In recent years there has been a surge in the popularity of victorian floor tiles with pretty much all tile suppliers now stocking a range of imitation victorian / edwardian style tiles.
Its is easy to see why they are so popular as they give a great effect in most rooms in any house.
However if you're lucky enough to have an original victorian ceramic floor this blog is for you. We will show you how to restore the floor to its former glory, making it a real talking point of your home.
Check condition of the floor. Do any tiles need to be repaired or replaced? If so do this before any cleaning and sealing takes place.
Cleaning
What you will need:
Sweeping brush / dust pan
Scrubbing brush
Cleaning product
Microfibre cloth
Mop and bucket
Rubber gloves
Wet vac (optional)
Before you start applying any cleaning product make sure the floor has been swept of any dust and debris.
Next you can apply the cleaning product. Dilute it to the manufacturers guidelines and apply using a mop and bucket. Scrub in using scrubbing brush taking particular care on areas which are showing more dirt.
Continue to scrub for around 10 minutes making sure the floor is kept wet (but not too wet) and the product doesn't dry out. Once the scrubbing is complete you can then begin to take the product off the floor.
For best results a wet vac is required, however you can use a dry mop and bucket to get the bulk off then use clean cloths to get the remaining liquid up. This may also be required after the wet vac.
Finally you need to rinse the floor using clean warm water. it is advised you use a new clean mop to do this. Again the floor can be wet vacced or clothed down. The important thing is that the floor as dry as you can get it after the rinse.
Sealing
What you will need:
Ceramic tile sealer
Suitable applicator, cloth or sponge
Plenty of clean cloths
Paint tray
Leave the floor for a day or so to air dry (it may need longer if the floor is in a cold environment), this will ensure any liquid you didn't get will have completely dried by now and the floor will be ready for sealing.
To seal we recommend using 4Earth Polish and Seal. This product is perfect of the application and yields excellent results, really bring the floor back to its former glory.
Apply a thin coat using a paint applicator, cloth or sponge. Apply in a uniform way being careful not to let the product pool.
The first coat will seal the floor. A second coat will leave a gloss finish and a third coat will leave a high gloss finish. Leave 30 minutes between coats and after each coat use a clean cloth to buff the floor.
Once the final coat has been applied leave the floor a 2 / 3 days before putting furniture back or mats down, this will give the floor plenty of time to fully cure.
Maintenance
At this point you should be looking at your floor with sheer amazement. Now you want to keep it that way.
Maintaining the floor is really simple. Regularly sweep and mop the floor as you usually would but ensure any spills are cleaned up straight away.
You may need to apply a fresh coat of sealant every 18 months - 2 years depending on how much traffic is goes through the area.
If you need any further advise on how to get the best results on this project give us a call or email and someone will be on hand to help.