Kitchen Tiles

Porcelain Floor Tile Grout Before After Renovation Darton

Patchy Grout on Porcelain Floor Restored in Darton New Build

Recently it seems I am getting called out to an increasing number of new builds to sort out patchy grout issues. The reason why there have been so many issues arising is a bit of a mystery, but I put it down to a combination of things like poor quality grout, rushed installations, wet subfloors and the use of different batches.

Patchy Grout Before Applying Light Grey Grout Colourant

This recently built house in the village of Darton is a great example and in this case, I suspect two different batches of the same grout had been applied. Darton by the way is a small village in the Borough of Barnsley.

Invariably these problems are picked up by the new owner on their snagging list, with the tiler long gone and the builder keen to get their final payment it is always a tricky situation to resolve. I find the best solution is to apply a Tile Doctor Grout Colourant, it’s a much quicker process than removing the old grout and replacing with new. Most new homeowners would not appreciate us ripping up their brand-new rooms and generating lots of dust in the process! Also, by using the Tile Doctor Grout Colourant it adds a barrier of the grout preventing dirt from discolouring it further down the line.

Restoring grout a Porcelain Tiled Kitchen Floor

Even though the house was brand new, the Porcelain Tiled floor was not looking great. The client was happy for me to go ahead and would take up the bill with the housebuilder. I first pre-treated it with Tile Doctors Grout Colourant Pre-Treatment. This removes any contamination from the grout which might affect the adhesion of the colourant and being an acid, it also etches the surface of the grout to ensure a superior bond with the colourant.

The client chose our Light Grey colour which is one of 10 colours we offer. Once the pre-treatment had been applied, scrubbed, rinsed, and vacuumed away the floor was left to dry. Once dry we started applying the colourant, this is done with a small brush (a toothbrush is ideal) carefully scrubbing colourant into each grout joint and wiping off any excess that gets on the tiles before it is able to dry.

Patchy Grout During Application of Light Grey Grout Colourant

Once complete the newly coloured grout lines totally transformed the floor and because the grout colorant is epoxy based the grout lines will stay stain free and never get dirty.
The porcelain tiles were factory sealed so there is no need to apply a seal to the floor.

I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor in the best condition. It is pH neutral so is far less harsh on the surface than the everyday household cleaners available. It has a minty fragrance and is mild enough to use daily. They were very happy that the floor now looked as it should have from the start and was the finishing touch to their beautiful new home.

Patchy Grout After Applying Light Grey Grout Colourant

 

Professional Kitchen Grout Restoration in South Yorkshire Kitchen

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Sandstone Kitchen Floor Before and After Cleaning Sealing Conisbrough

Sandstone floor clean and seal in Conisbrough, Doncaster

The owners of this stunning 400-year old property in Conisbrough had occupied it for a few years and were now having a lot of work done to the interior. They never liked the Sandstone Kitchen floor as it always looked dull and unclean, and this was made worse during the renovations. As a result, they had decided they would try and have it professionally cleaned and if not happy would look to replace it.

Sandstone Floor Before Clean and Seal Conisbrough Doncaster

Conisbrough is a town within the borough of Doncaster. It’s most famous for its’ spectacular castle, Conisbrough Castle. It was originally built in the 11th Century after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Needless to say, the area has a lot of history including the residential property.

Even though the house was 400 years old this floor was part of a recent addition which used to be a tearoom. It was immediately obvious from our initial inspection the floor had never been sealed properly leaving it susceptible to stains, ingrained dirt and grime. We gave them a quote for the work which they were happy to accept, and we arranged a convenient date to return.

Deep Cleaning a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Conisbrough

To ger the dirt out of the stone I decided to start with a medium strength dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. It was sprayed onto the floor and then left it to soak in for about ten minutes so it could get to work on breaking down the soiling. After the 10 minutes was up it was worked into every inch of the stone using a scrubbing brush fitted to a rotary floor machine. This product is perfect for removing built up grease and deep ingrained dirt. As the floor had no seal for protection it was pretty dirty.

Sandstone Floor During Clean and Seal Conisbrough Doncaster

This action released a dark brown soil from the stone, and this was extracted with an industrial wet vacuum and quickly rinsed the floor with water. It was a reasonably large floor, so it was cleaned in sections working our way across the room making sure the floor was 100% clean as we went. After cleaning the floor twice, it was inspected, and further work carried out to the high traffic and stubborn areas.

Sandstone Floor During Clean and Seal Conisbrough Doncaster

Sealing a Sandstone Tiled Kitchen Floor in Conisbrough

The floor was left to dry out overnight and then checked with a damp meter then next day to ensure the moisture level had returned to normal. Applying a sealer to a damp floor is not recommend and can lead to an inconsistent result so I always check first.

To seal I applied Tile Doctor Colour Grow to the floor, this in an impregnating sealer that soaks into the pores of the stone protecting it from within and enhancing the natural colours in the stone in the process. It really brings out the beautiful colours and patterns of the stone transforming its appearance.

Sandstone Floor After Clean and Seal Conisbrough Doncaster

The floor looked great and the client was very happy with the overall appearance and decided they would stick with the floor, actually Sandstone is quite nice!

I recommended to the client they should use Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor looking good, this is a pH neutral cleaner which will not compromise the newly applied seal and will keep it in place, preventing the problems they had previously experienced. It has a fresh smell and is suitable for regular use.

 

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