Hour Period - Photos & Ideas

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.

Central District Addition

Refine Design Architecture

This rear addition demonstrates how a cantilevered upper floor can generate sheltered outdoor living without a separate structure. The second-story volume, clad in two-tone horizontal lap siding, projects forward to form a deep covered recess at grade—a roofed outdoor room carved from beneath the building mass. Recessed downlights in the soffit extend usable hours into the evening, and an exposed steel angle brace at the corner expresses how the overhang is carried, reading as an honest structural detail rather than concealed framing. The original house behind is visible through the opening, marking the seam between existing structure and addition, while a single double-hung window and a wall-mounted speaker keep the sheltered face functional. A composite-decked terrace steps out from the covered zone into a layered, naturalistic planting of conifers and grasses, dissolving the boundary between architecture and garden. The framing of the view—foliage in the foreground, the inhabited patio centered in the opening—reads the space as designed for gathering, with the building's geometry doing the work of enclosure and shade.

Blue Hour

Ann Lowengart Interiors

The "blue hour" is that magical time of day when sunlight scatters and the sky becomes a deep shade of blue. For this Mediterranean-style Sea Cliff home from the 1920s, we took our design inspiration from the twilight period that inspired artists and photographers. The living room features moody blues and neutral shades on the main floor. We selected contemporary furnishings and modern art for this active family of five. Upstairs are the bedrooms and a home office, while downstairs, a media room, and wine cellar provide a place for adults and young children to relax and play.

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Eames Style Executive Chair by Barcelona Designs

Barcelona Designs

While in the office, comfort is one of the factors to consider, it allows you to work over the required period and easily attain the set targets. A home office needs a comfortable Eames office chair; it not only gives the room a great look but also brings out the comfort and warmth. The sleekness of the Eames office chair sets it apart from any other kind of furniture; it allows the occupant to work over a long period without experiencing any back pains. It is ergonomically designed to provide maximum comfort and at the same time allowing the user to adjust it to the required heights. The locking tilt as well as the rolling base allows the user to reach out to files and other office stationary without having to stand.

Organising Filing Cabinets

Organised Chaos Ireland

Sarah Reynolds
Minimalist home office photo in Dublin

Recently Installed Yorkstone Tiles Cleaned and Sealed in Driffield

Tile Doctor Ltd

Yorkstone is a variety of Sandstone unique to Yorkshire, and is known for its hard wearing and durable qualities. It was first manufactured during medieval times, but is still used for a range of building and construction purposes including, of course, tiled floors in houses. Yorkstone comes in a variety of natural colours, depending on the mineral makeup of the stone, and means that the tiled floors often have a unique look to them. This customer, living in the small Yorkshire town of Driffield is the lucky owner of a fantastic new Yorkstone tiled living room floor. Unfortunately, the floor had been installed by an independent builder, as opposed to a professional tiling company, and had been left with no sealer to ensure it would stay looking great for a long time to come. Over time, the lack of a sealer has allowed the dirt to become ingrained in the stone, making it increasingly difficult for the customer to keep the tiles clean. I was called in to bring completion to what was an unfinished job! As you can see from the photographs, the entire floor was quite dusty and dull looking following the recent installation. To get the tiles clean, I mixed a strong 60-40 mix of Tile Doctor Pro Clean and clean water. Pro Clean is a reliable alkaline cleaner suitable for use on most natural stone floors, including Sandstone, Quarry, and Slate. The cleaning solution was applied to the floor and left to dwell for 20 minutes, allowing it time to penetrate the stone. Then, using my 17” rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad, I proceeded to deep clean the tiles, leaving them looking immediately cleaner and more vibrant. Any resulting cleaning residue was promptly soaked up using a wet vacuum. The process was repeated in the more stubborn areas, and I gave the floor a final rinse with water and left it to dry. Typically, we would leave a 12 to 24 hour drying period, depending on whether there is a damp proof membrane installed. However, this floor had underfloor heating and so dried really quickly, allowing me to seal it on the same day. The customer wished to have a matt, natural finish for the Yorkstone tiled living room, so I applied two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow, our impregnating sealer which offers a natural, no-sheen look for textured floors, while providing durable protection against ingrained dirt and stains. As the name of the product suggests, Colour Grow contains colour intensifying properties which really helped to accentuate the rich variety of colours in the customer’s Yorkstone tiles. The results were fantastic and you can see from the water test we performed after the sealer dried how water now bubbles up on the surface of the stone. Ronnie Phipps East Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone,Crystallized glass panel

China Marmoglass Co.,Limited

Home > Products Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone 6 Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone,Crystallized glass panel Marmoglass,Nanoglass,Marmoglass Composite Collectively referred to as Crystallized Glass Crystallized Glass Application: 1). Interior & external wall cladding 2). Flooring Tile, Stair, Column cladding 3). Basin, Countertop, Table, Bar 4). bath, Kitchen, any tops, round pillar and furniture decoration etc . Crystal white is a kind of artificial stone . It is made of glass ,which should be burned in the oven for two days under the more than 1000C temperature . It is much different from natural stone from all sides. 1. Natural and soft texture, 2. Varied colors such white, beige, carrara white 3. Good weather resisting property and durability 4. Zero percent of water absorption , not be polluted easily 5. Green environmental building material 6. High-intensity, light weight 7. Bending formation, economical, time saving 8. scratch resistant ,withstand high-heat . More details about it : 1. There are more than 10 colors of crystallized glass panel products available: Pure white, yellow, silver yellow, silver grey, grey in white, grey spot white, USA grey spot white, yellow in white…. 2. Panel thickness: 10-30MM 3. Normal specifications (mm): 1800*3000*18 1200*2400*18 600*600*18 1200*1200*18 1600*2400*18 1800*3000*30 800*800*18 1000*1000*18 Thin tiles: 305*305*12mm, 450*450*12mm 457*457*12mm, 400*400*12mm 600*600*12mm 1200*2400*12mm 4. Material: crystal quartz sand 5. Packaging: Fumigated wooden crates, Bundles,foam 6. Brand name: China Marmoglass / Nanoglass 7. Place of origin: Xiamen, Fujian ,China 8. Model NO.: GS001, SN002, NANO2009, NNAO2011 9. Supply ability: 20000M2/MONTH, 30TON/DAY 10. Delivery time: generally within 10 days, after the order confirmed and the deposit received 11. Arc panel specifications (mm): Thickness: 18-30mm Diameter : 30cm-120cm 1.What is crystallized glass stone(Marmoglass SN002 )? The micro crystal stone is an innovative product designed as a substitute for the rare natural white marble. It is superior to the natural white marble in terms of characteristics, where the micro crystal stone possesses extreme density making it anti-breakage, giving it zero water absorption qualities, and making it resistant to acidic and alkaline substances. at the pace that mankind is consuming the natural resources in today’s world, the micro crystal stone is the ultimate solution, the superior alternative for the external and internal applications. It is certainly a revolutionary product and the finest construction material of the 21st century. 2.Why choose crystallized glass stone(Marmoglass SN002)? The micro-crystal stone, also known as the micro-crystal glass, Marmoglass, is a new type of high-level decoration material. It is derived from natural inorganic material through a high temperature process, and it possesses excellent characteristics including the followings: 1. High Performance The micro-crystal stone has even texture and high density, which makes it crush resistant, anti-bending and high resistant resulting its performance being higher than natural stone. It can be used for long period with minimal damage. 2. Acid-proof alkalinity and anti-corrosion Not only does the micro-crystal stone posses special micro-crystal characteristics, it also has special glass features such as a fine texture, shiny surface and light reflection effect. 3. Fine Texture We have the flexibility to manufacture any colors as per customer requirements while also making up the defect of color differences, which exists in natural stone. While the product is widely used for interior and interior decoration of star-level hotels, subways, local landmark buildings, airports, and office building etc, it is more suitable for high-level home decoration. 4. Pollution-resistance and easy maintenance The micro-crystal is a kind of inorganic crystalline material with stable chemical characteristics. Its acid proof alkalinity and anti-corrosion nature are superior to nature stone, specifically its anti-weather characteristics whereby it is unaffected by the wind or sunlight. 5.A wide application range The water absorption rare of micro-crystal is quite low, close to zero. Several types of dirty pulps and dyed solution have difficulty in penetrating it. Any dirt on the surface is easily cleaned and it is convenient to mankind. 6. Heat-bend reformation With the heating method, the micro-crystal can be made into various arched profiles and arched slabs. the process is simple and it allows us to save time, cost, material and resources. 7. No radioactive elements In the process of manufacturing the micro-crystal stone, we have integrated the elimination of all the harmful radioactive elements that are found in natural stone from its components. It is therefore the safest and most environmentally friendly building material in our modern world. Crystallized glass can be processed into slab, tile, countertop, column and vanity top, wash basin and etc. It is applicable for flooring, interior and exterior wall cladding, stairs and table. Contributed to the character of no color difference, so it is widely used for top grade hotel, business building shopping mall and such great construction. Physical Parameter Density 2.70 g/cm Water Absorption 0.01% Compressive Strength 126 Mpa Radioactive Class A (Suitable for indoor and outdoor) Size Slabs 2400/2600/2800/3000 x 1800/1600/1400/1500mm Cut-to-size Tiles 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 80 / 100cm X 30 /40/50 /60/80 /100cm 12"x12", 24"X12", 24"x24" or customized size Thickness 1.2cm,1.8cm (3/4'), 2.0cm, 2.5cm, 3.0cm, Finishing Polished, honed Usage Flooring, Walls, Stairs / Steps, Counter tops, Vanity, Paving / Curbstone, Pillar, Column, Border, Skirting, Window Sills Quality Control Thickness Tolerance +- 1mm; Polishing Grade above 100 degree Crack / Spot EU / US Standard: zero QC Standard AQL2.5/4.0 ITS Certificate CE, ISO, GB/T19001-2008 Advantage 1. Own factory with stable supply; 2. Factory direct with good price and prompt delivery; 3. Good Management System for good quality; 4. Value-added service. large glass white artificial stone of Packing Inner Packing Cover with foam and plastic film, corner paper board protection Individual Carton Individual carton packing with trademark is available upon request Outer Packing Plastic tapes in 6 sides, further strengthened with iron sheet in the corner Shipping Mark OEM Port of Loading Xiamen Port of China Delivery Lead Time Normally 10-15 days for one 20’ GP, faster delivery is available upon confirmation Trade Term FOB, CFR, CIF, etc. Loading Info. Thickness Qty per pallet Pallets per 20ft container QTY per 20ft container Square Meter per 20ft container Weight per 20ft container Big slab size 3000*1200mm 12mm 25pcs 7 175pcs 600-900 m2 21000kgs 3000*1400mm 15mm 20pcs 7 175pcs 500-700 m2 21000kgs 3000*1600mm 20mm 15pcs 7 105pcs 350-500 m2 21000kgs 3200*1600mm 30mm 10pcs 7 70pcs 250-358 m2 21000kgs Installation Recommendations Wall Cladding 1.Wall should be leveled and cleaned, 2.Fix the panel on the wall with wire and expansion screw tightly, 3.Fill the space between the panel and the wall with cement mortar of ratio 1:3, 4.Clean the extra mortar and dirt on the surface. Floor Installation 1.Mark out the baseline of gound level, 2.Mix the mortar with ratio of 1 cement to 4 sand to have semi-day mortar, 3.Lay the mixed mortar in level with a layer of 3-4cm thickness,place the tile over the mortar and adjust the height properly to be leveled, 4.Remove the tile after level adjustment.Put a thin layer of cement powder on the mortar and add water on it to become wet, 5.Put the tile on top and gently knock with rubber hammer until it sealed with the mortar properly. Make sure the tile is leveled and has the same space between each other. Those tiles which are not leveled with others should be removed and repeat the leveling procedure in step 4.Genetally,the space between two tiles should be 2mm for water evaporation and normal expansion. Daily maintenance of Micro Crystal Stone 1.The laying area of micro crystal stone can only be opened for use or stacking any item on top after at least 24 hours of filling the gap, 2.The ground must be covered with plywood or carpet for protection in case of doing other decoration work after the installation of micro crystal stone floor, 3.In areas like exit and entrance, the surface of micro crystal stone floor should be covered by carpet or plywood to protect it from the damage of abrasion of sand or other hard material. 4.Do not use general floor wax on micro crystal stone,General floor wax is an oil-based wax which is easily stuck to dust. 5.Please use rubber wheels for shopping cart and trolley on micro crystal stone floor, for the hard wheel may scratch and damage the surface, 6.Regular care and maintenance is the key for long lasting of micro crystal stone’s high glossy and reflection. Important Notice 1.Make sure the ground of laying area is dry and clean before laying mortar. The ratio 1:3(volume ratio) must be strictly followed and no extra water added during the installation progress 2.In the choice of using white cement as the filling material, the strength and quality of the cement must be checked properly. 3.It is not recommended to store micro crystal stone outdoor for long time. It should be covered with rock wool in winter and moved into indoor 2 hours in advance before installation. It also needs to be covered with waterproof cloth when installing during the rainy days outdoor, 4.When using micro crystal stone as ground floor,2mm wild gap must be left between the joints for the benefit of the water vaporization and physical expansion. In the case of large-scale installation, it is recommended to leave an 8mm expansion joint, 5.It is recommended that the area of micro crystal stone to remain-not used-for at least 24 hours and kept 2-3 days before passing or storing items on top. Marmoglass Polished Edge, Shining ! China Marmoglass SN002 Slabs Packing and Ready for ship We not only make Slabs, we also can make: - Project Tiles - Countertop - Tabletop - Vanitytop - Column Tags: Marmoglass, Crystallized glass panel, nano crystallized glass panel, pore marmoglass, pore crystallized glass panel, Artificial Stone, Hole-Free Micro Crystal Stone, Pure white stone, Crystallized glass tile, Crystal glass tile, pure white artificial white marble, Marmo Glass, Glass Marble, White Marble, Marmoglass, nano marmoglass, no pore marmoglass, non-pore crystallized glass panel, glass marble, white marble, crystal white marble, white stone, white marble tile, Micro-crystal stone, Crystallized glass, Crystallized White Stone, Crystallized White Stone, Micro-crystallized composite tile, Hole-Free Micro Crystal Stone, Micro-crystallized composite tile, White Marble Tiles, pure white marble China Marmoglass SN002 Strong Packing Crates China Marmoglass SN002 and Nanoglass NANO3 Container Loading Welcome to our product page of China Marmoglass, in which you can find detailed information of Marmoglass. China Marmoglass Co.,Limited offer Crystallized White Marmoglass is good in quality and competitive in price. China Marmoglass Co.,Limited is the manufacturer and supplier of Marmoglass,White Crystallized Glass Panel,Nanoglass. Crystallized Glass Stone,Crystallized Glass Panel,Crystallized Glass Stone Tile,Crystallized Glass Stone Countertop,Marmoglass also known as Nanoglass and White Crystallized Glass,Marmoglass, Crystallized Glasss is the popular materials for interior and exterior applications, including kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, commercial foyer wall claddings, etc. China Marmoglass Co.,Limited is the Manufacturer and export Crystallized Glass and Crystallized Glass products. Crystallized Glass can be used Interior & external wall cladding, Flooring Tile, Stair, Column cladding, Basin, Countertop, Table, Bar, bath, Kitchen, any tops, round pillar and furniture decoration etc. Super White Nanoglass Slab, You Can Buy Various High Quality Super White Nanoglass Slab Products from Super White Nanoglass Slab Suppliers and Super White Nanoglass Slab Manufacturers at Chinamarmoglass.com

Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone,Crystallized glass panel

China Marmoglass Co.,Limited

Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone,Crystallized glass panel

China Marmoglass Co.,Limited

Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone,Crystallized glass panel

China Marmoglass Co.,Limited

Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone,Crystallized glass panel

China Marmoglass Co.,Limited

Crystallized Glass,Crystallized stone,Crystallized glass panel

China Marmoglass Co.,Limited

Six Day Cleaning And Sealing Of Limestone Bathrooms And Hallway In Brighton

Tile Doctor Ltd

This was a substantial engagement at a luxury rental apartment in Brighton rejuvenating the Limestone tiles in two bathrooms and a hallway taking six days of hard work. In addition, I would be working around two decorators, making for even more testing work conditions. I first set to work on the smallest bathroom, which featured limestone tiles from floor to ceiling, as well as a large bath, copper sink and a tiled surround. Limestone is a very popular choice for interior and exterior decoration, but the tiles in this bathroom were in need of some care to get them looking their best again. My initial task was to strip away any previous sealer by hand; this was done using a mixture of warm water and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which, along with Limestone, is also suitable for use on other types of natural stone, such as Granite, Slate and Travertine. Pro-Clean serves both as an effective stripper and cleaner, meaning that once the sealer had been stripped away, the tiles also received a thorough clean. Once I had cleaned the tiles, I sucked up any excess water and residue using a Wet-Dry Vac machine. Since the tiles would have to be left to dry for a couple of days, I offered to restore the copper sink for the customer, even though this was not actually part of my job description. After conducting some research into copper cleaning, I opted to use a combination of lemon juice, vinegar and salt. The research paid off as, once I began to apply the solution to the sink, the bright orange and brown colours of the copper quickly rose to the surface. Within the space of an hour, I had transformed what initially appeared to be a ruined sink into a lovely, shimmering copper feature for the bathroom. Both the decorators and I were truly amazed at the results – but all credit goes to Google! The larger of the two bathrooms was a much stiffer test for the Tile Doctor products. It had not been left in great condition, as the shower area had clearly not been sealed correctly, and the tiles had been left in such a manner that soap scum from shampoos, soaps and shower gels had built up on the window sill. In fact, the damage was significant enough that I had to explain to the customer before starting the work that whilst I could greatly improve the appearance of the tiles, I would not be able to restore them to new. This is because many shampoo and body wash products are acidic and can cause permanent damage to stone work especially when left to dwell for a long time. My choice of product was Tile Doctor Mould Away, a formula which, over time, seeps deeply into the pores of the stone, effectively lifting away the muck. In cases of particularly stubborn areas, it is necessary to apply another covering of Mould Away and leave it for an extended period of time. This is exactly what I did over the next few days, leaving the product overnight to work its magic. The change was certainly drastic, if not perfect. As both bathrooms required extended periods of drying, I spent two days working on the hallway, which had been partially covered with a plastic sealing for the previous six months due to building work. Needless to say, the hallway was in need of a good clean. I set about cleaning the hallway with a solution of warm water and Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, before once again using a Wet-Dry Vac machine to remove any excess water to prepare the floor for sealing at a later point. It is very important to remove any residue of cleaning solution before sealing, as this may impact the performance of the sealer. Following this, I left the hallway to dry for two days, providing the builders with strict instructions to cover it with blankets for protection while they were working. While the floor was drying, I sealed the bathrooms – both now fully dried – with Tile Doctor Colour Grow Sealer, a solvent-based sealer that was highly effective at enhancing the colour of the brown tiles around the sinks. The product will also provide durable surface protection. I spent the final of the six days sealing the hallway floor with Tile Doctor Seal & Go, which provides both a stain-resistant surface seal and a durable, low-sheen finish. This was an ideal choice of product, as the customer requested a hard-wearing, yet shiny finish. The hard work really paid off, as both the customer and the decorators were very impressed with the final results in the two bathrooms and the hallway. I was extremely pleased that I was able to complete this big job to the highest possible standards.

Restoration of a Carpet Covered Victorian Tiled Hallway in Masham

Tile Doctor Ltd

I was contacted by a homeowner who had moved into a property in the small Yorkshire market town of Masham and discovered a Victorian tiled floor under the hallway carpet. Realising this was a valuable period feature he was keen to see if it could be restored. As you can imagine he was delighted when I told him that it should be possible, and he was keen to get it uncovered and back on show. After discussing the floor on the phone, I visited the property and removed the carpet so we could take a long look at the Victorian tile’s underneath. The carpet had protected the floor well and it was in good physical order, (i.e. no cracks etc.) it was just very dirty but was also marked with paint splashes from some untidy decorating work from the past. I confirmed none of these issues should present a problem and got the go ahead for the work to start. There was no sealer on the floor, so I started the cleaning process using a medium dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was worked into the tiles using a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer. I then used a 400-grit hand-held diamond block to clean the edges which couldn’t be reached by the machine. This also removed the paint splashes which should have been on the skirting boards and not the floor! The floor was then rinsed with water and the soil extracted with a wet vacuum. I was able to inspect the floor at this stage and spot treat areas that needed more work as they were a little stubborn. It wasn’t a large hallway and except for the paint it only needed a light clean. The result was I was able to complete the cleaning process by lunch time. I dried the floor as much as possible and left an air blower in the space for a couple of hours. I returned later that afternoon and checked the floor for moisture using a damp meter. The floor was mostly dry, but some areas needed some more help with a heat gun. It was late summer and so still warm and so there was no need on this occasion to leave the floor overnight. Once I was happy the floor was dry, I started sealing the tiles with the first of four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go. This is a specially formulated water-based blend of acrylic polymers that provides both a stain resistant surface seal and a durable low-sheen finish. It is perfect for a floor of this age as it allows moisture vapour to pass through, this is an important feature when considering a sealer for old floors which will not have a damp-proof membrane installed. If you were to apply a non-breathable sealer moisture can get trapped under the floor causing it to spread out to the walls resulting in rising damp. The combination of the cleaning and new sealer brought the floor back to life and it now looked in keeping with the rest of the property which had numerous other period features. My client was over the moon with the difference and very happy to see the back of the grubby carpet. Nigel Stoker North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Thorough Clean And Seal Of Dirty Slate Tiled Kitchen Floor In Crowborough

Tile Doctor Ltd

I was recently contacted by a client who had just moved into a house in Crowborough, a town in East Sussex which by the way was once home to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories. The riven Slate tiled floor in the kitchen had trapped bits of dirt and also food which had become ingrained in the tile. Needless to say, the new homeowner wanted to give the kitchen floor a thorough clean. However, she had tried every cleaning product she could find in the supermarket, but to no avail. Struggling to find a solution she sought out professional assistance and naturally I was happy to help. My first task was to mix up a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. The product was only slightly diluted with water, since the floor was quite heavily soiled and a higher concentration of Pro-Clean was needed to help remove several layers of dirt and food waste. Once applied to the floor, the solution was left to dwell for roughly five minutes before I began to work it into the stone with a deck brush. I did the best I could here to clean the floor without using my buffing machine as, since the floor was riven, my black buffing pad would have been ruined by the ridges. Making up for the lack of a buffing machine, I made sure to scrub the floor with Pro-Clean for several hours to remove as much grime as possible. One the cleaning was finally completed I rinsed the floor several times with clean, hot water. I then used a wet-dry vac machine to remove any excess moisture to clear the floor for sealing when I returned 48 hours later. Upon leaving, I left my client with instructions to avoid spilling anything on the floor as, again, any liquid left on the surface might affect the performance of the sealer. After a period of two days, I returned to commence the sealing. My choice of sealer was Tile Doctor Seal & Go, which is suitable for use on internal, unsealed surfaces such as Slate, textured Quarry, Victorian tile, and others. Seal and Go is also a water based sealer so you there’s very little smell given off whilst it dries compares to solvent based sealers. In this case, the client did not want the surface of the floor to be too shiny, so I only used two coatings of Seal & Go, whereas for a shinier result I would have used a few more. My client was exceptionally pleased with the results, which had not only cleaned the floor but brought out the beautiful colours in the stone that had once been hidden under several layers of muck.

Quick and Effective Bath Tile Refresh in Edinburgh

Tile Doctor Ltd

Here’s a quick example of an interesting tiled shower cubicle at a property in Edinburgh that was well overdue for a refresh, including deep cleaning and recolouring do the grout lines that had become stained and mouldy. This is a problem that the majority of property owners experience due to the simple fact that shower cubicles come into contact with damaging acid-based shampoos and soaps on a daily basis. The short-term solution for this is to wash the shower cubicle down with water after each use, however busy people do not always remember to do so! The prognosis is bad discolouration, mould growth and staining if the problem if proper care isn’t taken. In this case, the problem had worsened to the point that the property owner decided to contact Tile a Doctor to provide a thorough refresh of the tiles. Our process for refreshing shower cubicles in a similar state to this one is simple, but highly effective. I started by mixing a strong solution of our high alkaline cleaner, known as Tile Doctor Pro Clean (diluted to an appropriate level with water), before applying it directly to the tile and grout. Next, I worked it in using specialised handheld grout brushes , with the alkaline in the Pro Clean neutralising the acidic staining and mould growth had leaving the area clean and fresh. Pro Clean is suitable for use on all kinds of natural stone, and on both verticals and horizontal surfaces. Once satisfied the grout had been cleaned to the best of my abilities, I quickly dried the entire area using a heat gun. To restore the appearance of the installation back to it’s optimal appearance I chose to recolour the grout lines with our Light Grey grout colourant, which matched in very nicely. This is just one of ten different colours of grout colourant we offer. The colourant was left to dry for a short period before I cleaned off any excess. The final stage of the refresh involved stripping off the old discoloured silicone from around the bath and replacing it with fresh silicone. The customer was very impressed by the speed and efficiency of the refresh. With the work completed to a high standard in just a few hours, she now has one less problem to worry about – and a very smart looking shower cubicle! Another satisfied customer. Thomas Wilson Edinburgh Tile Doctor

Spanish Terracotta Tiles Refreshed in Halifax

Tile Doctor Ltd

Terracotta is an interesting type of stone manufactured using a variety of techniques dependant on the country of origin which leads to a number of differences such as Spanish Terracotta being less porous than its Mexican counterpart: the former is semi-hand made and finished in a factory kiln, while the latter is completely handmade. Spanish Terracotta is therefore a lot less than porous and ultimately, of a higher quality. But despite the Spanish Terracotta being less porous, and therefore being less prone to ingrained dirt, it still, like any other stone, needs regular maintenance to keep it looking smart. In the tiling trade, we quite often refer to this as a good old fashioned ‘Clean and Seal’ and this is exactly what was requested by this property owner in Halifax, for their Spanish Terracotta tiled floors in the kitchen and adjacent hallway. I cleaned both sets of Terracotta tiles using the same process, which involved the application of our reliable alkaline cleaner known as Tile a Doctor Pro Clean, diluted with five parts of warm water. Once the solution had been left to dwell for a short period, it was scrubbed into the tiles to remove all dust, dirt, and general muck. This created a slurry of cleaning residue, which I promptly soaked up using a wet vac. A wet vac machine is an essential tool when it comes to cleaning porous tiles since, unlike a traditional mop and bucket, it sucks the excess trapped dirt out of the clay and thus provides a superior clean. Following this, I applied a small amount of our heavy duty remover, known as Tile Doctor Remove & Go, to deal with some of the more stubborn stains and paint splashes, before rinsing with clean water and wet vaxing in a similar fashion to before. Once the clean had been completed I left the tiles to dry completely. This can take 12 to 24 hours depending on numerous factors including whether a Damp proof Membrane and underfloor heating has been installed which can really help reduce drying times. Letting the tiles dry completely before sealing is paramount as moisture can cloud the sealer and affect its performance. Upon my return to the property I ran some quick damp tests, which revealed the tiles were ready to be sealed. I then applied several coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go, our topical sealer which provides a satin finish and accentuates colour. A new coat of this product is recommended every six months on Terracotta to ensure the continuous protection of the tiles’ soft clay particles. My customer was extremely pleased with her refreshed Terracotta tiles. It goes to show what a big difference a bit of regular maintenance can make. I advised the customer that an everyday cleaner called Tile Doctor pH Neutral cleaner can also be used regularly to keep the tiles looking great without damaging the sealer. Nigel Stoker North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Quarry & Marble Floor Tiles Renovated at a 12th Century Church in Wantage

Tile Doctor Ltd

Did you know that Wantage, the town in Oxfordshire where I completed this job, is the birthplace of Alfred the Great? The town is certainly a historic area – in fact, I was contacted by the warden of a church dating back to the 12th century, who asked Tile Doctor Oxfordshire to help restore the building’s flooring, consisting of Quarry and Marble tiles. This is an interesting mix of hard wearing and high end tiles, and while the floor was in dire need of a deep clean, it could be restored back to looking fantastic once again. The church has recently undergone a complete refurbishment with the help of a grant from lottery money. We were called after the builders had finished their work, to restore the floor to the finish required by the church warden. His specification was to provide the Marble with a Matt finish and the Quarry tiles with a sheen finish. The floor was, at one point in its history, covered in carpet which had been taken up, no doubt exposing many years’ worth of muck. My first task was to clean the floor with a diluted solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean, a high alkaline cleaner safe to use on tile and stone. This was left to dwell for a short period to seep into the tile, before being scrubbed in to remove the initial layers of muck. The resulting residue was promptly vacuumed away. To tackle the tougher areas of soil buildup, I opted to use Tile Doctor Nanotech HBU which was spread over the floor and left to dwell for about 30 minutes. This product differs from most cleaners in that it uses nano-sized cleaning particles to deal with difficult to reach dirt ingrained in the stone. I then rinsed the area with water and vacuumed this up. Due to the substantial size of the church floor I had to work in multiple sections, and so the cleaning process took three days to complete. After finishing, I left the church for a few days to allow the floor time to dry. When I returned to the church I checked the floor with a damp meter and was satisfied that it was dry enough to seal. First, I sealed the Marble tiles with Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer suitable for use on high end stone such as Marble and Limestone. I applied two coats, leaving a few hours between coats; this brought the colour back without a high shine, as per the church warden’s request. The next day I returned to seal the Quarry tiles, this time using Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra which is a topical sealer specially formulated to lea e a nice sheen as requested. I applied several thin coats of the sealer to build up solid protection on the floor. The warden was extremely pleased with the finished floor, leaving the following feedback: “We found the Tile Doctor online and watched some of the very helpful slideshows on YouTube. The Victorian Quarry tiles in our 12th century church had been covered with carpet for many years and needed a thorough clean and polish at the end of our major restoration project. Barry was very quick to respond to our enquiry and over the course of a week he did a brilliant job on our tiles. We’re delighted with the results, just in time for our reopening service with our bishop and MP.” Barry Woodward Oxfordshire Tile Doctor

Restoring an Edwardian Quarry Tiled Bathroom Floor in Braunstone

Tile Doctor Ltd

This is a job I recently completed in the small town of Braunstone, which lies just outside the city boundaries of Leicester, Leicestershire. My client wanted a restorative cleaning and sealing service for their very old Quarry tiled bathroom floor, which dates back to the Edwardian period. The floor was suffering from paint and adhesive staining, and was now in dire need of a thorough clean more generally along with a fresh seal to protect it from further damage. I treated the floor in the first instance Tile Doctor Remove & Go which is a powerful stripper that breaks down old sealers remaining on the floor, as well as inherent paint and adhesive contamination. Remove & Go also contains cleaning properties which allows it to draw out ingrained dirt from the stone, lifting it to the surface. The product was applied to the floor and allowed to dwell for approximately thirty minutes prior to agitation with a hand-held rotary polisher fitted with a small black stripping pad. The resulting slurry was promptly removed using a wet vacuum machine and our specialist Tile Doctor Acid Gel was then applied to the floor. Acid Gel is a blend of phosphoric and hydrochloric acids in gel form, and is specially formulated to treat grout haze and efflorescence on both wall and floor tiles. Readers should be aware that this product is not suitable for use on acid-sensitive stone tiles such as Marble, Limestone and Travertine as it can potentially cause severe etching. In this case Acid Gel was left to dwell for ten minutes prior to agitation. This was effective in removing the white efflorescence salt staining that was present in several concentrated areas. Once again, the resulting slurry was vacuumed away, and the entire floor was rinsed with clean water. The floor was left to dry for roughly twenty four hours before I returned to seal the floor. My choice of sealer in this case was Tile Doctor Colour Grow, a colour enhancing, impregnating sealer. The sealer will help to protect the tiles from soil ingress, and both water and oil based spills. As you can see from the ‘Before’ and ‘After’ photographs, a marked difference was made to the appearance of this Quarry tiled floor. A professional and carefully thought out approach was taken to tackling the innate problems, particularly relating to efflorescence and paint and adhesive staining, and my client was extremely pleased with the results. Kay Sylvester Leicestershire Tile Doctor

Cedar Deck Restoration

Eco Star Painting

Step #1 Apply BM CLEAN As you can see in the 'Before' picture above, this cedar deck was extremly dirty. This required an extra step in comparison to the typical deck stripping process. My paint rep at Benjamin Moore recommended a product called CLEAN. It comes in one gallon plastic containers and can be applied out of a plastic pail or with a garden sprayer. We used a Garden sprayer and chose a flat tip for application. The three gallon garden sprayer was filled with 2 gallons of water and one gallon of the CLEAN solution. This is a strong mixture and can be reduced to up to 6 parts water and one part of the Benjamin Moore CLEAN. This approximately 22x20 deck had a board running perpindicular to the rest of the floor boards which divided it into 2 equal parts. Our method was to apply the solution to 3-4 of these 10' boards at a time. Allow it to set up for a few minutes and then scrub away with the deck brush. The agitation loosens up the dirt and grime and is then removed with a pressure washer a board a time. The flat tip on the pressure washer was almost the same width as the floor board. It is important to clean the sides of the board too because any remaining dirt or stain will be visible. Benjamin Moore Deck Restoration products named Clean,Restore,brighten Step #2 Apply BM RESTORE The second step is exactly the same as the first step but with a different solution called Benjamin Moore RESTORE. The deck was dry before we started the 2nd step becuase it was baking hot outside. You use the same 2/1 mixture of water to chemical. This chemical will remove the stain still present in the deck floor. Make sure to rinse the garden sprayer clean before adding the restore solution. Unlike the BM CLEAN, the BM RESTORE has an orange-ish color in appearance. It did a fine job of removing most of the stain, but not 100% of it. There were a few areas that required a 3rd coat of restore but the process was quicker. Step #3 Apply BM BRIGHTEN The third step is exactly the same as the first two step but the chemical solution used was Benjamin Moore 'BRIGHTEN'. Again, the garden sprayer was cleaned and filled with 2 parts water and one part Brighten. The brightener not only lightens the wood but it also neutralizes the previous stripper solution. As stated before the Restore adds a bit of color and the Brighten will remove any traces of it. you still have to agitate the brightener with a scrub brush and either pressure wash it off or use a garden hose. We used the pressure washer for faster results. After it dries the wood look a lot brighter but we still found some spots of stain that had not come off. Apply Sikkens Stain As stated above the stain we used is called "Sikkens Proluxe" which is basically just a slight re-branding of the classic Sikkens Stain. The formula is exactly the same. In fact, the secondary name is still called 'Cetol' SRD RE. The color chosen was "CEDAR". The weather was quite hot for a typical Calgary Spring day so we stained a 10' section of floor board at a time. The deck has a metal railing so the supporting feet had to be brushed in with a 2.5" natural bristle paint brush. for the rest of the job a 6" Wooster natural bristle deck brush was used. The handle was remove and a broom handle was inserted. The stain was stirred frequently and poured into a plastic Simms brand roller pan. Semi transparent Oil based stain has the consistency of water so you need to be careful not to spill any of it. When applying to a board you hit the sides first with the brush and then fillin the rest. Ten feet of floor board can be stain in a short period of time. it's important not to leave any streaks so it is adviseable to back-brush the entie length before moving on to the next board. The staining only took about 2.5 hours to complete. One coat is the manufacturers recommendation. One last thing about Sikkens Stain. To maintain this beautiful look the deck should be re- coated once a year, preferably every spring. It's like applying sunscreen yearly to protect the wood against further damage. Two gallons was enough to cover this 450 sq foot deck.