Wargrave Archives - Berkshire Tile Doctor

Neglected Marble Tabletop Restored in Wargrave Reading

This is another project I completed for a client Wargrave who had a very neglected Marble table that had been used outside and was now heavily stained. The client had seen a recent work history of mine where I restored a very similar Marble table, and having one herself in similar condition she asked if anything could be done. Confident we could dramatically improve it that was also booked in to be restored on the same day.

Marble Table Before Cleaning Wargrave Reading

The Marble was in a very similar condition to the one I restored previously so I basically followed the same system which I will outline below. As you can see it is not just flooring that Tile Doctor is able to restore.

Cleaning a Marble Tabletop

To cut through all the algae, black spot and lichens I used a very strong acidic Tile Doctor product called Patio & Driveway Cleaner. I was completely aware that using an acidic product on marble can etch the stone however, the table needed something very strong, and I knew I could remove any damage to the stone with a set of coarse diamond pads later.

As suspected the patio cleaner did the trick and removed most of the staining. The next stage was to polish the marble using a series of pads from Tile Doctors inventory of 6-inch diamond burnishing pads. The first pad in the set to be applied was a coarse 100-grit pad followed by a 200-grit. The pads are applied with water to help lubricate the process and are designed to repair damage and etching caused by the strong product used earlier.

The process was then repeated with a coarse 400-grit and fine 1500-grit pads which gradually closed the pores and returned the shine. This is a messy process which generates a slurry which is removed after each pad with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Marble Tabletop

With the Marble table surface restored the last step was to protect the stone with a sealer which will keep any dirt or contaminates on the surface where they can be easily wiped away. So once the table was dry, I applied a thin coat of Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal which is an almost invisible impregnator that soaks into the marble occupying its fine pores and thereby preventing dirt from becoming lodged there.

Marble Table After Renovation Wargrave Reading

For aftercare of polished stone worktops and tabletops I recommend the use of Tile Doctor Stone Patina Spray. It is a spray-and-buff cleaner that is designed to enhance the natural beauty and lustre of polished stone as it cleans.

Professional Restoration of a Marble Table in Berkshire

Tired Limestone Patio Restoration Wargrave Reading

Tired Limestone Patio Renovated in Wargrave in Reading

Earlier this summer I received an enquiry from a homeowner in Wargrave near Twyford regarding their Limestone patio which was “looking tired”. The patio had been laid around five years prior and during that time the UK weather had degraded its appearance significantly resulting in ingrained dirt and algae.

Limestone Patio Before Cleaning Wargrave Reading

The client tried pressure washing themselves over the years however the stone needed more work to return its former glory. The client was on the High Street in Wargrave which is notoriously difficult to park especially if you have a large van like myself.

Limestone Patio Before Cleaning Wargrave Reading

A quote was provided, materials were ordered, and a date was booked in. The client had seen a recent work history of mine where I had restored a marble table, having one herself in similar condition she asked if anything could be done. Confident we could dramatically improve it that was also booked in to be restored on the same day. If you have been though my website you will see I have restored several stone tables in the past and I’ll detail the restoration of this one as well in a future article.

Deep Cleaning a Tired Limestone Patio

Usually, I use a van mounted high pressure cleaning system to help clean exterior stone, however due to the parking issue this wasn’t going to be an option. The alternative was to initially clean the stone using a combination of cleaning products and abrasive burnishing pads, similar to how I would tackle internal Limestone.

The outside elements had certainly taken its toll on this patio, fortunately Tile Doctor have a wide variety of products that help us resolve numerous issues with stone. In this case I decided to start with Tile Doctor Patio and Driveway Cleaner. This is a very strong product that I normally wouldn’t recommend for use on Limestone however its very effective at removing algae, lichens and black spot which was exactly what this patio needed.

I applied the patio cleaner diluted 50/50 with water to a small area, allowing dwell time before scrubbing with a mechanical scrubbing machine. The dirty slurry was rinsed down and vacuumed away. Once I was happy the contamination was eliminated, I ran a series of burnishing pads across the stone, starting with a coarse 400 grit burnishing pad, followed by 800, and finely a fine 1500 grit pad which gradually closed the pores, and restored the appearance of the stone. This is a messy process which generates a lot of slurry which is removed after each pad with the wet vacuum.

Sealing a Limestone Tiled Patio

I offered the option to seal the stone, however on this occasion the client said she would rather me come back every one or two years to repeat the process. The drainage wasn’t particularly good on this patio installation and water tends to pool on the stone for long periods of time, so they were concerned the seal wouldn’t last over the upcoming autumn and winter.

Limestone Patio After Renovation Wargrave Reading

Should they have wished to go ahead and seal the stone I would have used either Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal for a natural look or Tile Doctor Colour Grow to enhance the colours of the stone.

Limestone Patio After Renovation Wargrave Reading

Completed in a day the patio now looks like it was only just installed and the owners are looking forward to showing it off to their guests of the rest of the summer.

Professional Restoration of a Limestone Tiled Patio in Berkshire

Tired Limestone Patio Renovated in Wargrave in Reading Read More »