Acid Gel Archives - Stirling Tile Doctor

Glue-Stained Victorian Tile Floor Restored at Balloch Loch Lomond

The client in Balloch at the South end of Loch Lomond had purchased a property with a Victorian tiled floor hidden beneath worn carpet in the entrance hall. The property was in the process of being converted into a residential home where my client planned to live.

Victorian Tiled Floor Covered in Carpet Glue and Cement in Balloch Loch Lomond

The Victorian floor was well-preserved however the tiles were obscured by thick, stubborn carpet glue, as well as soiling and a chunk of concrete at one of the doorways. To add to the challenge, two of the tiles were damaged and needed repair. My client had attempted to remove the carpet glue using various cleaners and paint strippers, but none had been effective.

Victorian Tiled Floor Covered in Cement in Balloch Loch Lomond

As per usual practice I went over to survey the floor and work out a detailed restoration plan that would transform the entrance hall into a striking focal point of the property. I used the plan to work out a quote which was accepted and a date set for my return.

Cleaning and Repairing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

Work began by focusing on removing the hardened glue by carefully scrapping off as much as possible by hand. Then a mixture of Tile Doctor’s Oxy-Gel and Nanotech HBU Remover was applied and let to sit for twenty minutes. This combination started breaking down the glue, allowing most of what remained to be scraped off, leaving only small deposits. The process was repeated and the floor further scrubbed using a Black pad fitted to a rotary buffer machine to remove the last of the glue and leave the floor clean.

The next task was to remove the cement covering the tiles at one of the doorways, I suspect this had been added to resolve an issue at some point in the property’s long history. The cement was carefully chiselled out to avoid damaging the adjacent tiles. The meticulous nature of this process took approximately 30 minutes to complete, with frequent inspections to check for any tile damage.

Victorian Tiled Floor During Cement Removal in Balloch Loch Lomond

Fortunately, the cautious approach ensured that no tiles were harmed. However, a thin layer of concrete remained on the tiles, which was subsequently removed using water and a 200-grit coarse pad fitted to the buffing machine.

Since the floor lacked a damp-proof membrane, the next step was to counter any potential efflorescence (salt issues) trapped in the floor. To accomplish this, Tile Doctor’s Acid Gel was applied by brushing it across the entire floor. The gel was allowed to seep into the tiles for ten minutes, then scrubbed in with a deck brush, adding a little water as we went. Once completed a wet vacuum was used to lift the soiled solution.

Once finished the floor was thoroughly rinsed with water to remove any trace of product or remaining dirt and then vacuumed again. Finally, the floor was left to dry out overnight.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Cement Removal in Balloch Loch Lomond

Prior to sealing, we had to repair two tiles. One tile was brown, while the other was white. We used epoxy resin sticks to complete the repairs. To achieve a matching brown colour, we mixed various resin sticks. Fortunately, the white tile repair was straightforward.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Hallway

The next day, we tested the floor to ensure it was dry enough for the sealer application. Tile Doctors Colour Grow sealer was chosen as it is a tough, water-repellent product that also enhances the tile colour. Two coats were applied forty minutes apart to allow the first coat to fully dry and soak into the tiles.

Victorian Tiled Floor After Restoration Balloch Loch Lomond

The work took two days and completely restored the floor back to its original condition much to the client of my client.

For aftercare of sealed floors like this one we recommended the pH-Neutral Cleaner from Tile Doctor which will keep the floor clean without affecting the sealer.

Professional Restoration of a Victorian Tiled Hallway in Sterling

Victorian Tiled Chancel Floor Renovation St Marys Coatbridge

Victorian Tiled Chancel Renovated St Marys Church Coatbridge

The pictures below were taken at St Marys Church in Coatbridge where I was asked to renovate an area of original Victorian tiles in front of the altar. The church was opened in 1893 and at some point since then the tiled chancel floor had been covered with carpet. Many years later the carpet was worn and rather than replacing it they decided to have the tiles renovated.

Renovating the tiles was the best way forward as old floors like this don’t have the benefit of a damp proof membrane (DPM) and so shouldn’t be covered up. You need to allow for moisture from under the floor to rise through the tile and evaporate at the surface otherwise the moisture can reach out to the walls and cause other problems.

Fortunately, by the time I was asked to survey the floor the carpet had been removed from the chancel and the intricate Victorian tiling work was now on display for the parishioners to appreciate. This had given then the tiles plenty of opportunity to breathe and allow any trapped moisture to evaporate.

Over the years the tiles had been subject to lots of traffic, paint, general wear and then of course hidden under a carpet. The tiles were part of the 150-year-old churches history and were crying out to be restored and shown off. Paint, stains, cement and carpet glue were found on the tiles when the carpet was lifted.

Victorian Tiled Chancel Floor Before Cleaning St Marys Coatbridge

To work out the best way to effectively remove all the staining I conducted a test clean in a small area of the tiling. As it was a floor without a DPM I chose to use gel cleaning products with a low water content. This was done in-order to avoid exacerbating any inherent dampness in the floor that might lead to efflorescence salt problems later.

The test clean came out well and encouraged the floor was in safe hands and happy with my quotation I was awarded the contact to restore the floor.

Deep Cleaning a Victorian Tiled Church Chancel

I returned some weeks later to start on the restoration of the whole floor and began with the application of Tile Doctor Oxy-Gel which is a strong alkaline Gel cleaner that as mentioned earlier has a low moisture content.

Working in sections Oxy-Gel was applied with a brush and left on the tiles to soak in for about fifteen minutes. This gives the product time to break down the ingrained dirt, paint and cement residue. The Gel was the scrubbed into each tile using a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer. Once the clean had been completed the now soiled Gel solution was removed with a wet vacuum. After this the tiles were rinsed with water and then dried with the wet vacuum.

The next stage of the clean was to treat the tiles to an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which was applied neat with a brush. Acid Gel does several things to improve the tiles including neutralising the pH level of the tiles and dissolving any efflorescent salts in the floor. After using a black pad to work the gel into the tiles the soiled Gel was extracted with the wet vacuum and then rinsed again using water before being dried again with the wet vacuum.

The floor was then left for a couple of days allowing plenty of time for the floor to dry out following the cleaning and to give any efflorescence salts trapped in the tiles had time to show up.

Sealing a Victorian Tiled Church Chancel

On my return a damp meter was used to confirm the floor was dry and the tiles inspected for efflorescence salts. All was well so I was able to begin the final stage of the renovation which involves applying a sealer to the tiles which will enhance their appearance and protect them from staining.

Tile Doctor Colour Grow was chosen to seal the tiles, it’s a hard-wearing impregnator that soaks into the tile occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it can easily be cleaned away. Colour Grow also contains a colour enhancer which lifts the beautiful colours in the Victorian tile and really helps them to stand out.

After the first coat had been on for 5 minutes any excess sealer was removed using a dry clean White cotton cloth. The second coat was applied after 30 minutes and again any excess sealer was removed with a cloth after 5 minutes.

After application the tiles were left to dry for two hours and then a water test was carried out to determine if the tiles needed a further coat.

Victorian Tiled Chancel Floor After Renovation St Marys Coatbridge

Once complete the tiles looked totally transformed and took time to discuss aftercare cleaning. Its important to use the right product when cleaning a sealed tiled floor as anything bleach based will strip the sealer off with use leaving it vulnerable to ingrained dirt. In this case I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a mild but effective tile cleaner that’s ideal for sealed floors.

Professional Renovation of a Victorian Tiled Chancel Church Floor in Lanarkshire

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