Terracotta tile restoration - Tile Advice

[anthony123]

Hi,
we are fairly desperate at out condo to get our common area flooring revamped.
Right now it looks terrible after 30 years of wax and dirt the tiles look dark and in places the thick wax/dirt coating has chipped off.
We are thinking that perhaps this kind of floor would benefit from being ground down a few millimeters to
1. make it flat thus giving it a slightly more modern look and
2. remove the years of wax and grime.
Clearly we'd then need to reseal the floor with some appropriate substance.
Right now we have no idea what kind of machine or disk are required to do the job or even if it is possible to grind such tiles down to a flat surface. Any help would be really appreciated!!

Regards,

Tony

 

[Lithofin BOB]

Hi tony,

Well, grinding a terracotta flat, sends shivers down my spine ( as a terr restorer)

Someone may comment on the grind

Chemically cleaning ,will probably be possible but!!! At great expense , in thailand it may be possible to have a tile/ new floor of choice- relaid cheaper than the chemical expense .

If you want to test a "strip and clean."

Wash over 4-6 tiles with an alkaline tile cleaner first, this will degrease tiles so the stripping agent has minimum work to do.

Then Test a suitable solvent stripper, keep generouse and do not let dry out- scrubb every min for 15-20 with stiff brush, rinse

If your stripper is struggling test nitro morse, if available ( yes the door stripper) this can also remove heavy seals, again you may be looking at 1-2 Sqm per lit if heavy. ( expensive bit )

If your stripping use all safety gloves etc and a very good make of vapour mask, not a dust mask

If your struggling send us some pictures on here .

If you have succeeded with test ( and you want to complete) work through in small sections

Drying ( min 7-9 days or until fully dry) you possible may struggle with humidity.

Seal with suitable finishes ,you can get out there, oils and wax poss.

Hope this may help!!.
Am also available for all expenses paid site visit!! Lol

 

[anthony123]

Hi tony,

Well, grinding a terracotta flat, sends shivers down my spine ( as a terr restorer)

Someone may comment on the grind

Chemically cleaning ,will probably be possible but!!! At great expense , in thailand it may be possible to have a tile/ new floor of choice- relaid cheaper than the chemical expense .

If you want to test a "strip and clean."

Wash over 4-6 tiles with an alkaline tile cleaner first, this will degrease tiles so the stripping agent has minimum work to do.

Then Test a suitable solvent stripper, keep generouse and do not let dry out- scrubb every min for 15-20 with stiff brush, rinse

If your stripper is struggling test nitro morse, if available ( yes the door stripper) this can also remove heavy seals, again you may be looking at 1-2 Sqm per lit if heavy. ( expensive bit )

If your stripping use all safety gloves etc and a very good make of vapour mask, not a dust mask

If your struggling send us some pictures on here .

If you have succeeded with test ( and you want to complete) work through in small sections

Drying ( min 7-9 days or until fully dry) you possible may struggle with humidity.

Seal with suitable finishes ,you can get out there, oils and wax poss.

Hope this may help!!.
Am also available for all expenses paid site visit!! Lol

Well first of all thanks for the reply... I'm sure if we could afford it we'd be happy to receive you for a site visit
...
Ok my idea of grinding comes from the picture I saw... it wasn't quite plucked out of the sky. I'll try and attach it and perhaps you can comment on it.
We have about 400 sqm of this stuff and banging it out to replace it with something a bit more 20th century would be a total nightmare specially when considering the rate of work progress one gets out here if unlucky with the hired team.
The chemical treatment could be an option but really I think these tiles are probably too far gone and the amount of area to cover is vast so I suspect that the chemical costs would also be.
Any other ideas that spring to mind?
Rgds,

Anthony
P.S. I cannot seem to upload pictures... whatever I do I get a quote exceeded error (my file size is 14.6 KB (14,985 bytes) is that too big??????