Restoration and Aftercare

We do not carry out full restoration work, nor we do recommend anyone who will (for reasons that are explained below), however if you need tools and materials for cleaning or repairing your own floor, we keep everything you need in stock. We are also the largest UK stockist of these tiles and try and keep as many as we can available at immediate notice should you need the odd tile to patch up any that are worn or damaged.

Cleaning

We stock a wide range of chemicals and tools for cleaning, maintaining and restoring Victorian, Edwardian and Minton tiles. We recommend cleaning and resealing these tiles every 2-5 years depending on use. This is a simple process and will only take an hour to an afternoon depending on how big the area is. We also recommend a deep clean every 5-10 years using some stronger cleaners and tools like emulsifying/abrasive pads to get rid of ingrained dirt any wax or cleaner that has dried and built up. We sell everything you need to complete these or any other jobs in our showroom.

If you are using products to perform a deep clean, this often strips the sealant from the surface of the tiles. This needs to be reapplied to prevent accelerated damage and the build up of dirt, wax, oil and grubby marks. We sell the cleaners and sealers necessary to do this and it is very easy to do.

Replacement Tiles

If you have the odd tile that is worn or damaged, we can often match the tile to something we have available today, or something of a similar colour or size. The best thing to do is to come in with a piece or a full tile, and a list of the sizes/colours and quantities that need to be replaced and we can either supply you from stock or order in for you. We can also try to match tiles by photo if you live far away from us, but bear in mind it is up to you to confirm the colour you would like - it can very difficult to us to accurately determine the colour of the tile you need from a picture, especially if you have a particularly old, dirt or damaged floor.

Full Floor Restoration

Victorian and Edwardian tiles were often laid onto a bed of ash that cured to a Lime-like mortar. The tiles were butted up together with ash forced into the joints, instead of grout. While this was the norm back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, tiling standards and techniques have evolved since then. Flexible, cement-based adhesive and flexible grout is used to allow for movement and cope with humidity and temperature changes. While many were tiled to a very high quality, they were never supposed to last 120 years and over time many original floors are damaged beyond repair. What looks like a few cracked tiles can be a symptom of a much deeper issue and replacing just a few tiles can be a temporary solution to an underlying issue. Furthermore, tiler's are reluctant to offer to restore parts of a floor for fear of uncovering more damage or work that they have not quoted you for.

Often, by the time you have purchased a few dozen tiles and the materials, and a tiler has taken up a portion of your floor and relaid them, the cost can be in the hundreds of pounds and the new floor tiles mixed with the old ones will look completely different. While more expensive, the best option in most situations, both economically and in terms of the overall quality and durability of the floor is to start again - laying fresh concrete or timber to create a sturdy and smooth surface, and using all the same tiles to create a new design that fits well together and is cohesive in terms of the look.