Victorian Floor Restoration

We were asked to take a look at this Victorian tiled hallway floor at a house in Kenilworth, the owner was keen to restore it back to its original condition and there were a number of missing tiles that need replacing and there were traces of paint and adhesive along the edges indicating it had been previously covered over, probably by linoleum.

 

Restoring Victorian Tiles

The first job was to replace the missing tiles, fortunately replacements are still available so it was just a question of making the rest of the floor look as new as the replacements. We set about cleaning off adhesive from the edges of the floor which had to be done by hand using Tile Doctor Remove and Go combined 50/50 with NanoTech Ultra-Clean which creates a powerful stripper and cleaner. The resultant mixture was applied with a brush and left to dwell for fifteen minutes in order to break down the glue and old paint; this was an arduous task involving scrapers, wire wool and a lot of elbow grease, in total it took around five hours to get the edges completely clean.

The next step was to give the rest of the Victorian Tiles a deep clean for which we used a mop to apply Tile Doctor Pro-Clean diluted 1 to 5 with water and left to dwell on the floor for ten minutes. NanoTech Ultra-Clean was then applied over the top of the Pro-Clean and worked in with a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad

The soiled water was picked up with a wet and dry vacuum, and then mopped with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-Up which is an acid based product usually used for removing grout from the tile surface but also good for removing salt deposits which can happen on old floors with no damp proof course. The product was left for five minutes and then given a thorough rinse with fresh water to remove any leftover chemical and then left to dry over night

Sealing Victorian Tiles

We came back the next day and started work by replacing the tiles I mentioned earlier. To seal it we applied four coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which provides durable stain protection whilst enhancing colour it also helped to improve the match between the old and new tile.
 
 
Source: Victorian Tiled Floor Restored in Warwickshire

Laying a Flagstone Path: Mistakes to Avoid

A flagstone path can be an attractive asset to any home and. With the variety of shapes and sizes of flagstone pavers, no two paths are ever the same. They generally provide a walkway through a yard to the front door, preventing muddy footprints on your carpet and stopping guests from having to walk directly on the driveway. Laying a flagstone path is a relatively easy DIY job but there are several things to be aware of before attempting to install it.

Lack of Preparation

One of the most common errors when laying a flagstone walkway is not preparing properly. Many homeowners jump straight into the project without taking time out to think about how much material they will need or how they want it to look. Before you begin, lay the flagstone pavers in a pattern that you find pleasing and varied. This will not only help you visualise the final flagstone path but ensure you don’t wind up with too many or too few pavers.

Poorly Made Base for Flagstone Pavers

It is essential that you properly prepare the base in which you plan to set your flagstone pavers. Keep in mind that it will need to support weight and constant traffic. A poorly made base could see your flagstone walkway start to sink and slowly spread out in different directions.

An Unlevel Flagstone Walkway

When it comes to a flagstone walkway, safety is of utmost importance, so use large pieces and lay them close together to avoid gaps where guests could trip. Once you have set them down, walk up and down the path to find any stones that have shifted or tipped underfoot and adjust them accordingly.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

How to Weather Proof Your Flagstone Patio

A flagstone patio is a beautiful and expensive place where you can enjoy many hours of free time with friends and family. The flagstone patio is able to house anything from deck furniture and a fire pit to a grill. Flagstone is a natural stone and because it has not acclimated to its surroundings the color of it can fade instead of remaining vibrant. This is not necessarily your fault but that of the environment and the elements. If you were to install flagstone to a kitchen floor or on a mantle the color of the flagstone will remain consistent. This is because the environmental conditions are standard. With a flagstone patio it will be bombarded with wind, rain, snow, ice and then of course heat. The flagstone does not have time to adjust to any one particular circumstance and so they become discolored. The solution is to weatherproof your flagstone patio and the following article will show you how it is done
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what you’ll need

• Weatherproof membrane
• Scissors
• Paintbrush
• Flagstone sealer
• Broom
• Quick-set sand

Step 1 – Weatherproof Membrane

If you are installing your flagstone patio from scratch then you most likely used landscaper’s fabric to prevent weeds from growing between or through the flagstones. This is one key step to weatherproofing a flagstone patio. For this you will also want use a weatherproof membrane which resembles rubber with little pockets throughout the surface. The membrane prevents water from entering the site and is instead absorbed by the surrounding ground. The membrane is cut to fit the site and is then placed directly on top of the sand.

Step 2 – Sand

Using mortar to seal the edges of the flagstone patio stones will ruin the overall look of the patio. The traditional way is to use sand to do the job for you because once dry it is compacted and very hard. If you are in an area that gets a lot of rain this may not be practical. The solution is to use a product that is known as a quick-set or mortar sand. It is still sand but is treated with certain additives that when wet it is just like typical sand but when it dries it dries as hard as concrete. You can still work with it in the same manner as typical sand. You pour it over the patio and then broom it into the gaps. You then wet it down and repeat with more sand until the gaps are completely full and dry.

Step 3 – Sealer

To prevent the color of the flagstone from fading you will want to seal it with a special weather coating. It resembles polyurethane but is formulated specifically for flagstones. You can purchase stone sealer with special color enhancing additives added to it. Application of the sealant is as simple as painting a wall. Simply pour the sealant into a paint tray and then use a paintbrush or paint roller to apply at least two layers of sealant to the flagstone patio.

 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com