This floor was always going to be a real challenge and unfortunately it would never be perfect once the contaminants where removed. Being a floor of soft clay tiles which are naturally porous they stain easily and are able absorb large quantities of pretty much anything left on them.

Here's what we found on the tiles. Cork tiles glued down onto vinyl tiles (many thanks to Ben for working into the early hours removing them) which were laid on a bed of thick bitumen. Naturally to ensure a good bond the tiles where first coated with a slurry of bitumen and under this slurry was the original linseed oil sealers.

So with all those contaminants soaked into the body of the tiles, how could we get them clean? With a lot of hard work.

Here's what the tiles looked like, notice how the more porous yellow tiles are totally saturated with the oil/tar/adhesive.



Our cleaner in action



Showing the detail between cleaned/uncleaned and undergoing cleaning



The finish result. Nothing more could be extracted from the tile body and damage to the tiles was not an option.




Overall the floor has a lot of character and looks like an original 100+ year floor.

Floor restoration completed around Derbyshire

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• Belper Victorian floor cleaning
• Derby Victorian floor restoration
• Chaddesden Edwardian floor cleaning
• Derby Victorian floor restoration
• Belper Edwardian floor cleaning
• Mickleover Victorian floor cleaning
• Belper Minton floor cleaning
• Little Eaton Minton floor cleaning
• Burton upon Trent Victorian floor restoration
• Etwall Victorian floor cleaning
• Borrowash Victorian floor cleaning
• Borrowash Minton floor cleaning
• Derby Edwardian floor restoration
• Spondon Minton tile restoration

Tags: chesterfield, derbyshire, quarry, victorian