Removing Cement Archives - Merseyside Tile Doctor

Granite Patio Renovated in Mawdesley Ormskirk

Removing Cement Residue from an Amazing Granite Patio in Mawdesley

We were contacted by a business owner in Mawdesley near Ormskirk who had recently had a large Granite Patio installed. Unfortunately, the installer had left the patio covered in cement grouting stains and residue and as you can imagine he was not happy about it.

Granite Patio Before Renovation Mawdesley Ormskirk

This is something we often get asked to resolve and you may here it referred to as Hazing or Smearing. The solution depends on the surface material and can normally be removed using an acidic cleaner such as Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up or Acid Gel. However, in this case the surface of the stone looked really dull and marked with lines and what appeared to be boot marks. I decided the best solution would be to use a set of diamond pads to grind off the top layer of stone to reveal a new surface and then to polish it.

Resurfacing a Large Granite Patio in Mawdesley

To resurface the Granite, I used a weighted buffing machine and a set of coarse stone resurfacing pads. The extra weight was needed to ensure a good contact with the stone and the process commenced with a very coarse 100 grit pad to remove the damage using only water for lubrication.

The pad was run each Granite slab around three times generating a lot of residues in the process. A wet vacuum was used to remove the residue and with it being such a large patio it took some time before that was completed and we could move onto the next pad.

Granite Patio During Renovation Mawdesley Ormskirk

Once done the process was repeated with a 200-grit to renovate the surface after using the coarse pad. Again, only water was used and the whole area was rinsed and extracted to remove the residue. This action removed all the damaged surface material and was followed by the application of a very fine 3000-grit burnishing pad to give the patio a nice sheen.

Sealing a Large Granite Patio in Mawdesley

Fortunately, I had picked a good window in which to do the work (thanks to the BBC and Carol Kirkwood) and the weather remained dry. This was important as I was able to return the next day and prepare the Granite for sealing.

First, I applied a product called Tile Doctor Stone Oil to the Granite, this seeps into the pores of the stone giving it a rich dark colour improving the overall appearance and integrity. This was then locked in with an application of sealer which for this patio I used Tile Doctor Colour Grow. There are a few reasons I chose this product including the fact that its breathable which is important when dealing with external stone and it contains a colour enhancer which brings out the natural colours in the Granite.

Granite Patio After Renovation Mawdesley Ormskirk

My client was very impressed with the transformation and relieved we had managed to put the life back in what was a very expensive patio. I’m please to say we subsequently asked to work on two more patios and different stone floors at the same property.

High Quality Transformation of a Large Granite Patio Near Ormskirk

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Restoring a Cement Covered Tiled Floor in Formby

We were contacted by a client from Formby asking for advice on how to remove a thick layer of floor leveller from her Quarry tiled floor. I suspect at some point in the past a previous owner had decided to cover the tiles with lino and a cement-based levelling compound was applied to level the floor first. My client had tried to remove it herself but found it very hard going and after realising she had quite a project on her hands decided to call us instead and see if we could help with the restoration.

Quarry Tiled Floor During Self-Levelling Compound Removal Formby

I worked out a quote for the client which would include removing the self-levelling compound, cleaning up the tiles and then sealing them to improve its appearance and protect it going forward. The quote was accepted, and a date agreed for the restoration to be completed which would take two days.

Cleaning and restoring a Stone Tile Kitchen Floor

We have a variety of tools that we can use for removing cement but in this case, I decided to use an air operated pin gun. The head of the gun has long pins of different length which are fired at the floor gently chipping away at the floor compound, this made short work of breaking up the cement so it could be swept away. A lot easier than the method the client had previously tried.

With the floor clear of cement, it was given an acid wash with Tile Doctor Acid Gel scrubbed in with a buffing machine fitted with a black pad. The acidic formula cleans up the stone of old cement including fine particles of dust. Afterwards the gel was rinsed off the floor with water and extracted with a wet vacuum.

Sealing a Stone Tiled Kitchen Floor

We let the floor dry out overnight and returned the next morning to apply the sealer. For the best results, the stone needs to be dry so before sealing I always take several moisture readings with a damp meter to make sure. The results were good so the first of what would be three coats of sealer were applied to the floor. I used Tile Doctor Colour Grow for sealing, it is an impregnating sealer that works by occupying the pores in the store thereby protecting it from within, it also brings out the colour in the stone.

Once done the floor looked great, the old self-levelling compound was gone and the rich colours in the tile had been restored. In fact is was only when finished did we realise these were in fact Baked Clay Quarry Tiles, minerals are added during manufacturing to give then colour, although 95% clay they are very tough like stone. The client was over the moon with the outcome, the floor had been restored to its’ former glory.

Quarry Tiled Floor After Self-Levelling Compound Removal Formby

For aftercare I recommended the use of Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner to keep the floor in good condition. It is pH neutral so will ensure the newly applied sealer is not compromised and the floor will continue to look good for a long while to come.

Removing Cement