Caistor Archives - North Lincolnshire Tile Doctor

Blackspot-Stained Grubby Sandstone Patio Restored in Caistor

These photographs are from a client in Caistor whose Sandstone Patio hadn’t been cleaned for years and was covered in blackspot and sap from overhanging trees from the churchyard next door. It was so dirty and un-inviting they had decided it was overdue a deep clean and so got in touch with Tile Doctor to have it restored, if possible. Deep cleaning a patio is certainly cheaper than replacing it so it’s always worth investigating that option first.

Sandstone Patio Before Cleaning Caistor

After discussing the patio over the phone, I made an appointment to visit the property and survey the patio. I could see that the Sandstone had turned black with all the absorbed dirt and blackspot staining and was unrecognisable from what it once was.

Sandstone Patio Before Cleaning Caistor

Undeterred I was confident of being able to renovate its condition and worked out a quote for the work which shouldn’t take longer than a day. Happy with the quote and the prospect of enjoying the patio again in time for the summer we set a date with an eye on the weather forecast.

Deep Cleaning a Sandstone Patio

There was a lot of dirt to remove so I started by giving the whole area a thorough jet wash using an industrial pressure washer. The machine generates pressurised hot water and worked well to cut through the dirt. It comes with several wand accessories including a spinner attachment that is the most efficient way to cut through the dirt.

With most of the surface debris removed I followed up with an application of Tile Doctor Patio & Driveway Cleaner which was left to soak into the stone for some time before being rinsed off with the pressure washer. This dwell time is important as the strong chemicals need time to break down the staining and especially the blackspot which ran deep into the Sandstone.

I had to repeat the process several times to get rid of all the staining experimenting with different dwell times on each occasion but as can be seen in the pictures it made an amazing difference. Just goes to show that a little patience can make a big difference.

My client was blown away in the transformation and most relieved that they wouldn’t have to look at replacing it.

Sandstone Patio After Cleaning Caistor

I’ve mentioned this before but it’s worth knowing that Tile Doctor can deal with all types of tiles, both internal and external. We do not just tackle tiles, patios form a lot of our work in the spring and summer time, along with driveways. Cleaning and recolouring of grout is also a popular request for internal wall and floor tiles.

Sandstone Patio After Cleaning Caistor

Professional Restoration of a Sandstone Patio in Lincolnshire

Blackspot-Stained Grubby Sandstone Patio Restored in Caistor Read More »

Beauty Restored to a Dull Multi Coloured Slate Floor in Caistor

I was contacted by a couple from the Lincolnshire market town of Caistor who had a beautiful multi-coloured Slate floor installed in their Kitchen, Hallway and WC. They had moved into the property a few years ago and during that time they had noticed how the appearance of the slate and grout had slowly degraded, they had tried to deep clean it themselves but gave up and decided to get some help.

Multicoloured Slate Floor Before Cleaning Caistor

I arranged a time to go over to the property, survey the tiles and provide a quote for doing the work. I could see the sealer was wearing off and nothing was in place to stop dirt from becoming trapped in the pores of the slate. I provided a quote for stripping the old sealer off the whole floor, deep cleaning the stone to remove the dirt and then once clean and dry applying a fresh sealer. The quote was accepted, and a date arranged to do the work.

Cleaning a Multi-Coloured Slate Tiled Floor

The job was very straight forward, and the type of job Tile Doctor carries out on a regular basis. On the first day I started by applying a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go and let it soak into the tiles for ten minutes. Then using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor buffer the solution was worked into the stone to strip off what remained of the remaining sealer and pull the dirt out of the stone. At this point I also ran a stiff brush along the grout lines to get them as clean as possible.

The floor was then rinsed, and the soiled solution was removed using a wet vacuum.
At this point the floor was inspected and the process repeated on a couple of stubborn areas. The area was quite large, so we worked around methodically and once done the floor was thoroughly rinsed and dried again with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Multi Coloured Slate Tiled Floor

After rinsing I left the floor to dry out over a few days and returned a couple of days later to seal with 2 coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. I selected this sealer as it a colour intensifier so will bring out the best in the colours of the multi coloured slate. It has a matt finish so it is not too shiny, but is very hardwearing, giving great protection to these high traffic areas.

Multicoloured Slate Floor After Cleaning Caistor

The household is a busy one, so keeping the floor in good condition will ensure maintenance is easier. With this in mind, I also recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, this is pH neutral and is mild enough to use daily. A small amount of the product goes a long way, so the bottle will last, and it has a lovely fresh smell.

My client was over the moon with the results and wished she had had it done sooner.