Kitchen Tile Cleaning Archives - South Lancashire Tile Doctor

Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation Saddleworth

Cleaning Polishing and Sealing a Dull Travertine Kitchen Floor in Saddleworth

Late last year a landlord got in touch with us about the in a rental property they owned in Saddleworth. The client informed us that unfortunately the last tenant hadn’t maintained the floor very well and now it looked neglected and in need of renovation. Numerous cracks had also developed which wasn’t due to previous tenant but more likely due to poor installation by the tiler who hadn’t bedded the tiles in properly.

Travertine Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Saddleworth

My client was now considering selling the property and so naturally wanted the floor looking its best before putting it on the market. Happy to help I arranged a time to pop over and take a detailed look at the floor.

Travertine Tiled Floor Before Cleaning Saddleworth

After surveying the floor, I recommended giving it a deep restorative clean, polish and then applying a fresh sealer. I worked out a quote for this and included filling the many holes and cracks as far as possible all of which would make the floor aesthetically pleasing and easier to maintain.

My quote was accepted and I agreed to start the work at the earliest date possible.

Cleaning and Polishing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen Floor

To deep clean and renovate the floor I applied a set of Diamond burnishing pads fitted to a rotary floor machine and run over each tile three of four times. Using only water for lubrication this process starts with the application of a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad attached to the floor buffer. This produces a lot of slurry which was removed with a wet vacuum.

This left the Travertine clean, but rather raw from the coarse pad so to refine the appearance of the stone the next two burnishing pads were applied which are 800 and 1500-grit. These pads polish the stone and close the pores, restoring the natural sheen in the process. After each pad was applied the slurry was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with the wet vacuum. Once complete the floor was left to dry off fully overnight.

Travertine Tiled Floor During Cleaning Saddleworth

The cracks and pits in the travertine were then filled using a special resin filler that was then rubbed down to get it as smooth as possible. The floor was then left to dry off overnight.

On day two work started with the application of the fourth diamond burnishing pad which is a fine 3000-grit. This pad further improves the polished appearance of the stone resulting in a satisfying sheen. This pad is applied with only a little water sprayed onto the floor as the pad is run over the stone leaving it completely dry.

Sealing a Travertine Tiled Kitchen

The last step was to seal the floor with a couple of coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a natural look impregnating sealer that doesn’t change the appearance of the stone. The sealer works by soaking into the stone occupying the pores and thereby ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Travertine Tiled Floor After Renovation Saddleworth

The work really transformed the floor making it look much cleaner and inviting. My client was certainly happy and took the time to leave the following feedback:

Kevin did a lovely job restoring my Travertine floor. Kevin was great to do business with and he achieved what he set out to achieve. I’ll definitely be contacting him again to organise maintenance requirements in the future.

For the care and maintenance of polished sealed floors I recommend the use of Tile Doctor’s Stone Soap which is a gentle but effective cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and contains a patina enhancer that will help maintain the polished appearance.

Travertine Tiled Floor After Renovation Saddleworth

Professional Restoration of a Travertine Tiled Kitchen in South Lancashire

Cleaning Polishing and Sealing a Dull Travertine Kitchen Floor in Saddleworth Read More »

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen Floor Renovation Rawtenstall Rossendale

Smooth Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Rawtenstall

We were contacted by a new homeowner in Rawtenstall, which is in the borough of Rossendale, who having just moved in decided to contact us about her Sandstone kitchen floor. The stone floor was terribly dirty and was proving impossible to clean.

The stone was very smooth and having discussed it locally she had been told it was Kerridge Sandstone. I suspected from our conversations that it had not been sealed successfully as apparently even water from wet shoes would soak straight into the stone and cause staining.

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen Floor Before Cleaning Rawtenstall Rossendale

I went over to survey the floor and discuss its renovation. Whilst there I was able to confirm the issues with the sealer and recommended deep cleaning the stone floor, stripping off what was left of the old sealer in the process and then re-sealing with something more durable.

I worked out a renovation plan and price, which was agreed, and scheduled a date for the work to start. Due to the unknown history of the floor, I expected the plan was going to require some adjustments to achieve the best result.

Stripping and Cleaning a Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor

Working in sections the initial focus was to get the floor clean which started by soaking the sandstone floor in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This product is a coatings remover and was left it to soak into the stone for ten minutes so it could get a head start breaking down the dirt and old sealer.

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Rawtenstall Rossendale

The solution was then agitated with a rotary buffer machine fitted with a coarse 200-grit diamond pad. This action released the dirt from the pores of the stone bringing it to the surface and turning the cleaning solution black. The grout was also given a scrub by hand to make sure it was as clean as possible. During the process the soiled solution was rinsed off the floor with water and then extracted with a wet vacuum as needed.

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen Floor During Cleaning Rawtenstall Rossendale

After another rinse and extraction, the floor was given and acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This further cleans the stone and neutralises the pH level of the floor after the use of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a strong alkaline.

After another rinse with water and extraction with the wet vacuum a 400 and then 800-grit burnishing pad was run over the floor to refine the appearance of the stone following the use of the coarser pads earlier. Only water is used during this process to help with lubrication, and this turns into a creamy liquid which is rinsed and extracted after each pad.

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen After Cleaning Rawtenstall Rossendale

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen Floor After Cleaning Rawtenstall Rossendale

The floor was dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum before being left to dry off fully overnight.

Sealing a Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen

The day after the floor was tested with a damp meter to check it was dry and then sealed with Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which is a modern oil-based product that enhances colour and adds a slight sheen appearance that really lifts the floor. This product is an impregnator that works by soaking into the sandstone occupying the pores and thereby ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen Floor During Sealing Rawtenstall Rossendale

Once complete the difference was extraordinary, the natural veins in the stone were now visible and the floor was completely transformed by the work, much to the pleasure of the new owner who left the following feedback:

“I have recently moved to a lovely cottage in the country, my dream, but my stone kitchen floor was not a dream when I found that it was impossible to clean with years and years of ingrained dirt. However, this is no longer the case!! My kitchen floor looks brand new and now compliments the rest of the room. I can’t recommend Kevin highly enough; he is professional and very skilled. Thank you, Kevin.”

Kerridge Sandstone Kitchen Floor After Sealing Rawtenstall Rossendale

For the aftercare cleaning of Sandstone flooring, I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which ideal for cleaning sealed stone. It has a pH neutral formula so won’t prematurely erode the sealer like many of the stronger products you find in supermarkets.

Professional Restoration of a Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen in South Lancashire

Smooth Kerridge Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovated in Rawtenstall Read More »