How to restore Victorian tiles: Step

There’s nothing better than lifting up the carpet in your new Victorian home and finding original floor tiles. The Victorians often used to tile most of their homes’ surfaces including hallway and porch floors, garden paths and even walls with eye-catching tile designs. Sometimes the tiles included colourful patterns while others were simply black and white chequerboard tile designs with a border.

Victorian tiles are also known as “encaustic” tiles and include Edwardian designs too. They’re traditionally characterised by their ceramic unglazed patterns, although are now made from cement mixed with pigments and poured into a mould.

They’re installed without the need for grouting, with the tiles holding themselves together by locking in place on top of a bedding layer.

While encaustic tiles are hardwearing and attractive, they do require some maintenance every now and then, whether they’re modern or original.

Common issues with Victorian tiles include chipping, cracking and stubborn build-ups of dirt.

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Whether you’re installing encaustic tiles or you’ve bought a property with some original Victorian tiles that are in need of a little love and care, Checkatrade, a directory of vetted and recommended tradespeople, have shared how to restore Victorian floor tiles and bring them back to their former glory.

How to spot problems before they get out of hand

The experts said “prevention is better than cure” when it comes to restoring encaustic floor tiles.

One thing people can do is look out for these common issues with their floor tiles:

Missing tiles

Cracked, chipped or crumbling tiles

Loose tiles (easily moved or wobbly)

A build-up of dirt or paint

Damp or mould

How to clean and restore victorian floor tiles

Depending on the level of restoration required, you will need some of the following items:

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Vacuum and/or dustpan and brush

Stiff broom

Plastic scraper

Cotton cloths

Scrubbing brushes

Mop and bucket

Floor cleaner

A conservation-grade detergent

PVA adhesive glue

Epoxy putty

Liquid Beeswax

Power drill

Polishing disc

Some tiles will easily come away, while others might take some encouragement. Using your scraper, carefully prise the loose tiles away from the floor and set them aside.

Take photos of the before and after so you don’t forget which tiles go where. You don’t want to end up with an uneven pattern.

Cleaning the tiles is the most important part of the restoration process. Use the stiff brush to dislodge dirt and help disturb the grit beneath the loose tiles that you’ve removed.

Then run a vacuum over the entire floor area. Do the same for the individual tiles you’ve removed.

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Next, use your mop and bucket and a mild detergent to thoroughly clean the floor. While it’s drying, get to work on the tiles.

If the adhesive on the bed and the back of the tiles has worn away, you’ll need to reapply it.

Make sure the areas are thoroughly cleaned before doing so to ensure longevity.

Now, your floors are prepped, it’s time to reaffix the loose tiles. Use your previous photos to help you work out which goes where.

Then dampen the floor bed and the back of each tile, prime with diluted PVA (5:1), and allow to dry.

Once dry, add some non-diluted PVA to the floor and the back of the tile and press into place. Repeat with the remaining tiles and then leave the area to fully bond for 24 hours.

Epoxy putty comes in various colours, so pick the right one for your tiles.

Clean the chipped tiles and leave them to dry, then knead and roll the putty for around five to six minutes until it’s malleable.

Once ready, press the softened putty into the chips and smooth with a wet finger. Then, clean your tools immediately.

If your Victorian floor tiles have suffered from paint splashes over the years, then using a plastic scraper to gently remove the dried-on patches will help eradicate them without scratching the original tile.

Once these steps are complete, set, and dried, it’s time to deep clean your floor.

Use your mild detergent and follow these steps:

Clean with the mop and bucket first then go over the area with a scrubbing brush.

Wipe clean with the cotton cloth and then sponge off the surplus water to avoid it seeping into the cracks.

When everything is dry and looking clean and restored, your final steps are all about preservation. For this, consider applying an impregnating sealer that lets moisture pass freely through the tiles.

Wait for 24 hours and then buff the floor using your power drill polishing disc. Don’t apply beeswax unless you have a damp-proof membrane beneath the floor.

Once completed, don’t forget to regularly vacuum and mop to avoid damaging dirt building up again.