[Graeme Smith]

What are these? customer is reporting that the black tile is OK the red/orange colour are not quite badly pitted. She described them as a quarry tile but they look more like a terracotta - any ideas not seen these in person yet

[TheWindowManChris]

They could be quarry tile as that was use years ago.

When was the tiles fitted?

[Kev Martin]

What are these? customer is reporting that the black tile is OK the red/orange colour are not quite badly pitted. She described them as a quarry tile but they look more like a terracotta - any ideas not seen these in person yet

Graeme

I have done several of these floors!  They are almost certainly quarry tiles!  The only other thing they could have been were dust pressed geometric Victorian / Edwardian tiles and they are almost certainly not those!

OK!  A few problems if I am interpreting the pictures correctly! 

Firstly the face of a lot of the tiles look like they have spalled (broken up) this means when you have cleaned them the surface will look like the moon lots of pits and fissures.  So they will look like the rough side of a brick.  This means that sometime in their life the faces have been covered with a wax or non breathable sealer and the face surface has spalled.  Ultimately they will be next to impossible to keep clean unless you apply a decent topical sealer to them in several coats.

Secondly I may be wrong here but if you look at the black ones carefully they look as though they have been actually painted black and the paint looks like it has worn through in patches.

You need to manage the customers expectations here!  My advice is if they are not in a listed building then I would

1.  Rip the whole floor up and have a new one relaid.  If they want quarries again then no problem.
2.  If they don't want to go to that expense  then deep clean the floor then seal it with an impregnating sealer and then add a topical sealer.
3.  If after cleaning you want to make the floor surface slightly smoother then you could hone it with a Diamond Pad to get the worst off but you risk damaging what is left of the tiles with the intact surfaces.

If you want to read more on quarry tiles then go to this link:

http://www.ruabonsales.co.uk/how-is-a-quarry-tile-made.htm

Kev Martin
marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics

[Rob Hall]

Graeme, do a test area with the brush you got from me. It works a treat on these tiles, I have done a few like this.Then, seal as per Kevins suggestions.

[Graeme Smith]

She's talking about trying to replace some of the badly damaged tiles with new which sounds like a nightmare. Think I'll leave this one unless she just wants it cleaning and sealing.

[Rob Hall]

Personally, I think replacing them would look hidious, the floor looks like it has got a bit of age on its side. Cleaned up would look much better than a few random replacements. Tell her that you will do a trial area. It will come up stunning using the brush.

[Neil Mc Anulty]

Whats the brush?

[Graeme Smith]

 

[Rob Hall]

Whats the brush?

Its a diamond brush that is used on a variable speed machine such as a Flex Polisher. A diamond Brush is £40 and a Silicone Carbide £20.
They work with Water, no special cleaning products or chemicals...just water. They usually have a life span of at least 50sqm on average, Sandstone is the worst as sandstone contains Silica and silica eats diamonds.

[Rob Hall]

What are these? customer is reporting that the black tile is OK the red/orange colour are not quite badly pitted. She described them as a quarry tile but they look more like a terracotta - any ideas not seen these in person yet

Graeme, If the job is reasonably local to us both, do you want me to pop along to the job and I will do the test area with both the Diamond Brush and Silicone Brush?

[Graeme Smith]

It's in Derbyshire about an hour south of me so I would not bother on this one thanks for the offer though

[Rob Hall]

It's in Derbyshire about an hour south of me so I would not bother on this one thanks for the offer though

No problem. Give it a go, it will do the trick.

[Kev Martin]

Personally, I think replacing them would look hidious, the floor looks like it has got a bit of age on its side. Cleaned up would look much better than a few random replacements. Tell her that you will do a trial area. It will come up stunning using the brush.

Rob

If they are genuine old quarries they are relatively simple to change and match once you get one out.  Then if you can't get reclaimed and you use new if available then they can be aged so they match well.  Your diamond brush will not hide the fact that the tile faces are spalled!  Cleaning them here is not the issue, that's the easy bit it is the finished result and maintenance afterwards that will be the problem!

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd

[Rob Hall]

Personally, I think replacing them would look hidious, the floor looks like it has got a bit of age on its side. Cleaned up would look much better than a few random replacements. Tell her that you will do a trial area. It will come up stunning using the brush.

Rob

If they are genuine old quarries they are relatively simple to change and match once you get one out.  Then if you can't get reclaimed and you use new if available then they can be aged so they match well.  Your diamond brush will not hide the fact that the tile faces are spalled!  Cleaning them here is not the issue, that's the easy bit it is the finished result and maintenance afterwards that will be the problem!

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd
[/quote
I see your point Kevin and understand fully.
MY point is, most of MY clients would want to keep the old worn look, after all, it has probably taken 100-200 years in some cases, to look like that so, anyone with any taste and appreciation would not want to replace their own bit of history. You WILL ALWAYS have a shade issue with the replacement option. If that floor was in a Grade 1 listed building, you would have one hell of a job convincing anyone to replace even the worst tile.
If they want an even look after the cleaning event, why not re-cut the surface with diamonds (they will most likely be self coloured) and all the floor will still have its original colour AND regular. I have recut Old Victorian/Edwardian/Encaustic floors to look new, not MY choice, but if this is what the customer wants in some cases, it is an option.

[Kev Martin]

Personally, I think replacing them would look hidious, the floor looks like it has got a bit of age on its side. Cleaned up would look much better than a few random replacements. Tell her that you will do a trial area. It will come up stunning using the brush.

Rob

If they are genuine old quarries they are relatively simple to change and match once you get one out.  Then if you can't get reclaimed and you use new if available then they can be aged so they match well.  Your diamond brush will not hide the fact that the tile faces are spalled!  Cleaning them here is not the issue, that's the easy bit it is the finished result and maintenance afterwards that will be the problem!

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd
[/quote
I see your point Kevin and understand fully.
MY point is, most of MY clients would want to keep the old worn look, after all, it has probably taken 100-200 years in some cases, to look like that so, anyone with any taste and appreciation would not want to replace their own bit of history. You WILL ALWAYS have a shade issue with the replacement option. If that floor was in a Grade 1 listed building, you would have one hell of a job convincing anyone to replace even the worst tile.
If they want an even look after the cleaning event, why not re-cut the surface with diamonds (they will most likely be self coloured) and all the floor will still have its original colour AND regular. I have recut Old Victorian/Edwardian/Encaustic floors to look new, not MY choice, but if this is what the customer wants in some cases, it is an option.

[Kev Martin]

Rob

Firstly I have changed quarry tiles and loads of Victorian Geo's and Encaustics in both Grade 1 & 2 listed buildings when necessary.  If you are careful and use reclaimed originals where possible or in the case of Victorian Geo's I get them individually made to order once you have cleaned there is virtually no shade variation and even if there is I can disguise it!  What I don't understand!   Is how you grind quarry tiles once the face has spalled!!!  You are then just grinding the soft body of the tile and destroying it!  Victorian and Edwardian Geometrics are slightly different because of the way they are made!  What did you recut the Encaustics with?  Did it not affect the slip colours?

Have a look at this link to my portfolio on my website the first row of pictures I ground the recessed area see the before and after and then in the main picture I changed 11 tiles towards the fireplace I bet you can't tell which ones they were!  That was a grade 2 listed building and the tiles had been laid in 1871.

http://marblelife.co.uk/portfolio.asp

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd

[Knocker]

Hi Kevin, you have some impressive photos in your portfolio, was the photo of the Carrera Marble on the ground floor of Selfridges in Oxford Street?

[Rob Hall]

Graeme
It looks like you may have two options here...

1. Have the tiles made and replace them, I like the thought that they can be made identical and with no shade variation, this could be costly but a great option to put to your customer

or

2. Clean them up with the Diamond brush that you got from me

One could be very expensive...and...one will require a bucket of water!!

I Believe You CAN resurface them using diamonds contra to what others may think, I have done it using Twisters Hy-Brids and finishing with Twister Pads to leave a sheen on them. I will dig out a photo for you

[Kev Martin]

Hi Kevin, you have some impressive photos in your portfolio, was the photo of the Carrera Marble on the ground floor of Selfridges in Oxford Street?

Yes it is Selfridges.  Old photos though on WS I need to update them with some other stuff when I get a minute.  Your site has some pretty prestigious stuff on as well.  A lot of our prestigious stuff is subject to Con Agreements no publicity and no photos either

Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd
Marblelife Ltd