Light and Airy shiplap bathroom was the dream for this hard working couple. The goal was to totally re-create a space that was both beautiful, that made sense functionally and a place to remind the clients of their vacation time. A peaceful oasis. We knew we wanted to use tile that looks like shiplap. A cost effective way to create a timeless look. By cladding the entire tub shower wall it really looks more like real shiplap planked walls.

It’s always a great surprise to find old tiled flooring hidden underneath carpet or linoleum which appears especially common with 19th century properties where it’s not unusual for the owners to uncover fantastically patterned, original Victorian tiled floors and, naturally, they want to restore them to their former glory. If you have a property of this type you might want to look under the carpets. The majority of the time, however, these tiles have been covered up for decades, allowing for thick layers of muck to build-up and are invariably damaged carpet grippers, surface glue and adhesive tape. This was pretty much the case with this customer who lives in the town of Warminster and was keen to have her own newly discovered Victorian hallway brought back to life, and called me down to see what could be done. Upon arrival at the property, I determined that the tiles would definitely require a very deep clean, including the remove of numerous glue stains, followed by the application of a new seal. Before I could begin the deep cleaning process, I needed to remove the carpet grippers and surface glue, attempting to remove as much as possible by hand using a scraper. For the particularly stubborn areas, I applied Tile Doctor Remove & Go, a powerful stripper specially designed to break down adhesives and solvents, and left it to dwell for 20 minutes to eat through the glue deposits. I then attached a black pad to a rotary machine and scrubbed the area thoroughly to clean the affected areas, before removing the resulting slurry using a wet vacuum and rinsed with clean water. Once I was satisfied that all of the glue had been removed, I proceeded to soak the floor using a solution of the high alkaline cleaner known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean. This is a versatile product that can be used on a wide range of natural stone floors to deal with heavy soil build-up. I left the Pro-Clean to dwell for ten minutes, and then scrubbed it into the tiles to remove the ingrained dirt and also to break down any old and ineffectual seals. The floor was then once again rinsed thoroughly with clean water which was then extracted using a wet vacuum before being left to dry for a couple of days. Upon our return to the property I immediately tested the floor for damp using a damp meter. This is an extremely important test to carry out before sealing any kind of tiled flooring, due to the fact that excess moisture left over from cleaning can cloud the sealer and damage its ability to protect against dirt and stains. Thankfully, the damp test revealed no excess moisture, and I was able to proceed with sealing the tiles. My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Seal and Go, a water-based topical sealer that simultaneously provides both a stain resistant surface seal and a durable and aesthetically pleasing low sheen finish, also being water based it doesn’t give off a smell as it dries. This is a very cost effective product that is highly suitable for use on Victorian and Quarry tiles, I applied five costs to achieve the desired finish. The customer was very pleased with the final results. It’s always satisfying to restore original Victorian tiled floors to looking their best once again – and this one was no exception. Stuart Ford Wiltshire Tile Doctor

Hallway view of the Whistler master bathroom by Vibe Design Build, showing the herringbone tile floor extending into the corridor. The clean-lined toilet with black hardware accents, wall-mounted open shelving, and glass shower door visible in background create a cohesive luxury spa bathroom experience throughout this mountain home renovation.

Rear foyer entry Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg Photography; Interior Design: Kristin Try Interiors; Builder: Harry Braswell, Inc.
Inspiration for a coastal black floor entry hall remodel in DC Metro with beige walls and a glass front door

Patricia Bean Expressive Architectural Photography
Mid-sized beach style dining room photo in San Diego with multicolored walls

The Cicero is a modern styled home for today’s contemporary lifestyle. It features sweeping facades with deep overhangs, tall windows, and grand outdoor patio. The contemporary lifestyle is reinforced through a visually connected array of communal spaces. The kitchen features a symmetrical plan with large island and is connected to the dining room through a wide opening flanked by custom cabinetry. Adjacent to the kitchen, the living and sitting rooms are connected to one another by a see-through fireplace. The communal nature of this plan is reinforced downstairs with a lavish wet-bar and roomy living space, perfect for entertaining guests. Lastly, with vaulted ceilings and grand vistas, the master suite serves as a cozy retreat from today’s busy lifestyle. Photographer: Brad Gillette

Inspiration for a large modern open concept porcelain tile and beige floor living room remodel in Miami with white walls, a wall-mounted tv, a ribbon fireplace and a tile fireplace

Huge trendy ceramic tile hallway photo in Los Angeles with white walls

The wainscoting is made from reclaimed white barn board. For this special job, no wood was joined, every edge was eased to look worn with a wavering block plane. Knots, bullet holes, gouges, old paint, saw marks and every other imperfection were embraced and showcased for the story they represented. Nothing looks new. The ceiling is treated with tongue and grooved, beveled cedar planks. There is nothing more incongruous than when a room is rustic but the sheetrock walls are left smooth - especially when the wall are left white. To give the walls an aged look we used a two-tone yellow-gold, coarse Venetian plaster. PHOTO CREDIT: John Ray

This Terrazzo tiled hallway at a property in Northampton was in a really bad state. It was heavily soiled and suffered from glue marks where the original carpet covering it had been removed. Additionally, there was some damage to the edges of the doorway, and a large crack in the floor running across the width of the hallway. Terrazzo is an interesting material, originally produced in Italy, that consists mainly of concrete with segments of marble and other stone interspersed and held together with a resin. Since Terrazzo is formed in this way, I explained to the customer that I would fill the crack along the floor and the small holes around the edges with concrete, before then using tile paint to match in the colours as best as possible. This would be the most cost-effective solution, which was ideal since the customer had a limited budget for the repairs. Before beginning the restoration, I tested a small area using a diamond encrusted burnishing pad, thereby giving the customer an indication of the type of results that could be achieved. With the customer pleased by the results, the job was booked in for the following week. To begin, Tile Doctor Remove & Go was applied to the floor and was left to dwell for ten minutes to soften the carpet glue and break down any old sealer. This was then scrubbed in to the tiles with a pad fitted to a rotary machine. To remove the remaining residue and marks in the particularly stubborn areas, I used a manual hand scraper. The entire floor was then wet vaxed to soak up the soiled cleaner and leave the area clean for burnishing. This was followed by the use of Tile Doctor diamond encrusted burnishing pads to polish the tiles, starting with a coarse grit pad, followed by wet vaxing and repeating the process with a medium grit pad and finally the fine grit pad to achieve the desired effect. I then installed a turbo dryer to dry the floor. I returned to the property once the floor was dry and carried out the repairs which had been discussed earlier with the customer (filling the holes and cracks in the floor with concrete), cleaning off any concrete residue before I finished for the day. Upon my return to the property the next day, I refined the polish on the floor even further by applying the extra fine grit burnishing pad. To finish off the three day restoration, I sealed the Terrazzo tiles using two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer. As an impregnating sealer, Colour Grow soaks into the pores of the stone, protecting it from ingrained dirt. Colour Grow also contains colour intensifying properties, allowing it to enhance the naturally occurring shades in the stone, and therefore stopping it from appearing dull. This floor certainly was in a bad state, with damage as well as dirt to deal with, but I’m pleased to say that the work went a long way in transforming its appearance, leaving a very happy customer. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

Bunkroom bathroom with shiplap walls, wall mounted shelving, and black and white pattern floor tiles. Photographer: Rob Karosis
Bathroom - mid-sized country white tile ceramic tile and multicolored floor bathroom idea in New York with a two-piece toilet and white walls

Scott Hargis Photo
Farmhouse u-shaped dark wood floor enclosed kitchen photo in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, an island and paneled appliances

11 *6 hallway bathroom using 4*8 marble subway style tile and marble floor shaker style vanity and quartz counter top
Alcove bathtub - mid-sized transitional master gray tile and subway tile marble floor alcove bathtub idea in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Example of a mid-sized transitional dark wood floor open concept kitchen design in Chicago with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Bathroom - small transitional 3/4 gray tile and subway tile marble floor bathroom idea in New York with a drop-in sink, furniture-like cabinets, gray cabinets, marble countertops and gray walls

Photography: Nathan Schroder
Inspiration for a mediterranean foyer remodel in Dallas with white walls and a dark wood front door

Pantry with fully tiled wall.
Kitchen pantry - traditional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen pantry idea in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, wood countertops, no island and brown countertops

Eat-in kitchen - mediterranean u-shaped eat-in kitchen idea in Phoenix with white cabinets and paneled appliances

Mountain style beige tile and travertine tile alcove shower photo in San Francisco with a vessel sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and beige walls