Our team is loving this comprehensive redesign of a large enclosed dining room in this gorgeous century-old Arts & Crafts. Already stripped of its original details years ago, we were presented with a blank canvas and asked to design an Eastern-themed dining room with a contemporary flourish. The original swinging door from the butler's pantry and two sets of french doors leading to the dining room and an attached sun room were stripped and sanded in preparation for final finish, all rim joists were air-sealed with closed cell spf and the exterior stud bay was dense-packed with cellulose. To all but eliminate sound transmission from the ensuite guest bedroom above, we removed the existing drywall/plaster substrates, and installed sound clips, and hat channel fastened to 3/4" staggered seam plywood with all joints sealed. All joists spanning the room were reinforced with glued and lagged sisters . The mahogany shiplap ceiling was custom milled for us with a stepped tongue that allowed us to hide all fastners. The boards were prefinished with a polymerized tung oil and top coated with a medium sheen CAB acrylic lacquer. The walls are burnished plaster, and will be waxed. LED lighting is courtesy of a trio of Tom Dixon pendants, custom mirror-imaged Cerno wall lights, and WAC 2" recessed lights placed to enhance future artwork. Touch dimmers and receptacles are Legrand Adorne. Remaining work includes rebuilding the existing triple sashes, and finishing the floors and doors. The table is by Barlas Baylar and features a stunning matt lacquer walnut top and statuary bronze base.

Petr Krejci
Living room - transitional living room idea in London

Bucks and Spurs Kitchen, Photo Per Ranung
Example of a large danish l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen design in Stockholm with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, a single-bowl sink, wood countertops and metallic backsplash

I was recently called down to a client’s house in the market town of Wellingborough, situated approximately 11 miles from Northampton. My client’s situation was an interesting one, as she had an old gas pipe sticking out of her Victorian tiled floor, very close to a doorway. Not only was this a bit of an eyesore, it was also significant trip hazard. The floor had been previously covered by carpet, so it is understandable that my client would have been initially unaware of the obstructive gas pipe. Rather than risking an accident in the future, she asked me to see what I could do to rectify the issue. At the same time, I was commissioned to give the floor a much needed clean and re-seal. My first priority was, of course, to deal with the exposed gas pipe. I was unsure whether the pipe was live or not, so I carefully removed the surrounding tiles, allowing a certified engineer access to it. He ensured that the pipe was capped below the tile line, allowing me to safely proceed with my repairs. I returned a few days later, rescreened the area, and began to refit the tiles, carefully hand painting some of the black tiles to hide the damage and cracks. I also applied new grout to fix all of the replaced tiles into position, and this was left to set overnight. Returning to the house the next day, I set about treating the floor to a normal strip, clean and re-seal of the entire floor. There was very little old sealer still remaining on the tiles, so I mixed a solution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean and water, before applying this to the floor. Pro Clean is a strong alkaline cleaner which also contains stripping properties, allowing it to both clean and break down any old sealer. The solution was worked into the tiles using a black scrubbing pad, and any excess residue was quickly absorbed using a wet-vac machine. With older floors you never can tell if a damp proof membrane was installed and it can be troublesome applying a sealant to a damp floor so I left the whole floor to dry for seven days, giving it more than sufficient time to dry completely before the re-seal. To seal the tiles I used five coats of Tile Doctor Seal & Go Extra, which provides both a robust surface seal and the pleasing sheen finish requested by my client; Seal and Go Extra is especially suitable for exterior applications or damp floors due to its increased breathability. My client was very glad to see the back of the gas pipe and pleased with the overall results of the clean and seal, as it had given this Victorian tiled floor – once hidden under carpet – new life and character. Additionally I’m sure that restoring such an original feature for the property has increased its value. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

I was recently contacted by a client who had just moved into a large Victorian property in the West Cheshire village of Tarvin about renovating their Victorian tiled hallway. Apparently, the floor was in good condition, and it would just be a case of removing what was left of the old sealer, deep cleaning the tiles and then applying a fresh seal. Unless the floor has been regularly maintained with the same sealer it’s important to remove all traces of old sealers before applying fresh. Victorian Hallway Before Cleaning Tarvin Cheshire A lot of the work we do at Tile Doctor can be a lot more involved, often requiring the sourcing of matching replacement tiles and rebuilding large sections of tiled flooring so straight forward clean and seal job is always welcome. To remove what was left of the sealer and the ingrained dirt from the pores of the Victorian tile I dressed the floor with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. On this occasion I used a 1:3 dilution with water and applied it to the floor with a mop. I left it to soak into the tile for fifteen minutes before scrubbing so it could get to work breaking down the old sealer. During this time, I set up a weighted floor buffer and fitted a black buffing pad, these pads are designed for scrubbing hard floors and lifting out the dirt. I applied a little water as required during this process to ensure the pad was lubricated. Shortly the cleaning solution darkened as the old sealer and dirt was released from the tile. The soil was rinsed away with water and then removed using a wet vacuum. Once clear the floor was inspected and the process repeated until I was satisfied it was as clean as it could be and free of sealer. I left the floor to dry off overnight and returned the next day to apply a new sealer. Before doing so however I like to use a damp meter to take moisture readings from the floor. This is needed to ensure it is dry enough to seal which is important as any moisture in the tile can affect the sealer and lead to an inconsistent finish. To seal I started with the application of a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is a colour intensifying breathable impregnator that soaks into the tile improving appearance and adding protection from within. Any excess sealant was removed by wiping the floor with a microfibre cloth and then it was left to dry for an hour. This was followed with four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is an acrylic breathable sealer which adds a pleasing subtle shine to the tile. This is an important feature when choosing a sealer for old floors where moisture needs to be allowed to rise through the tile, otherwise it can become trapped under the floor and reach out to the walls causing rising damp. The customer was very happy with the revamped hallway which made the house a lot brighter and welcoming. Before closing I should mention that for aftercare cleaning I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral cleaner which is designed for the daily cleaning for sealed tiles, this is important as most domestic supermarket cleaners are simply too strong and can prematurely erode the sealer. Alastair Robb West Cheshire Tile Doctor

Eric Cantu Remodeling is constructing a 1,200 sq ft garage and custom workshop in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas, featuring 10-foot vaulted ceilings designed to accommodate heavy car lifts and a woodworking setup. This project includes a custom-reinforced monolithic foundation and high-performance closed-cell spray foam insulation, alongside an integrated 620 sq ft luxury covered patio. Less Project Specifications and Features The Preston Hollow garage addition is a highly specialized project designed for dual-purpose utility. Key technical details include: Structure: A 1,200 SQFT interior shop space with 10-foot plate heights and custom wood roof trusses. Foundation: A monolithic foundation with structural reinforcement and moisture barriers, specifically engineered for point-load requirements of automotive lifts. Insulation: The building envelope is sealed using closed-cell spray foam for high-performance climate control. Utilities: All utility loops were run directly through the studs during the framing phase to maintain a clean workspace. Outdoor Living: The addition features a 620 SQFT luxury patio that integrates seamlessly with the new structure. Construction Progress As of recently, the project has reached several major milestones: Site Prep: Completion of the foundation slab and moisture barriers. Framing: The structure is officially framed up with rough-ins complete. Interior Prep: Insulation is finished, and the project is ready for drywall. About Eric Cantu Remodeling Eric Cantu is a Dallas native specializing in classic North Dallas neighborhoods. Beyond the Preston Hollow workshop, the company offers: Luxury Garage Conversions: Transforming existing spaces into home gyms, guest suites, or ADUs. Attached Garage Additions: Custom builds tailored to the architectural style of North Dallas homes. Service Areas: Primarily serving Preston Hollow, University Park, and the wider DFW Metroplex. For inquiries or to view their Before and After gallery, you can reach the company at (972) 449-1951 or follow updates on their official subreddit.

I was contacted about a Georgian property in the Kent village of Leeds , to see if I could do anything to improve a Travertine tiled floor. The use of Travertine was extensive and had been installed throughout the ground floor including the kitchen, dining room, utility and bathroom WC. Travertine is probably my favourite stone, but it is acid sensitive and attracts dirt easily, due to its ‘holey’ composition. Initially we discussed the floor over the phone where I got to know about the issues they were experiencing, and I detailed the renovation process I normally use to restore it including the products and timelines. Naturally they wanted to me to provide a quote for the work however its tricky to do that accurately without seeing the floor, so I arranged a date to pop over. Upon arriving I could see the tiles and the wide grout joints had extensive, ingrained dirt indicating the previous sealer had long since worn away. This is a common issue with stone floors, and to re-assure myself and the client it could be resolved I cleaned a small area in the utility room with pleasing results! This test clean helped me to understand which products and methods would work best on the floor and later that day I emailed over a detailed quote for the renovation. Happy with the quote I received a reply the same day asking when I could start. My colleague and I arrived on the agreed date and work started with adding protection to all areas that required it. We use a lot of water during the cleaning process and some materials such as MDF can become damaged with water ingress, so it makes sense to do this. To get the floor clean, a coarse Carbide Brush fitted to a rotary machine was run over the Travertine tiles to scrub in a strong solution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. This process generates a lot of slurry as the dirt was washed out of the stone and grout which is extracted with a wet vacuum as we progressed. Next it was on hands and knees with more Tile Doctor Pro-Clean and handheld brushes run over stubborn areas and along the grout lines to take them from 80% up to 100%. Happy with the results, the next step was to renovate the stone using a series of diamond encrusted burnishing pads. Using only water for lubrication this process starts with the application of a coarse 400-grit burnishing pad attached to the floor buffer. This produces a lot of slurry which again was removed with a wet vacuum. This left the Travertine clean, but the pores of the stone had been opened giving the floor a matt finish and more absorbent than it was originally. To further refine the appearance of the stone the next two burnishing pads were applied which are 800 and 1500-grit. These pads polish the stone and close the pores, restoring the natural sheen in the process. After each pad was applied the slurry was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with the wet vacuum. Once complete the floor was left to dry off fully overnight. I arrived the next day and took several moisture readings from the floor to check that it had dried off sufficiently overnight. The results were good, so work moved onto sealing the Travertine with two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal which is a natural look impregnating sealer. It works by soaking into the stone, occupying the pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming ingrained there. This ensures dirt remains on the surface where it is easily cleaned away. The final step in the floor’s renovation was to apply the last of the diamond polishing pads which is a very fine 3000-grit. This pad further improves the polished appearance of the stone resulting in a satisfying sheen. The work made a massive difference to the floor, and I received an email the next day from one of the owners who was really pleased with the transformation: ”Floors look brilliant. Very pleased.” For the care and maintenance of polished sealed floors I recommend the use of Tile Doctor’s Stone Soap which is a gentle but effective cleaning product that won’t impact the sealer and contains a patina enhancer. When it comes to sealed floors my mantra is: “If you look after the sealer, the sealer will look after the floor!” Graham Davis North Kent Tile Doctor

The picture shows an Travertine patio that was installed at a property in Hackney E5 around ten years ago and it had never been sealed. Over the year’s pollution and weather etc had taken its toll on the stone leaving the travertine stained with lichen, dull and grey as opposed to their original white/cream colour. Had the patio been sealed it would have provided some protection from the elements. I conducted an initial visit where I tested several products to see what would be the most effective and establish what was required. Using that knowledge, I followed up with a written quote which was accepted, and a date arranged to complete the work. We have adopted new working practices since the COVID-19 epidemic so we can work safely inside or outside but given the excellent weather this year this was an ideal and much easier to maintain social distancing. During day 1 on site I started by sweeping away loose stones and other debris you typically find on patios. Then Tile Doctor Patio and Brick Driveway cleaner was applied neat to the stone and left for two hours. This is a very strong product designed for use by professionals which cuts through the dirt and was ideal for this situation. There are certain precautions you do need to take when using it such as wearing PPE and you must keep it away from ponds etc. Using water to lubricate, the solution was then scrubbed into the stone using a coarse 200-grit pad fitted to a rotary machine and followed up with a lot of rinsing and extracting with water and a wet vacuum. To refine the surface after the coarse Travertine the 200-grit pad I followed with 400, 800 and then 1500-grit burnishing pads in sequence rinsing with water and extracting after each pad was applied. This process is known as burnishing and closes the pores in the stone giving it a polished appearance. By this point the Travertine looked way better and we were starting to get the smooth finish back. The weather held so the following morning a 3000-grit polishing pad was applied dry to the stone using only a little water. This brings up the appearance of the stone even further and has the added advantage of leaving it dry and ready for sealing. The client wanted a natural appearance so two coats of Tile Doctor Ultra Seal were applied to seal the stone. Ultra-Seal is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the stone, protecting it from within yet without changing the appearance of the stone leaving a completely natural look. The client very happy with job and now proud so show off her revamped patio. They hadn’t realised that the patio should have looked like this from the start. For aftercare I recommended they use Tile Doctor Stone Soap, many day to day cleaning products you find in supermarkets can strip off a sealer so if your using something else do check the label first. Jackson Davis East London Tile Doctor

This beautiful Victorian tiled hallway was in desperate need of some TLC. The house had recently changed hands and the new owners of the house were having the entire property renovated. The last part of the renovation plan was to have the Victorian hallway tiles restoring back to their former glory. Floors are always best left until last, especially hallways as last as workmen don’t usually take a lot of care in my experience. The house was built in the early 1900’s and was situated close to Doncaster town centre a couple of streets away in fact from the famous Doncaster Racecourse which dates to the late 1500’s. There were a few areas of damage to the floor that would need dealing with first. This is not surprising given the age of the floor which must have seen a lot of comings and goings over the years. Our first task therefore was to repair the damage using replica tiles sourced to be as close a match to the originals as possible. We usually find any slight differences disappear once the floor has been deep cleaned and sealed. Once removing the damaged tile and cleaning the base we use a fast setting adhesive to fix the replacement tiles in place so we can get on with the cleaning as soon as possible. Once the replacement tiles had set, we unloaded our slow speed rotary floor machine and large wet vacuum which would be used during the cleaning. To start the cleaning the floor was sprayed with Tile Doctor Remove & Go and this was left to dwell on the tiles for twenty minutes. This gives time for the product to break down old floor coatings and grime, this was followed by scrubbing the tiles with a 200-grit diamond pad fitted to the floor machine and assisted with the addition of more water to help lubricate the process. This process generates a lot of slurry as the dirt and old sealers etc are released from the tiles and this is extracted from the surface of the floor using the wet vacuum. The next step was to give the floor an acid wash using Tile Doctor Acid Gel which is applied to the tiles and left to dwell for fifteen minutes and scrubbed in again with the floor buffer and 200-grit diamond pad. Once done the floor was rinsed with water and then dried using the wet vacuum to extract as much moisture as possible. This last process is designed to counter any alkaline salts that may be present in the floor which may cause efflorescence to appear later. It also removes old mineral deposits and generally get the tiles looking much brighter. Once complete the floor was left to dry off naturally overnight. I came back the next day to seal the tiles first checking the floor was dry using a moisture meter. Satisfied that the floor was ready for sealing I started to seal the tiles using multiple coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is a fully breathable sealer which is important for old floors like this. Seal and Go Extra also leaves a lovely satin finish which works well on Victorian tiles and brings the floor alive. This was the last step in this properties renovation, and I think you will agree that the floor responded really well to the restoration process and the colours in the tiles are now very vibrant. Matthew Lovett South Yorkshire Tile Doctor

Custom design by Cynthia Soda of Soda Pop Design Inc. in Toronto, Canada. Photography by Stephani Buchman Photography.
Open concept kitchen - large transitional l-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Toronto with white cabinets, an island, recessed-panel cabinets, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

This is a large 17.2 m2 Sandstone Floor installed throughout the living and kitchen areas of a property in the beautiful village of Disley close to Lyme Park which is run by the National Trust. The floor had been installed four years ago and my client was unhappy with the original sealer which hadn’t lasted very long. Without the protection of a sealer dirt had become ingrained in the pores of the stone which was now difficult to clean. Another issue was the rough nature of the Sandstone meant it was impossible to mop as it shreds the mop! As a result, the floor was mainly cleaned with a hoover which was not ideal, especially in a kitchen. I went over to survey the floor and before quoting I ran a small test clean in the kitchen which took the floor back to its natural pale colour and really showed how dirty the floor had become. Test cleans are great as it helps me to formulate an effective cleaning plan and provide an accurate quote. My client was impressed with the result and so I was booked to come back and deep clean and then reseal the whole floor. Due to its size I estimated the floor would take two days to deep clean and a further day to apply a new sealer, so three days in total. Working in large sections I started by cleaning the floor and stripping off the old sealer with a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a coatings remover that is safe to use on stone. The solution was left to soak into the pores of the Sandstone for ten minutes before being worked in with a 200-grit diamond pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. This action not only removed the old sealer and cleaned the floor but the 200-grit pad being vey coarse removed a lot of the roughness from the surface of the Sandstone so it shouldn’t shred any more mops. After rinsing the floor with water and removing the slurry with a wet vacuum I set about cleaning the grout with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean worked into the grout line with a stiff brush and assisted with steam from a professional steam cleaner with a grout attachment. Once done the floor was rinsed and extracted again to remove the soil from the grouting. There was also an area near one of the doors where the grout had become loose and needed replacing so I made up a batch of matching grout and filled this in. The floor was then left overnight to dry with assistance from a couple of air movers. I returned the next day to finish the floor by applying a sealer. First, I double checked the floor was dry with the damp meter. The readings confirmed the air movers had done a good job and that the floor was within the accepted parameters, so I was ready to seal. The sealer I chose was Tile Doctor Seal and Go which being water based doesn’t leave a smell as it dries, it really works well on Sandstone and adds a nice subtle sheen to the stone. Once finished the floor looked much cleaner, lighter in colour overall more inviting, you could even see the fossils in some of the tiles. The surface was also smoother so the customer should find cleaning with a mop much easier in future. On that subject its worth pointing out that owners of sealed floors should always use a neutral pH tile cleaner on their floors as most supermarket products are simply too strong and will prematurely strip the sealer off a tile if used repeatedly. Tile Doctor sell a product called Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner which is ideal for cleaning sealed Sandstone floors like this one. My client was really happy with the results and sent me a message later saying: “the floor looks amazing!” Kamila Logonzy East Cheshire Tile Doctor

The pictures below are of Chinese Slate floor in the Kitchen of a property in the small village of Clifton just south of Penrith. We often get asked what the difference is between Rough and Semi Riven Slate, and this floor was a mixture of both. If you look closely at the pictures and check out the darker parts of the floor you will see these smoother Semi Riven Slate, whereas the light copper-coloured parts of the floor were of the rougher textured variety. It’s not that unusual for stone to be mixed in this fashion as it can be supplied from different quarries in order to achieve a particular look. The blend of different slates makes little difference when it comes to cleaning as the process is essentially the same. I would advise though if you intend to clean the floor using a mop then you should opt for Semi Riven Slate as Rough Slate can shred your mops and make it harder to maintain. We tend to use industrial floor buffing machines which work well on both surfaces so are less effected. There was a bit of wax on this floor so to remove this Tile Doctor Wax Away was applied. The product was left to stand for fifteen minutes before being scrubbed into the stone, rinsed and then the soil extracted with a wet vacuum. We then finished the cleaning with an Acid Rinse which involves scrubbing the Slate with Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up. This not only works well at cleaning up the stone and grout but also neutralises the alkaline pH left over from using Wax Away. I am very wary of the pH level of the floor as it could have an impact on the new sealer, giving the floor an acid rinse before sealing also ensures a better bond with the sealer. Naturally, you can’t leave a strong product like Grout Clean-up on the Stone for long as it could etch the surface so once done the floor was thoroughly rinsed with water and extracted again with a wet vacuum. A mop and bucket and lots of sponges won’t do the job on a large area like this. Once we finished the clean, we left it to dry off overnight and came back the next day to apply the sealer. We were originally going to apply a satin finish sealer, but the client had a big dog with sharp claws which could of scratched and marked the sealer so decided against it. I advised the client to use an Impregnating sealer called Tile Doctor Colour Grow, which lifts the natural colours in the stone, but is not a topical shiny sealer as the seal soaks into the Slate and leaves a a nice matt finish instead. Only two coats of sealer were needed, and the floor looked like new again. My client was very happy with the difference in the appearance of the stone and how much cleaner the grout was, so much so they the following feedback for us, which is always appreciated. “Totally impressed with the team they couldn’t have been more professional and even left me with some cleaner. My horrible 12 year old slate tiles look fabulous” As usual we left a free bottle of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner for aftercare, it’s very important not to undo all that hard work by using a product which will damage the seal, using a pH neutral cleaner will keep the seal looking sharp and fresh for years to come. Heidi Taylor North Cumbria Tile Doctor

I received an enquiry from a property in Crowthorne to come and survey an unknown Flagstone Floor in a converted barn that was ready to be rented out. The owners where concerned the stone was letting the rest of the property down due to it being dirty and heavily stained, particularly around the kitchen and entrance areas. If your selling or renting out a property it really needs to look its best if you want to achieve a good price. Having spoken over the phone we agreed a date for me to pop over to complete a survey. From further inspection I confirmed the stone was in fact a Sandstone, it was also clear that the sealer protecting the stone from ingrained dirt had worn away and was now allowing dirt and staining to ruin the appearance of the flagstones. It was a large floor so I measured up so I could work out the quantities of cleaning and sealing products needed and then walked the customer through the cleaning process. Later that day I sent over a detailed quotation which was accepted, and a date agreed for my return. I should mention this work took place during the Covid restrictions, fortunately being a rental property, I was able to work in the property alone. To deep clean the floor and remove the ingrained dirt and staining I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. It is sprayed onto the floor and left to soak in for five minutes before agitating with a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a weighted buffing machine. The resultant slurry was then wet extracted away using a powerful high-pressure van mounted extracting system. This action cleaned up most of the stone nicely however certain areas where heavily stained, particularly in the kitchen area where food and drink stains were more apparent. To tackle this, I applied a stronger cleaner/stripper product called Tile Doctor Remove and Go this time allowing ten minutes for it to soak in before scrubbing the surface with a very coarse 100-grit soft milling pad. This took quite a few attempts each time extracting the slurry away and then inspecting the floor to see if more work was needed. Happy the stains have been removed, I then focused on renovating the surface Sandstone after the application of the coarse pad. This involves the application of several finer grit burnishing pads which close the pores and adds a subtle polish to the Sandstone. As I started with 100-grit pad it was necessary to gradually refine the surface with an incremental series of pads that included 200, 400 and finally 800-grit pads. Then to ensure a uniform finish across the floor I continued the 400 and 800 grit pads throughout the property. Water is used to lubricate the process and this turns into a fine slurry that is rinse extracted as before. The cleaning process took up the whole of the first day and I am pleased to say the Sandstone floor looked very clean after I had finished. The stone was then allowed dry off overnight with the aid of an industrial air mover and I returned later the next day to apply a new protective seal. In the meantime, my customer had been over to check out the floor and were over the moon with how it looked and wanted to keep the finish as natural as possible. With this in mind, I applied Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal sealer to the Sandstone throughout, only two coats were needed. This is a premium sealer that is almost invisible and works by penetrating the stone thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained. Once done the floor looked very clean and much brighter than before, it now had that wow factor which will help it attract a good yield in the rental market. The trouble with rental properties of course is making sure the tenant uses the right product to maintain the floor and not a typical supermarket tile cleaner that are only designed for use on Ceramic and Porcelain tiles. In fact, these types of cleaning product can slowly strip the sealer off the floor so it’s always worth checking the label before purchasing. Fortunately Tile Doctor sells a product called Neutral Cleaner that is ideal for maintaining sealed stone floors, so I left them with a complimentary bottle and recommended they get some more to leave under the sink for the new tenant. Dennis Buckland Berkshire Tile Doctor

This Multi-Coloured Slate floor looks nice in the Kitchen of this property in Hythe, however due to the riven surface of the tile and the deep grout lines my customer had struggled to keep it clean. Additionally, the Slate has lost all of its lustre over the years since it had been installed and it was now due a deep clean and reseal. The combination of durability and price makes Slate a popular choice for floor covering, it is also available in a number of colours, ranging from plain black to a more diverse array of shades. Like any natural stone floor though it need sealing to keep the dirt out of the pores of the stone however sealers wear off with use Hythe by the way is a lovely medieval coastal market town with its own beach on the edge of Romney Marsh and close to Folkestone. Before starting I removed the kickboards underneath the kitchen units and protected the exposed woodwork with a thin film. To deep clean the Slate floor and remove any remaining sealer I applied Tile Doctor Remove and Go and left it to soak in for ten minutes before scrubbing it in with a light carbide brush. As well as removing the old sealer this process releases the dirt from the pores of the stone and brings it to the surface where it can be extracted. I have probably mentioned this before, but I’ve invested in a powerful van mounted pressure extraction system for removing the dirt, old sealer and emulsified soils released from the stone. The system works by applying water at high pressure on the floor via a spinner tool and then simultaneously extracts the waste under suction back to a grey water tank on the van. From the customers point of view, it makes light work of cleaning the floor and more importantly leaves the floor dry and leaves no mess. Having a dry floor at this stage is important as it means I can usually seal the floor on the same day. Its not a good idea to apply a sealer to damp floor as it will affect the way it cures and lead to an undesirable finish. The way to make sure the floor its dry is to use a moisture meter and take readings in several places around the floor. You can use an air mover to improve drying times however older floors can take a very long time to dry and for those I tend to book another day to apply the sealer. With the floor dry I set about applying the first of two coats of Tile Doctor X-Tra Seal which provides both a hardwearing sheen to the slate as well as enhancing its natural colourings. It has strong water repellency characteristics which makes it ideal for use in a kitchen where spillages are quite common. This was quite a small kitchen, so the work was completed in one day. My client was amazed at the transformation and grateful for our advice on continued maintenance which for this floor I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Stone Soap for daily cleaning. Michael Conlon South Kent Tile Doctor

Here’s a job I completed just before Christmas last year, at a house in Northampton which has a rich history and mix of architectural styles. The run up to Christmas is always popular as people try to get their household projects finished off in time for celebrating the festive season with family so this is always a busy time for Tile Doctor. The photos below show a neglected Victorian Quarry tiled floor in need of repair, with cracked tiles along the edges. These were caused by somebody in the past using brute force to remove carpet gripper rods which had been glued to the tiles. These cracks were present around the edges of the entire hallway, however; this particular type of tile is very hard to get hold of. Furthermore, it is a costly process to replace the tiles as the skirting boards would have had to have been removed. As well as the physical issues the floor had a dull appearance due to the build-up of builder’s dust and the general wearing down of the paintwork over time. I agreed with the client that the best course of action would be to fill the tiles, and paint the damaged tiles using a colour that matched as close as possible. Many of my Tile Doctor colleagues would disagree with this approach opting to source the correct tile and rebuild the damaged section however unfortunately in this case we didn’t have the time or the budget. My first action was to use a brush and vacuum to remove as much loose debris and dust as possible. I followed this by agitating the tiles with a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean which is a strong alkaline product and safe to use on tile and stone. I use a combination of a coarse burnishing pad fitted to a rotary machine and hand held brushes, in order to get the floor clean. The resulting slurry was then rinsed and removed using a wet vacuum. This process was repeated twice followed by a thorough rinse to ensure any trace of cleaning agent had been removed and the floor neutralised. As this was such an old property, I then used a steamer to heat up the tiles in order to draw out any contaminants and assist with the drying process. I installed a fan to dry the floor before starting repairs, mixing up some coloured grout and filling all holes and cracks along the edges, including the doormat area. I allowed the coloured grout to dry overnight, before hand painting the black and Terracotta tiles. These were then given time to dry (about a couple of hours). Following this, I carefully painted in the other colours: brown and cream. The overall effect was quite convincing and you had to look very closely to notice. Due to the fact that there were other tradesmen working in the house at the time, the floors were sheeted up to protect from additional dust and muck. I then left the house for a week, allowing the floor ample time to dry completely in preparation for sealing. Upon my return, I took damp meter readings, and once satisfied with the dryness of the tiles, I began the sealing process with the impregnating, colour-enhancing sealer Tile Doctor Colour Grow. The sealer provides both durable surface protection and an aesthetically pleasing matte finish. The below photos show how the product has enriched the colours with the two coats applied. The process of restoring this wonderful Victorian Quarry tiled floor was certainly time consuming, but very rewarding. I am exceptionally pleased with the results myself, and my client couldn’t have been happier and I’m sure the newly revitalised hallway will have been a talking point for all their visitors during the Christmas break. Phil Vissian Northamptonshire Tile Doctor

Photography: Stephani Buchman
Bathroom - mid-sized contemporary master gray tile and subway tile marble floor and gray floor bathroom idea in Toronto with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets and gray walls

The ModulR pivot doors are so customizable that they can be easily added to any bathroom design. They are designed with a gradual closing to ensure a water tight seal and are completely reversible, for easy installation of right or left door openings.

Accoya was used for all the superior decking and facades throughout the ‘Jungle House’ on Guarujá Beach. Accoya wood was also used for some of the interior paneling and room furniture as well as for unique MUXARABI joineries. This is a special type of joinery used by architects to enhance the aestetic design of a project as the joinery acts as a light filter providing varying projections of light throughout the day. The architect chose not to apply any colour, leaving Accoya in its natural grey state therefore complimenting the beautiful surroundings of the project. Accoya was also chosen due to its incredible durability to withstand Brazil’s intense heat and humidity. Credits as follows: Architectural Project – Studio mk27 (marcio kogan + samanta cafardo), Interior design – studio mk27 (márcio kogan + diana radomysler), Photos – fernando guerra (Photographer).

In this renovation, the once-framed closed-in double-door closet in the laundry room was converted to a locker storage system with room for roll-out laundry basket drawer and a broom closet. The laundry soap is contained in the large drawer beside the washing machine. Behind the mirror, an oversized custom medicine cabinet houses small everyday items such as shoe polish, small tools, masks...etc. The off-white cabinetry and slate were existing. To blend in the off-white cabinetry, walnut accents were added with black hardware.