Restoring Ruined Marble Wall Tiles in a Surrey Shower

Posted on August 11, 2017 by AbzDominise

Marble tiles are a fantastic choice of stone for a shower cubicle because of its distinctive characteristics and quality. It can really add a luxurious feel and when used in a bathroom take it to the next level.

However, it’s extremely important to note that Marble like all natural stone is a porous and acid-sensitive material. It must therefore be cleaned with care using suitable products. This particular Marble tiled shower cubicle at a property in Leatherhead is a good example of this done wrong. The owner had used an acid-based cleaning product to clean the stone, resulting in damage to the sealer and causing unappealing streaks to form.

Marble Shower Wall Leatherhead Before Cleaning

This type of damage can appear irreparable but, with the right combination of cleaning methods and products, it can be fixed. Once the old sealer has been removed, and the tiles have been cleaned, polished and re-sealed, they can look as a good as new. Here’s how I helped this customer restore the Marble shower cubicle.

Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Shower Cubicle

To begin the restoration, I scrubbed the dirty grout lines using Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is a highly reliable and multi-purpose alkaline-based product. I then rinsed the tiles with water to remove the traces of cleaning product.

Next, I moved on to the polishing stage of the restoration – what we often refer to as burnishing. This involved the use of small six-inch diamond-encrusted burnishing pads applied with a hand buffer and with different levels of grit – ranging from Coarse to Very Fine. I started with the Coarse grit pad and worked my way sequentially through our four-pad system, polishing the stone with Medium, Fine and eventually the Very Fine pad to really bring up the polish.

Sealing a Marble Shower Cubicle

Once the shine had returned to the Marble and the damage had been removed, I re-sealed the tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a penetrating sealer designed to enhance the natural colours and patina of the stone. Once dry, I gave the tiles a final polish with a white buffing pad to put the finishing touches on the restoration.

Marble Shower Wall Leatherhead After Cleaning

The customer was thrilled with the results, saying:
“I’m really happy with the result and we will make sure we don’t use supermarket cleaners again on natural stone. Rupert was a very personable tradesman who took pride in what he was doing. He has identified Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner as being the product we should have used in the first place and has sent me the website details.”
Another satisfied customer!

Source: Marble Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in Surrey

Tumbled Marble Floor Refreshed in Twickenham

Posted on February 22, 2017 by AbzDominise

Marble tiles can be tumbled in large drums to achieve an aged and softened effect, and this can look very nice providing that the stone is adequately maintained.

In the case of this floor at a property in Twickenham South West London, the Marble tiles that had been laid over five years ago, and in that time the sealer had worn down offering the floor little protection. Dirt had now become ingrained in the pores of the stone and grout, and a deep clean and fresh seal were required to restore the stone’s original colour and lustre. The property owner asked me to complete the job and I was more than happy to oblige.

Tumbled Marble floor in Twickenham Before Cleaning

Cleaning Dirty Tumbled Marble Tiles

To begin the restoration, I applied both Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, which is a high alkaline cleaner, and Tile Doctor Remove and Go, which a heavy-duty stripper and remover, to the floor and scrubbed the products in using a scrubbing pad fitted to a professional rotary machine.

The chemical solvents in the Remove and Go helped to break down any old sealer that remained inside the stone, allowing the Pro Clean to then work its magic on the stubborn ingrained dirt the customer had struggled to remove previously. Some of the deeper veins and grout lines I chose to scrub by hand to ensure the fullest and most meticulous clean possible.

Tumbled Marble floor in Twickenham During Cleaning

The resulting soiled cleaning solution was then pressure rinsed with water and the soil extracted with a wet-vacuum, leaving a completely clean floor that was now ready to be sealed using a new sealant.

Sealing Tumbled Marble Tiles

I returned to the property the following day after allowing the Marble tiles to dry fully. Drying the tiles is a crucial part of the restoration process, since even a small quantity of excess moisture can cloud the sealer and prevent it from working to its fullest capabilities.

I applied two coats of our solvent-based impregnating sealer known as Tile Doctor Colour Grow. As the name of the product suggests, Colour Grow not only protects the tiles against ingrained soil, it also thoroughly lifts and enhances the natural colours in the stone.

Tumbled Marble floor in Twickenham After Cleaning

The new seal will make it easy for our customer to maintain the floor, making daily cleaning easier. It will also protect the stone against the nasty spillages that are common in kitchens and living rooms.

The customer was thrilled with the much-improved appearance of the Marble tiles and is very reassured that they will now stay in great condition for a long time. Another satisfied client!

Source: Marble Tile and Cleaning and Sealing Service in South Middlesex

Marble Tiles Restored After Being Etched With Cillit Bang

Posted on February 16, 2017 by AbzDominise

Here at Tile Doctor we can’t stress often enough how careful you have to be when choosing a cleaning product for use on natural stone. Acid bases cleaners in particular can etch the surface so always read the label before buying. Unfortunately, this customer, who lives in Twickenham, learned this the hard way.

Limescale build-up on shower tiles can be an unsightly problem in hard water areas and this customer’s house cleaner had attempted to treat it with Cillit Bang on their Marble tiled shower room floor. Whilst good at removing Limescale on ceramic tiles, the product is acid-based and in this case caused severe etching to the surface of the Marble.

Tiled Marble Shower Floor Before Cleaning Twickenham

This customer is not the first to experience this problem with Cillit Bang and we have looked into this before and I can confirm it does say on the back on the bottle that you should not use it on all natural stone including Marble and Granite.

The mistake had really damaged the appearance of this lovely floor however the good news is etched Marble can be refinished and we do offer this service. Fortunately, this customer found us on-line and called us in to rectify the problem as

Burnishing a Marble Tiled Shower Room Floor

With high quality, acid-sensitive stone we find that rather than cleaning with a liquid product, it is lot effective to use a process known as burnishing. This involves the application of abrasive diamond encrusted pads to cut back through the damaged stone. This removes a layer from the surface to expose the undamaged stone, which in then polished.

Using different grades of small diamond pads fitted to a hand buffer I began burnishing the floor tiles. I started the process with a Coarse pad and worked my way through to Medium, Fine and eventually the Very Fine pad. A small amount of lubrication in the form water is used with each pad, but no chemical products are needed, making this a completely natural process. The floor was rinsed with water afterwards to remove any slurry from the polishing.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Shower Room Floor

After allowing the floor dry out overnight, I returned to apply two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is a solvent-based, impregnating sealer designed to enhance the variety of natural colours and shades in the stone. It also protects the stone against daily exposure to chemical-based shampoo and soaps.

The customer was worried that the floor could not be restored, but she can now rest assured knowing not only knowing that the floor is back into top condition, but that professional help is at hand in case mistakes happen again in the future! Another happy customer for the Middlesex Tile Doctor.

Source: Tile, Stone and Grout Restoration Service in Middlesex

Renovating White Tumbled Marble Tiles

Posted on January 19, 2017 by AbzDominise

This White Tumbled Marble tiled floor at a house in Hampton had been installed throughout the kitchen and dining area ten years back and was now in desperate need of a deep clean and seal to remove dirt that had accumulated in the pores of the stone. Once the dirt gets into the pores it makes it difficult to keep clean which is exactly the problem the property owner had experienced.

The ‘tumbled’ effect on the Marble is achieved by tumbling the tiles in drums to soften and age the edges and surface of the stone. However, it was difficult to appreciate this interesting style as the presence of dirt and staining was quite overwhelming and the owner was now keen to restore it back to its original condition.

Tumbled Marble floor before cleaning in Hampton Middlesex

Cleaning Tumbled Marble Tiles

I started the restoration by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This high alkaline cleaning product was spread across the floor and left to dwell for a short period, before I then worked it deep into the pores of the stone using a heavy duty rotary scrubbing machine.

Next, some of the stubborn, more deeply ingrained stains were scrubbed by hand, along with the grout lines, which were also particularly dirty. The resulting slurry of water and cleaning solution was then pressure rinsed away and soaked up with a wet vacuum.

The floor was then inspected and areas that needed more attention were retreated using the same process followed by a final rinse with water. The wet vacuum was then used again to extract as much moisture from the floor as possible before leaving the now clean floor to dry off fully overnight ready to accept a fresh coat of sealer the next day.

Sealing Tumbled Marble Tiles

I returned to the property the following day and took a few moisture readings to ensure the Marble had dried off completely overnight. This is critical because even a small amount of excess moisture can damage the performance of the sealer.

Once I was satisfied that the tiles were dry I proceeded to apply two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a sealer which impregnates the pores of the stone, therefore protecting it from within. It also enhances the natural colours in the stone at the same time, hence the name ‘Colour Grow’!

Tumbled Marble floor after cleaning in Hampton Middlesex

The new sealer will now make it easy for the customer to maintain the floor and avoid the build up of dirt over time in the same way that it had before. It will also protect the stone against spillages.

Overall I think it’s fair to describe the result as a complete transformation. The tiles are bright and clean – and now they will stay that way! Certainly, the customer was pleased with her newly restored White Tumbled Marble tiled floor.

Source: Marble Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in Middlesex

Deep Cleaning and Polishing a Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor

Posted on October 12, 2016 by AbzDominise

When you have high quality tiles like Marble, Limestone and Travertine, it’s even more important than normal to use suitable cleaning products. If, for example, you apply a slightly acidic cleaner to Limestone, it can cause severe, irreparable etching that significantly damages the appearance of the stone.

In a similar way, this customer in Penrith had been using an unsuitable wax-based liquid soap to clean her “Crema Marfil” Spanish Marble kitchen tiles. It had failed to prevent a heavy buildup of dirt, and had in fact darkened the stone, leaving it looking stained, unnatural, and all-around difficult to clean.

To avoid the floor becoming a complete nuisance, the customer contacted me to see what could be done to alleviate the problems.

Burnishing a Dirty Marble Tiled Kitchen Floor

I explained to the customer that a process we use at Tile Doctor known as burnishing would be the most effective way to clean the Marble. Also suitable for Limestone and Travertine, this process involves the sequential application of specialist diamond encrusted pads of different grits to grind down any soil buildup and gradually create an aesthetic polish in the surface of the tiles.

Our system consists of four burnishing pads: Coarse, Medium, Fine and Very Fine. I started, using a little water as lubrication, by applying the Coarse pad across the floor, as its rough grit is ideal for breaking down stubborn dirt and stains – and doss so without damaging the tile in any way.

Satisfied with the initial cleaning result achieved by the Coarse pad, I proceeded to work my way through the four burnishing pad system, applying the Medium, Fine and Very Fine pads in turn to restore the polish to the tiles. Following this, I paid some specific attention to the dirty grout, cleaning it with our reliable, multi-purpose alkaline cleaner, known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean, in combination with a steaming system.

Sealing a Marble Kitchen Floor

After completing the burnishing process, I left the tiles to dry overnight. Upon my return to the property I polished the floor one final time with the Very Fine pad before deciding that it was time to give it a fresh seal.

My choice of sealer in this situation was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating, colour intensifying sealer that I knew would really do well to emphasise the natural beige shades in the Marble. I applied two coats of the sealer, before polishing off the excess with a buffing pad and leaving the tiles to dry again for a few hours before they could be walked on again.

My customer was very pleased with the outcome. Naturally, she was drill quite concerned about keeping the tiles clean in the long term, so I left her with a complimentary bottle of Tile Doctor Stone Soap, which is specifically designed for aftercare cleaning on polished Marble, Limestone and Travertine.

Source: Marble Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in North Cumbria

Deep Cleaning a Stained Marble shower enclosure in South Wales

Posted on June 20, 2016 by AbzDominise

Tiled shower cubicles can very easily become tired and grubby looking without the right care. The shampoos and soaps we use in our everyday lives can have long lasting damage if their effects are not sufficiently dealt with, with grout mould being a very common problem for property owners in the UK where we have a cold climate that encourages us to seal up our homes limiting natural ventilation.

Marble Shower Enclosure Tiles Before Cleaning in Beddau

At this property in the small village of Beddau, near Cardiff, my customer had a particularly poorly maintained Marble tiled shower cubicle suffering from bad staining. Since Marble is an acid-sensitive stone it is especially vulnerable to damage when exposed to even slightly acidic shower products. The grout was also in a bad way, having turned from a pleasant off white colour to black. The entire area was now well overdue from some attention from the Tile Doctor.

Cleaning a Marble Tiled Shower Cubicle

To begin the restoration of these tiles I had to remove any old sealer. I did this by applying a combination of Tile Doctor Pro Clean, which is a versatile cleaner, stripper and degreaser, and Tile Doctor NanoTech HBU, which is a more powerful product designed for the removal of heavy soil buildup.

As the old sealer came away, I left the two products to soak into the tiles to lift out the stains and ingrained dirt caused by the Marble’s exposure to shampoo and soaps. This really helped to alleviate the grubby appearance previously held by the tiles.

As previously mentioned, the grout lines were also in a really bad state. Undeterred, I attempted for three hours to clean the grout lines with unsatisfactory results, and so resolved instead to remove the old grout entirely and re-grout with a new Jasmine coloured grout throughout the bathroom. I did consider simply recolouring the grout with one of our Grout Colourants but, as an experienced tiler, I felt for me it would quicker and easier to achieve the required results by re-grouting.

Marble Shower Enclosure Tiles During Cleaning in Beddau

Sealing a Marble Tiled Shower Cubicle

After leaving the grout and tiles to dry overnight following the cleaning and regrouping, I returned to the property to seal the area. To do this I opted to use two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, our solvent-based impregnating sealer which fills the pores of the stone to act as a barrier against trapped dirt and stains, and to prevent further contamination.

As a colour intensifying sealer it really emphasised the natural shades in the Marble. Colour Grow can achieve similar results on other types of unpolished stone, including Limestone, Flagstones, Quarry, Sandstone and Slate.

Marble Shower Enclosure Tiles After Cleaning in Beddau

I added the finishing touches to the restoration by removing all the mouldy silicone and replaced it with new silicone. Though this wasn’t the easiest of jobs, the final result is one of which I am particularly proud. It certainly pleased the customer!

Source: Marble Tile Cleaning and Renovation Service in South Wales

Polishing Marble Tiles following Installation

Posted on May 24, 2016 by AbzDominise

These Marble tiles were installed at a lovely property in North Ferriby by another tile company who although has done a great job laying the floor had neglected to provide the owner with any kind of post-installation maintenance.

Marble Floor Before Repolishing North Ferriby Marble Floor Before Repolishing North Ferriby

Thus the tiles, which covered a large kitchen and hallway area, appeared dull and certainly not up to the standard that could be achieved with the right methods. Funnily enough, the tile company had told the property owner that the stone would need to be sealed, but did not offer to carry out the process themselves.

Marble Floor Before Repolishing North Ferriby

After conducting their own research, the property owner contacted her local Tile Doctor to see what could be done. I came round to inspect the floor and recommended the floor was polished through a process known as burnishing, followed by the application of a sealer to provide durable protection for the stone.

Burnishing a Marble Tiled Floor

Burnishing involves the application of diamond encrusted pads with different levels of grit. At Tile Doctor we work with a four pad system that allows us to gradually refine the polish on suitable tiled floors, including Marble and Limestone.

I started the process by applying a Coarse grit burnishing pad across the entire floor lubricated with a little water, the 17 inch pads fit a rotary floor buffing machine and so are relatively straight forward to use but do take time. Following this, I worked my way through the burnishing system, repeating the process with Medium, Fine and Very Fine grit burnishing pads to achieve a brilliant, consistent shine. The floor is given a quick rinse between pads in-order to remove the resultant slurry before starting with the next pad.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Floor

The second part of the restoration was to seal the floor to protect the stone against future dirt, stains and damage, which is more common in busy areas of a house like the kitchen. I opted to seal the Marble tiles with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal.

This is a premium, no-sheen sealer that leaves the Marble with a more natural looking polished appearance. As a solvent-based, penetrating sealer it gets deep into the pores of the stone to protect against stains and ingrained dirt, especially in food preparation areas. To finish off I used the very fine diamond pad just to guarantee the brilliant shine you can see in the photos.

Marble Floor After Repolishing North Ferriby

The property owners were exceptionally pleased with the results achieved and will undoubtedly be glad that their lovely Marble tiled flooring is now protected for long-term use. Another satisfied client.

Souce: Marble Tile and Stone Restoration Service in East Yorkshire

Edwardian Marble Floor Restoration

Posted on March 9, 2016 by AbzDominise

Windlestraw is a picturesque Edwardian manor hotel overlooking the Tweed Valley, near Walkerburn in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. One of the bathrooms in the manor was in the process of being refurbished when two layers of floor tiles were removed, unveiling an original Marble tiled floor dating back to the 1920s.

Marble Tiled Bathroom Floor Before Restoration Walkerburn

After the top layers of tile had been removed the Marble was still covered in old adhesive and cement and although Marble is known for its quality and durability the hotel owner didn’t want the building contractor to proceed any further in case they damaged it. The owner was keen to restore the Marble floor as an original feature so we were called in to set the situation right.

Refurbishing a Marble Tiled Bathroom Floor

To restore the floor I used two processes known as milling and burnishing. Milling literally involves grinding down uneven or rough surfaces using very coarse, diamond encrusted pads. The pads are usually used to resolve lippage issues on natural stone but in this case we needed to use the very coarse abrasive pads to grind off the adhesive and cement. I used a set of three coarse milling pads rinsing with water between each pad and starting with a 50 grit pad, before moving on to 100 and 200 grit pads. This process was very effective and ground off the cement and adhesive, while also removing any lippage in the tiles to leave a completely flat surface.

Milling leaves the surface of the Marble tiles clean but in a rough condition and this is where the second process Burnishing comes in. Similar to milling, burnishing focuses on achieving a polished finish with the application of ever finer grades of polishing pads and is often used to bring back the polish on Limestone and Travertine as well as Marble. Moving on to the burnishing, I worked my way through the four diamond encrusted pad system lubricating with a little water and again rinsing between each pad to remove the slurry. The grits go from Coarse (400 grit), Medium (800 grit), Fine (1500 grit) and then eventually Very Fine (3000 grit) and come in a 17” pad for use on a rotary floor machine and were applied twice in sequence to achieve a fantastic polished shine.

Sealing a Marble Tiled Bathroom Floor

The floor was given a final rinse and then dried with a wet-vacuum before we proceeded to seal the floor using Tile Doctor Shine Powder which is a crystallizing powder that is applied directly to the floor and worked in using a buffing pad fitted to a rotary machine.

Shine Powder provides a very high shine (as you can see from the photos), along with a tough durable finish. On top of this, it is suitable for sealing all natural stone, including, of course, Marble, along with Limestone, Granite, Slate and Travertine.

Marble Tiled Bathroom Floor After Restoration Walkerburn

The customer was absolutely delighted with the results as were we although it’s now up to them to ensure the bathroom fitters take appropriate care when completing the room which I’m sure will look absolutely fantastic when complete and no doubt add to the allure of this magnificent hotel in the Scottish Borders.

Source: Marble Tile Restoration Services in the Scottish Borders

Stained Marble Tiled Floor Renovated in Berkshire

Posted on January 7, 2016 by AbzDominise

Never judge a tiled floor by its appearance! On this particular occasion, I visited a client at a house in the village of Streatley which is a small village that sits alongside the River Thames as it runs through the county of Berkshire. The requirement was to take a look at a very old Marble floor which was initially believed to consist of Victorian, rather than Marble, tiles due to the pattern. My client simply could not get the white Marble tiles looking their best; many were a displeasing off-cream colour and naturally wanted them looking new again.

Victorian Effect Marble Floor tiles before cleaning Steatley

Before beginning the restoration, we confirmed that the stone was actually Marble. We did this by testing the tile with acid, which the tiles responded to since Marble is naturally acid-sensitive. Additionally, we could also see the veins running through the tiles, which you simply would not get with a Victorian tiles.

Burnishing a Marble tiled floor

Chemical cleaning had no effect on this floor, so it’s understandable that my client’s attempts at cleaning with everyday household products were unsuccessful. With this type of stone the only method would be to burnish the floor with a set of diamond encrusted pads.

I started off by using a Medium 800 Grit burnishing pad to no avail, followed by a Coarse 400 Grit burnishing pad, which was also unsuccessful. It was only when I used an even coarser 200 Grit pad that some improvement was shown, and it was a very abrasive 100 Grit pad that finally started to achieve the right results. After breaking down all of the dirt, I reverted back to a very fine 1500 grit pad to give the tiles an aesthetically pleasing, light sheen. You use the pads with a little water which lubricates and allows the resultant slurry to be rinsed away.

Restoring the Colour of Black Marble Tiles

The floor was then allowed to dry overnight and upon my return, I treated the black Marble Tiles with Tile Doctor Stone Oil, which gave the stone its deep black shine you can see in the photo.

Final step was to seal the Marble floor using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that seeps into the pores of the tile enhancing colour and protecting the floor from staining from within.

Victorian Effect Marble Floor tiles after cleaning Steatley

The floor now looks fantastic and back to how it looked when it was first installed.

Source: Marble Tile Restoration service in Berkshire

Maintaining Marble Tiled Floors

Posted on November 23, 2015 by AbzDominise

The photographs before are of Marble floor installed in the kitchen of a house in Melton Mowbray, that we recently refinished. The honed matte marble tiles had previously been finished with a water-based topical floor sealer by the customer to create a polished finish; unfortunately the coating had become damaged, worn and now soiled.

To restore the finish with something more durable we recommended the removal of any remaining coatings, then re-finishing with our restorative diamond encrusted burnishing pad system and then re-sealing with an impregnating rather than topical sealer. Our quote was accepted and we returned on the agreed date to restore the floor.

Marble Floor Before Cleaning and Polishing Melton Mowbray

Deep Cleaning Marble Tile and Grout

The first step was to remove the old coating and clean the grout using a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which is a strong alkaline formula that is safe to use on stone. The solution was scrubbed into the grout using a stiff brush and also worked into the Marble floor using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The now dirty cleaning solution was then rinsed away using water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Burnishing a Marble Tiled Floor

The next step was to burnish the floor using a set of Tile Doctor burnishing pads starting with a coarse pad to strip the Marble back and then moving onto the finer grit pads from medium to extra fine to re-build the polish. The pads are lubricated with a little water and you need to rinse the floor after each pad.

Sealing the Marble Floor

We left the floor to dry overnight and then came back the next day to seal the floor with Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a premium, no-sheen, natural-look impregnating sealer formulated to provide maximum stain protection and recommended for food preparation areas, two coats were sufficient.

Marble Floor After Cleaning and Polishing Melton Mowbray

Once completed we recommend that the floor was maintained using Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is an after care cleaning solution designed for honed or polished stone floors.

Source: Marble Tile and Grout cleaning and Polishing service in Leicestershire

Polishing Marble Wall and Floor Tiles in Shropshire

Posted on October 18, 2015 by AbzDominise

For this job I travelled to the town of Albrighton, which is actually the most easterly settlement in the whole of Shropshire. My client had an issue with their Marble tiled floor which was installed in the kitchen and hallway. They had dropped and broke a bottle of vinegar in the kitchen, and the substance unfortunately came in contact with the tiles. Since Marble is highly sensitive to acid, the vinegar (an acetic acid) had basically etched the surface of the tiles make it impossible clean chemically.

Marble tiled floor before restoration in Albrighton

Although the tiles were a nice, expensive Marble, the person who had first installed them had done a poor job, leaving lippage of up to 5mm in some areas, which would make work trickier. Undeterred I could see it would be possible to restore the floor using a combination of burnishing for the tiles and cleaning with a high alkaline product for the grout lines. I demonstrated this to my client on one tile which went well and I was then given the go ahead to restore the entire floor.

Cleaning and burnishing acid damaged Marble tiles

My first task focused on cleaning the grout lines using a solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked in with a stiff grout brush. Pro-Clean is a high alkaline cleaner suitable for use on most types of natural stone floor. It helped to alleviate most of the grout staining caused by the vinegar, whilst also lifting out any ingrained dirt and muck, and this left the grout looking a lot cleaner.

After cleaning the grout lines I was able to move on to burnishing the tiles. As previously mentioned, no chemical product would be able to have an effect on the damaged tiles, so I resolved to burnish them using a system of four diamond encrusted burnishing pads fitted to a rotary machine. Working first with a coarse burnishing pad, and moving through to medium, fine and very fine pads, lubricated with a little water, I was able to significantly reduce the appearance of the acid stains, while also giving the tiles a nice polished finish.

Sealing a Marble tiled floor

Following the cleaning and burnishing processes I gave the tiles a good rinse to remove any remaining residue and then ensured the floor was completely dry before starting on the sealing.

To seal the floor and maximise the appearance I used Tile Doctor Colour Grow and Tile Doctor Shine powder. Colour Grow is an impregnating sealer that seeps into the pores of the stone intensifying and enhancing the natural shades and colours in the stone whilst also providing stain protection;
Shine Powder on the other hand is a crystallising powder that is ground directly into the tiles to provide a high shine finish and durable surface protection.

Marble tiled floor after restoration in Albrighton

My client and her husband were really happy with the results and left the following message on the Tile Doctor Feedback system:

“Jozsef was a charming young man in every respect, who worked very hard and achieved an amazing result. The tiles look better than the day they were laid. We are absolutely delighted with the work he has done and will recommend him to all our acquaintances. Thank you, Jozsef!”

Source: Professional Tile, Stone and Grout cleaning and polishing services in Shropshire

Polishing Marble Wall and Floor Tiles in Suffolk

Posted on October 16, 2015 by AbzDominise

Not too long ago I was called down to a house in the small village of Elmswell, Suffolk. I was asked to take a look at a Marble floor and wall tiles which had become dull and lifeless over time, especially in high traffic areas and now need to be burnished to bring the polish back. In addition, my client was unhappy with the beige colour of the grout lines, requesting that I change the colour to white following the clean and polish.

Polished Marble Floor Elmswell Before Cleaning

Cleaning and Polishing a Marble tiles

To get the floor clean and bring back the polish I used a set of four diamond encrusted burnishing pads which have different levels of grit, applied to the Marble tiles with a small amount of water. I started with a Coarse pad, before moving on to a Medium pad, a Fine pad, and finally a Very Fine pad to achieve the desired polished look. The floor was given a thorough rinse between each pad in order to remove any excess residue that had resulted from the burnishing process.

Once I had finished the floors I moved onto the Marble wall tiles in the bathroom where the same process was repeated, for wall tiles however you need to use the smaller six inch burnishing pads fitted to a hand held buffer.

Sealing Marble Floor Tiles

I left the floor to dry for a few days before returning to seal it for which I used Tile Doctor Shine Powder. This is a crystallising powder that offers a very high shine and tough durable finish. It it ground directly into the tiles, and can be used to seal all natural stone, including Marble, Granite, Limestone, Slate and Travertine, for both interior and exterior floors.

Changing the Grout Colour

My final task was to change the colour of the grout, as per my client’s request. I did this using a couple of tubes of Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in white. The colourant is painted onto the grout with any excess wiped off the tile before it gets chance to harden. It’s an epoxy product that looks completely natural and additionally provides excellent stain protection for the future.

Polished Marble Floor Elmswell After Cleaning

My client was very pleased with the results of my work and took the time to leave the following comment on the Tile Doctor feedback system.

“I cannot praise the standard of Bruce Copping’s work enough. He completely transformed the marble floors and shower room walls in my home and made them look brand new. His attention to detail was excellent, plus no mess, just a perfect finish and valuable advice on maintaining the walls and floors. I’m so relieved I was able to find Tile Doctor online; I’d almost given up hope of finding someone to sort out the problems with my marble, but Bruce Copping was superb. I’m absolutely delighted with the results and have no hesitation in recommending him.”

Source: Professional Tile, Stone and Grout cleaning and polishing services in Suffolk

Removing Soap Scum from Marble Worktops

Posted on September 5, 2015 by AbzDominise

My client asked me to take a look at a very dirty Marble Onyx countertop in her home in Hampstead which is located within the London Borough of Camden. Interestingly, Hampstead is home to more millionaires than any other area of the UK so if you’re going to find bathrooms of this standard this is the place.

Marble Onyx Countertop London Before and After Cleaning

This particular worktop had been heavily soiled by roughly fifteen years of soap scum and old sealer. It would take a thorough clean as well as a fresh seal to get this countertop back to looking its best. Marble is a fantastic type of stone which has, throughout history, been used to forge beautiful, yet resilient surfaces.

Cleaning a dirty Marble Onyx countertop

I immediately set to work cleaning the countertop using a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. Pro-Clean is an alkaline product and therefore suitable for use on natural stone, meaning that, along with Marble, it is also suitable for use on Limestone, Granite, Slate, Travertine, and others. After leaving it to dwell on the surface for a short period of time, I began scrubbing the solution of cleaner into the Marble, and gradually the years of soap scum, old sealer and ingrained dirt began to come off. It was amazing just how quickly I was able to remove many years of muck with a bit of elbow grease.

Following this, I rinsed off any excess cleaning product with clean water and then left the surface to dry, before I began the process of burnishing the Marble countertop using small six inch burnishing pads starting with a coarse pad and then moving up to super fine. After the burnishing process was complete, I gave the surface a rinse followed by an additional polish with a buffing pad until the shine was fully restored to the worktop.

Sealing a Marble Onyx countertop

After ensuring the countertop was fully dry following the cleaning and burnishing processes, I set about providing the surface with a fresh seal. My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, an impregnating sealer which is designed to both provide durable surface protection, whilst also intensifying the natural colours within the stone. I applied a layer of Colour Grow carefully to the countertop, and the Onyx shades within the Marble really came to life once again.

I was very happy with the results overall, as was my client. It is very rewarding to think that hard work can go a long way to quickly restoring a surface which had been hidden for so long by many layers of muck.

Source: Professional Tile, Stone and Grout Cleaning service in Central London