Quarry tiles

For many years quarry tiles have been a feature in kitchens and interior flooring. In fact, quarry tiles have such heritage that they have been known to be dismissed and used as a foundation for other tiles, laminate or carpeting. Have you recently uncovered some quarry tiles in your home and are curious about restoration options? Or have you already got some quarry tiles and would simply like them sealing, cleaning or servicing? Tile & Stone Medic have provided tile restoration services for many years and would be happy to help.

Common issues

Quarry tile floors were once the go to choice for kitchen floors, particularly in farmhouses, but since that time many of these floors have fallen into various states of disrepair or damage. They can also be found in a number of other places, from churches to town halls. This hardwearing and relatively water resistant material makes it a good choice for high traffic areas.

Restoring quarry tiles which have been discovered underneath carpet or other types of tiling is a common task. Depending on the glue used on top of the tiles, this job can be a little tricky and requires a delicate professional hand to avoid damaging the quarry tiles.

As many quarry tiles floors are several decades old, a deep professional clean is usually needed to bring them back to life. Years of built up muck can make some almost black in appearance, but in most situations their lovely warmth can be brought back. Customers are often surprised at how bright and vibrant the hidden colour of the tiles is once carefully cleaned and polished.

Where grit and dust has been repeatedly trodden into quarry tiling their surface often suffers from marks and scratches. With the right equipment these can generally be buffed and polished out. If it is not possible to remove these entirely they can usually be hidden to the point of being near invisible. If in doubt, get a professional opinion on the best course of action.

It is also worth getting a professional to check the sub floor of the tiling. Where subfloors haven’t been properly laid, moisture is a risk to quarry tiles. The surface and particularly the underside of the quarry tiles is susceptible to moisture damage which can lead to cracked and shattered tiles. If you’ve noticed cracks on several of your tiles this could the case, it’s worth a check to avoid more expensive repairs in the long run.

How we maintain quarry tile flooring

We stock a range of cleaning solutions which can eliminate residues from other flooring and prepare your quarry tile floor for a proper restoration. It can be tempting to try to remove subsequent layers of flooring yourself but do take care, many chemicals and cleaning solutions marketed for this task can damage the quarry tiles if used incorrectly. An experienced professional can get rid of adhesive without risking any damage to the tiles underneath.

With any surface adhesive removed, the next stage is set for the proper restoration work to begin. Years of built up muck are no match for our professional grade equipment, which can transform even very dirty tiles.

With the tiles properly cleaned up we can take a good look at any scratches or damage that may have been hidden. Marks are buffed and cracks are assessed and repaired where possible.

With all other work completed, the final stage of the quarry tile restoration is sealing. We offer a range of sealers suitable for quarry tile, including gloss, high sheen or flat matt. All offer a great looking finish for quarry tiles and, crucially, protected them from moisture.

Will repairing my quarry tiles cause disruption

We carry out our work in the most considerate way possible, making sure that we, and our equipment causes the least disruption possible. We cover and protect surfaces in the room and throughout our access to the floor where necessary. If your property has specific access times we will do all we can to accommodate them.

We do need to move large items of furniture that may prevent full access to the floor we’re working on. How long the restoration of your quarry tiles will take depends on the size of the floor, some can be completed in a day. The cleaning solutions we use are safe for residential use, they will not put your family at risk and of course we’ll always clear up after ourselves when we’re done.

If you have some quarry tiles in need of restoration, repair, cleaning or sealing, reach out to the team at Tile & Stone Medic today. We’d be happy to take a look and give you an idea of the kind of results you can expect to enjoy.

FAQs: Quarry Tile Cleaning

Whilst we may use specialist chemicals in the course of our work, we can assure you that by the time we leave all residues will be gone and your tile or stone flooring will be perfectly safe for everyone to use. We work to extremely high standards of health and safety, conducting proper risk assessments where appropriate and never putting you or anyone else in danger.

We always work in the most considerate way possible. Work will be tailored to your needs and will fit around your schedule where possible. We avoid bringing loud or bulky machinery into your home and when a job is complete we thoroughly clean up after ourselves to leave your space looking as tidy as it did when we arrived.

Yes, ideally if you want the job done to the best of our ability, then all furniture, kick plates in kitchens etc should be removed. However, don’t worry we will help you manage this.
Absolutely! we are always happy to show you our insurance certificates or down load them to you if so required.
Once we have spoken to you in more detail we will be able to give you an idea of the time allocation required to restore your floors to a high level.