricky to remove and with the advent of modern stone sealing products it’s not a solution we recommend

After surveying the 130m2 of Marble tiles, I could see the best way forward would be to remove the wax, clean the floor and then use a ‘Burnishing’ process to bring up the deep natural shine in the stone and then seal to protect. I explained the process in full and a date was agreed for my return to do the renovation.

Marble Floor Before Polishing Lympstone Devon

Deep Cleaning Red and Brown Marble Kitchen Tiles

I began by scrubbing in Tile Doctor Cleaner/Stripper product called Remove & Go, this emulsified and broke down the wax seal, loosened up any surface dirt and marks and cleaned up the grout lines which was significantly discoloured due to years of use.

I find the best was to do this it to spray on the Remove and Go, then let it soak into the tile and then run over each tile with a black scrubbing pad. Pads can struggle to reach into the recesses of the grout line so to ensure a thorough clean I also run a stiff hand brush over the grout.

The floor was rinsed with water and then the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. It was important to remove the wax before starting the next stage of burnishing other wise the diamond pads used in this process will become clogged with remnants of wax.

Marble Floor During Polishing Lympstone Devon

With the wax removed the chemical clean was complete and I was ready to move onto burnishing the Marble. On this occasion I stared with an 800-grit diamond burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine running with added weight to make better contact with the floor. I only use water to lubricate the process and make eight to ten passes over each section. The process is then repeated without the weights using a 1500-grit diamond pad and water before vacuuming up the slurry.

Finally, I spray a small amount of fresh water onto the floor and burnish the Marble until almost dry with a 3000-grit diamond pad. This is the last step in the polishing processed and adds a lovely sheen to the stone.

Sealing Red and Brown Marble Kitchen Tiles

After the floor had been buffed dry, I finished by sealing the marble with Tile Doctor Ultra seal which is a specially formulated seal specifically for polished marble. It’s a natural look sealer that doesn’t change the characteristics of the stone and is almost invisible.

Ultra-Seal is an impregnating sealer that provides durable protection by impregnating the pores in the stone with sealer, so dirt cannot become ingrained there. The results were sharp and obvious and the customers were both very happy with the results and was a large job on their renovation tick list completed.

Marble Floor After Polishing Lympstone Devon

For aftercare cleaning of polished stone floors, we recommend using Tile Doctor Stone Soap, it’s compatible with sealers and helps maintain the patina on the stone.

Professional Restoration of a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor in Devon

Wax Sealed 130m2 Cream Marble Tiled Floor Polished in Lympstone Read More »

Damaged Limestone Hallway Patio Fully Restored in Exminister

Renovating a New Limestone Patio Damaged by Brick Acid in Exminster

1 Comment / Exeter Tile Cleaning Service, Exmouth Tile Cleaning, Limestone Tile Cleaning and Polishing / Harry Payne

I was contacted by a very unhappy customer from the village of Exminster who had recently had a new Limestone Patio laid in the Garden of their house in near Exeter. After the builders had finished laying the patio, they must have used some sort of brick acid to clean the stone and remove excess mortar. With limestone being Acid Sensitive, it etched the stone leaving it in a mess. Also, you need to consider the effects of acid rain so leaving an acid sensitive stone un-protected in the UK is a big no no and will result in its degradation over time.

Acid Damaged Limestone Patio Before Renovation Exminster

Exminster is a village on the southern edge of the City of Exeter, and I often find myself working there, so it was no problem to pop down and visit the property to investigate the problem fully.

Whilst at the property and discussing the Patio with the owner I carried out a couple of tests using various products. The testing went well, and my customer could immediately see the potential of the Patio and how the problems could be rectified. The process I had worked out would involve treating the damaged white areas using a series of Tile Doctor Diamond pads to polish out the damage and then restore the colour and protect the Limestone with Tile Doctor X-Tra seal which is an ideal sealer for external stone. Happy to accept our quote a suitable weather window was chosen, and the date was set for the work to be done.

Renovating an Acid Damaged Limestone Patio

I started by adding weight to a Viper rotary floor buffer and then ran over each slab several times with a very coarse a 100-grit milling pad using water for lubrication. The process was repeated using a finer 200-grit milling pad and then a 400-grit burnishing pad again with water to lubricate the process. After each pad the patio was rinsed with water running at high-pressure using a cleaning and extraction system that is fitted into our van.

After the stones had been renovated, I gave them a full deep clean to remove any remaining dirt and staining using Tile Doctor Remove and Go which was worked into the Limestone with a black scrubbing pad. After a final rinse and extract with the van mounted cleaning system I left the Limestone patio to dry out overnight.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Patio

With the weather still in our favour I returned the next day to seal and protect the patio with two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra seal. This is a truly remarkable product which is fully breathable and can be used both internally and externally. It’s an oil-based sealer so its puts back the essential oils that have been leached out of the stone by the use of brick acid, thereby restoring colour and structure to the stone.

Acid Damaged Limestone After Before Renovation Exminster

My customer was very happy with the transformation and with the summer just around the corner can now enjoy their freshly laid Limestone patio in all its glory. More importantly it is now sealed and protected against future elements.

PS… For aftercare of an acid sensitive and sealed patio like this one you need to be careful what you clean it with. In this case I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which has a neutral pH that won’t damage the stone or the sealer. Many of the cleaning products you will find in supermarkets etc. are simply too strong and will weaken the sealer over time.

Professional Restoration of a Damaged Limestone Flagstone Floor in Devon

Renovating a New Limestone Patio Damaged by Brick Acid in Exminster Read More »