Tile Doctor Burnishing Pads used to Restore the Polished Appearance of Limestone Floor Tiling in Edinburgh

Our client located in Edinburgh’s New Town area had a large, impressive entrance hallway with a well-used Grey Limestone floor. The tiles had seen many years of traffic and were dull and marked with events of family life. The request was to restore the floor back to how it looked when it was originally laid.

I visited the property to survey the floor and understand the issues in detail. I could see that the original sealer had worn off with use and dirt was now becoming ingrained in the pores of the Limestone making it difficult to clean effectively. The wanted a slight sheen, but not too glossy, and to have it re-sealed but with a tough sealer that could take the punishment from a young family.

Having measured up the area I was able to provide a firm price, which was accepted and a date agreed for the work to start.

Cleaning a Ceramic Limestone Tiled Hallway

To start the area was cleared of all furniture. The coir matting at the front door was covered and the doorways leading off the hall had their floor entrances protected from any potential water ingress during cleaning.

Work then started with the application of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was diluted and spread across the floor. The Pro-Clean was then left to soak into the pores of the Limestone for ten minutes in order for it to break down the ingrained dirt. The floor was then scrubbed with a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. After this clean, the resultant residue was removed using a wet vacuum.

The pad does clean into the recessed of the grout line but I always find more hand-scrubbing with Pro-Clean helps so after the initial clean I started on the grout. The floor was then rinsed with clean water and removed with a wet vacuum as before.

The next stage was to start the 4-step burnishing process where the floor is burnished and honed using increasing grits of pads from 400 grit up to 3500 grits. The pads are applied using the rotary cleaner with water for lubrication and after each pad the floor is rinsed and the residue removed with the wet vacuum. Once this process has been completed, the floor is left to dry overnight. The last pad is a super fine 3500-grit that really brings up the polish and this is applied dry with only a little water sprayed onto the tile.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Hallway

On my return the next day the sealer we chose for the limestone was Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal. It penetrates into the pores adding protection it from within and enhanced the natural colours in the Limestone in the process. This sealer is oil based which helps to improve the structure of the stone giving it a rich finish with a slight sheen. Additionally, Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal allows for vapour transmission so any moisture building under the floor can pass through and evaporate at the surface.

After the work has been completed the client was advised about the care and upkeep of the floor. The floor needs cleaning with a neutral pH cleaner such as Tile Doctors Neutral Tile Cleaner. This lifts the soiling from the tiles without eroding the sealer and therefore extends the life of the sealer.

My client was very happy with the end result and felt confident it would stand up to the heavy family use and keep its appearance.

Source: Professional Limestone Floor Polishing Solutions and Services near Edinburgh