What would you do with this floor?

Glowing

Hi all, I'm new to DIY, so hullo, how do you do?

I need help with a very old stone floor we're trying to 'renovate' or at least make it look presentable. It's about 100 years old and has been under a layer of lino for probably half that. It's filthy dirty, looks porus, and encrusted with plaster, old varnish etc. I think some of them are cracked.

Taking into account that the work we do is only going to be cosmetic, do ye have any suggestions as to what we could do with this?

Thanks!

knighted_1

you could try spraying it with hydrochloric acid to clean and open it up -then maybe polish and seal it

10-10-20

If it's that old, do what knighted_1 said and enjoy it! I'd love such an old floor. The cracks add to the character!

Don't forget the obligatory before and after photos...!

GreeBo

could you powerwash it either?

The Hill Billy

knighted_1 wrote:

you could try spraying it with hydrochloric acid to clean and open it up -then maybe polish and seal it

I'd go with this option.
Sandtrax is a diluted hydrochloric acid solution that you can get easily in hardware stores for such a job. Try it on sample tile first to ensure that it doesn't mark the tiles.

As the tiles were covered in lino for some time - that could be a hot-bed of fungal nasties. Once you've cleaned them with acid, I'd give them a good scrub with an anti-fungal treatment - particularly around the skirting boards.

Then a sealant & a good polish. Maybe Thompsons have something suitable?

Edit: Something to consider though is that there is probably no damp proofing worth talking about under these quarry tiles. TBH - I had the same in my house (160 yo) when I bought it, but removed them & used them in the garden for paving instead. There was no way I was going to go without installing proper damp-prooofing in such an old house.

Glowing

Hill Billy wrote:

I'd go with this option.
Sandtrax is a diluted hydrochloric acid solution that you can get easily in hardware stores for such a job. Try it on sample tile first to ensure that it doesn't mark the tiles.

As the tiles were covered in lino for some time - that could be a hot-bed of fungal nasties. Once you've cleaned them with acid, I'd give them a good scrub with an anti-fungal treatment - particularly around the skirting boards.

Then a sealant & a good polish. Maybe Thompsons have something suitable?

Edit: Something to consider though is that there is probably no damp proofing worth talking about under these quarry tiles. TBH - I had the same in my house (160 yo) when I bought it, but removed them & used them in the garden for paving instead. There was no way I was going to go without installing proper damp-prooofing in such an old house.

Thanks, thats great! I went into Woodies looking for something to clean up old stone tiles, and they just looked at me. :rolleyes:

Thanks GreeBo, I'd love to powerwash them but unfortunately the space is too small and I don't want to distroy all of our other renovation work!

I'll post up some after pictures!

10-10-20

Woodies have the stuff, they just just don't know it.
Go to the building section where the cement and addins are and have a look for masonary cleaner.

GreeBo

Glowing wrote:

Thanks GreeBo, I'd love to powerwash them but unfortunately the space is too small and I don't want to distroy all of our other renovation work!

Hmm I didnt really think that through did I

Glowing

GreeBo wrote:

Hmm I didnt really think that through did I

Well it WOULD be a lot more fun !

The Hill Billy

Glowing: Have you given any consideration as to how you are going to damp-proof that room?

magicbastarder

pour vinegar onto it, and see if that has any effect. probably cheaper and less toxic than buying the stuff in woodies if it does.
tesco sell vinegar for 58c per pint. you could probably get it cheaper.