Search results for "Neutralize acids" in Home Design Ideas

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. For Phase 1, we ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture.

Tropical Gardenia fragrance on a cold hardy, easy care plant. Jubilation flowers from spring through fall with masses of white blooms. Plant near patios, porches, decks, and other outdoor living areas where the fragrance can be enjoyed.
Features
Feature/Bloom White flowers in spring, reblooming summer to fall
Evergreen or Deciduous evergreen
USDA Zones Hardy to 0°F USDA 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Sunset Zones 7-9, 12-16, 18-24
Special Features Fall blooming, reblooming, dwarf, attracts birds/butterflies, aromatic
Landscape Use Accent, container, mass planting, slope, hedge
Exposure Full sun to part shade
Bloom Season Spring, summer, fall
Dimension 3-4 ft H x 3-4 ft W
Growth Rate Moderate to fast
Plant Type evergreen
About the Collection
Brought to you by the authority on Western gardening, the Sunset Western Garden Collection is an exclusive plant collection of top performing plants for the Western Gardener.

Geo Tomato Cage by TerraTrellis. Sturdy, sculptural support for edibles like tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant or ornamental plants. Set on flat, level garden earth or on patio surface with container plant. Beautiful sculptural effect.
Find the right local pro for your project

Pontcanna is a popular residential area in the western district of Cardiff, in South East Wales. Known for its rather large houses and spectacular foliage, interestingly enough roughly a quarter of the population are English folk.
I was called down to a property in the area to take a look at a Victorian tiled floor which was in quite poor condition. Along with the typical amount of dirt and muck seen on poorly maintained tiles, there were a number of missing tiles and a fair bit of cement caked on the surface of the floor.
It would require a robust clean, fresh seal, and several repairs to get this floor back into optimum condition.
To begin, I checked for excess moisture problems using a damp meter in various places of the hallway floor and, thankfully, it was showing dry results. Any dampness could have potentially caused problems later on in the restoration process, so it was s good idea to run tests before starting.
Next, I manually scraped as much of the dry paint and cement off the tiles as possible, with no lubrication necessary. I then proceeded to clean the floor with a solution I mixed early, consisting of equal parts Tile Doctor NanoTech HBU and Tile Doctor Pro Clean, rinsing as I went. Both products are designed to tackle heavy soil build-up, with the former uniquely using nano-sized particles (as the product name suggests) to penetrate deep into difficult to reach areas in the tiles in order to lift out ingrained muck.
Following the initial clean, I removed all of the loose tiles and those heavily affected by cement, before retiling as necessary with fresh Victorian tiles, and grouting the whole floor. Of course, these replacement tiles were carefully sourced to ensure consistency, as far as possible, with the original pattern of the floor.
The next day, I went over the whole floor with an application of the acid-based Tile Doctor Grout Clean Up, diluted with a little alkaline Pro Clean to form a cleaning solution. I then used a black pad to scrub the cleaner into the tiles, similarly to the previous day’s cleaning. This was followed by a through rinse with water to neutralise the floor.
It was at this point that I noticed some stubborn cement stains remained so I set about breaking them down using a 60 grade hand held diamond polishing block, and this technique proved successful.
After completing the clean, I left the floor to dry out for roughly 24 hours. Upon my return to the property to seal the tiles, I tested again for moisture. It is recommended to run damp tests before sealing, as excess moisture can cloud the sealer, affecting its performance in the long run.
Fortunately, no dampness was detected and I was proceeded to seal the floor with seven coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go, which enhances the natural colours in the stone and provides a nice satin gloss appearance, as requested by the customer.
I was extremely pleased with the results of this restoration, as was the customer. The extent of the soil build up and damage was such before the restoration that, after completion, the floor looked like it had been newly laid!
Julian Iancono
South East Wales Tile Doctor

This is an example of a small mediterranean full sun courtyard stone landscaping in Los Angeles.

Grout haze or grout smears as it is often called can be a huge problem when laying tiles. Grout haze is basically grout that has been left to dry on the surface of the tile after installation. It’s a common problem which is exacerbated by the use of quick drying products. Take for example this interesting Wood Effect Ceramic Tile installation at a house in Guildford following installation by a builder.
I was a bit slow in following up on the initial enquiry as we had been very busy so by the time, I got in touch I was told they had employed someone else to carry out the work. I apologised for my late response and said to call me if he needed help in the future. Three days later I got a call so we arranged a visit so that I could carry out a test and quote a price.
As it turns out the builder had returned and failed to remove the grout haze and so had a rival firm that seemed more interested in selling unnecessary sealer than fixing the problem. I was astonished to see what a state the builder had left his floor. Grout was all over the floor with footprints walked across thresholds and more. I could understand it if there was some grout was missed after installation but not to this level!
I carried out a successful test and confirmed to the customer that there was absolutely no need to rip and replace his £2k floor. We agreed a date to resolve the problem and to say he was relieved was an understatement!
The builders had used Mapei grout which contains polymers. Polymers offer better flexibility and adhesion, however in order to remove the grout haze we would first need to break down the polymers in the grout first and this is why the rival firm failed.
With that in mind, my first action was to apply Tile Doctor Remove and Go to the floor and leave it to dwell for five to ten minutes. I then worked it into the tile using a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine.
After washing the soil away with warm water and extracting with a wet vacuum I applied Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up to treat the grout. Grout Clean-up is an acid-based product that breaks down the grout so it can be rinsed away and extracted as before. Afterwards I rinsed the floor with warm water and extracted again to remove any trace of product and neutralise the floor. After removing as much moisture as possible with the wet vacuum I speed dried the tiles with a blower.
Ceramic tiles won’t accept a sealer so once the floor had dried the job was finished and it took less than a day.
The customer was over the moon with the difference. While his floor was in such a state, he has been unable to bring in new furniture as the serious possibility of removing the tiles was hanging over him.
Relieved that the problem was now resolved he kindly left the following review:
“I had a floor that had just been laid with very heavy grout haze. I had already had advice from two other professional floor cleaners who had advised me that the floor was irreparable and would need to be pulled up. As soon as I spoke with Rupert, it was clear he was extremely knowledgeable. He asked questions none of the other companies had. By understanding the specific nature of the problem, he was able to solve it by first removing the grout polymers and then applying an acid wash. The floor came up brilliantly. Rupert was the only person I spoke to that could fix this, everyone else told me I needed to replace my floor! Superbly knowledgeable, professional and did an excellent job. Don’t bother speaking to anyone else, just call Rupert! “
Rupert Mcleod
West Surrey Tile Doctor

These photographs below are of a Slate Tiled Kitchen floor taken at a customer’s house in Henley-on-Thames which, as its name suggests, sits alongside the River Thames in Oxfordshire. My client’s Slate kitchen floor had recently been cleaned with unsuitable cleaning products which I suspect impacted the sealer leaving it looking dull. Sealers really to improve the look of a stone floor so unsurprisingly once the sealer had been damaged my client had been unable to find a cleaning product that could have any kind of positive effect on the tiles.
It’s fairly well known that many supermarket quality cleaners are only really designed for use on Ceramic or Porcelain tiled floors as they contain acids which strip away at sealers and acid sensitive stone floors, leaving the stone beneath vulnerable. So your select a cleaning product for your floor always read the small print on the back of the label and make sure you avoid anything that mentions not for use on acid sensitive stone; belter still Tile Doctor have a number of products for cleaning tiled floors including Neutral Cleaner and Stone Soap.
To clean the floor and remove any remaining sealer I first made a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean which is a strong alkaline cleaner and then spread this over the floor, leaving it to dwell. This allows the cleaner to seep into the slate and get underneath, breakdown sealers and start to lift out ingrained dirt.
Following a dwelling period of roughly ten minutes, I agitated the floor periodically with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and scrubbed along the grout lines with a stiff grout brush. I then used a wet vacuum to extract the resultant slurry away and then followed up by rinsing the floor with clean water, and once again vacuumed up the residue.
Any stubborn areas were retreated until I was happy with the floor and then I left the floor to dry off completely overnight, in preparation for sealing the following day.
Upon my return to the house the following day, I ran some damp tests on different parts of the floor to check for any excess moisture which could potentially damage the performance of the sealer. Once I was satisfied that the floor was completely dry, I proceeded to seal the tiles using Tile Doctor Seal & Go. This will provide a robust surface seal for the future, along with an aesthetically pleasing low-sheen finish.
This sealer works particularly well on Slate tiles and, being a water-based sealant, additionally Seal & Go does not emit an unpleasant smell as it dries. Slate is quite a porous stone so I applied six coats of seal to provide long-lasting protection.
Barry Woodward
Oxfordshire Tile Doctor

Powder room with glam geometric wallpaper complimented with a vessel sink rustic vanity with riveted hardware. Counter top is quartz Viatera - Truffle. Mirror framed wall mirror.
Ryan Hainey

We were contacted by a customer in West Kirby who needed help renovating a Victorian tiled hallway in a house they had just purchased. Kirby is a desirable seaside location North of Heswall that expanded with the arrival of the railway in 1848. The railway brought a demand for property and so it’s not unusual to find housing stock in this area dating back to the Victorian era.
The Victorian tiles at this property appear to have been neglected by the previous owner and were now looking very dull and marked by paint from decorating; all the colours looked washed out and the floor was now looking very unappealing.
The good news however is that this problem is not uncommon and with a deep clean and a fresh sealer applied it can be transformed. I gave the owner a quote which was accepted a date agreed for my return to do the work.
On the first day the floor was sprayed with a neat solution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a powerful alkaline cleaning and stripping agent used to remove old seals and paint. The solution was left to dwell for about twenty minutes so it could soak in and get to work. It was then scrubbed into the tiles using a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a heavy buffing machine. Water was then added to the floor for lubrication and the soils released from the pores of the tile during scrubbing was removed by with a wet vacuum.
To treat the stubborn paint stains and remains of what I suspect was carpet adhesive a hand scraper and wire brush was used, this was made easier by the Remove and Go which had softened the paint etc.
The next stage was to give the Victorian tiles a mild acid wash using Acid Gel which is applied to the floor, scrubbed in, and rinsed off with a little water then extracted using the wet vacuum. We always recommend an acid wash for old floors like these as it will counter any efflorescent salts resident in the tiles and helps to remove other mineral contaminates and old grout that can mask the true beauty of the tiles.
I left the tiles to dry out for two days before returning to apply the sealer, first checking it was dry by testing for moisture in various places with an electronic damp tester. It’s not a good idea to apply a sealer to a damp floor so we always check first.
Satisfied the floor was dry, I started applying a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour enhancing impregnating sealer that helps to bring out the true colours in the tile. This was allowed to dry for thirty minutes and then followed up five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is a breathable sealer that leaves a lovely satin finish and builds on the protection.
Once done the Victorian hallway tiles looked so much cleaner and healthier. It was quite a transformation and the new sealer had given the floor a nice low sheen shine which the customer was very happy with.
For aftercare cleaning I left them with a bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is specially formulated for cleaning sealed tiles. We don’t recommend tile cleaning products you find on supermarket shelves as the are usually too strong and can strip a sealer off the floor prematurely. If your choosing another product to clean your floor always read the label to make sure its compatible.
Andrew Robb
Merseyside Tile Doctor

Adding a water feature with fire to your outdoor space makes a stunning statement. This is a glass fiber reinforced concrete bowl that recirculates water and includes a fire kit.

Daffodils and dwarf Andromeda brighten the spring landscape.
Austin Ganim Landscape Design, LLC
Design ideas for a traditional partial sun front yard landscaping in New York for spring.
Design ideas for a traditional partial sun front yard landscaping in New York for spring.

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare granite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!

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The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now.
We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare granite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture.

The home was a very outdated Southwest style with Aztec architectural elements, and it was time for a transformation to the beautiful modern style you see now. We ripped out all the flooring throughout, squared off and removed a lot of the Aztec styled elements in the home, redesigned the fireplace and opened up the kitchen. In the kitchen, we opened up a wall that made the kitchen feel very closed in, allowing us room to make a more linear and open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen and its new layout allowed us to create a large accent island that is truly a statement piece. Our clients hand selected every finish you see, including the rare quartzite that has beautiful pops of purple and waterfall edges. To create some contrast, the island has a pretty neutral taupe acrylic cabinetry and the perimeter has textured laminate cabinets with a fun white geometric backsplash. Our clients use their TV in their kitchen, so we created a custom built in just for their TV on the backwall. For the fireplace to now match the homes new style, we reshaped it to have sleek lines and had custom metal pieces acid washed for the center with stacked stone on the sides for texture. Enjoy!
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