1906 Victorian House damp kitchen floor

[Dot99]

Soil of a crumbling texture doesn't sound like damp soil to me.

(Pardon, my lack of knowledge). But, Is it normal for the ground to be like that?

Thanks.

 

[Westholme]

Soil of a crumbling texture doesn't sound like damp soil to me.

(Pardon, my lack of knowledge). But, Is it normal for the ground to be like that?

Thanks.

I'm no soil expert, I'm just going on what I can see in the photos and what you say. How are the slugs getting in? And what is the ground level outside compared to inside?

I think one of the tiles you removed was broken in half. Was the screed already broken up or did you do that to check the soil? I think the biggest 'problem' you have now is how to replace the tiles you've lifted. You shouldn't have any difficulty finding a replacement or two at a local reclamation yard, but take a tile with you so you know they match.

Much of the efflorescence and mouldy smell could be removed by scrubbing the tiles, probably. Here's my method for cleaning quarry tiles and geometric/encaustic floor tiles:

Use two buckets, one with a small amount of warm soapy water (no more than 2" deep) and the other half filled with cold water. Dip a nail brush (preferably wooden) in the soapy water and give each tile a really good scrub, side to side, up and down and both ways diagonally. Give the grouting a scrub after finishing the tile, if you wish. Wash the brush off in the cold water and remove the dirt from the tile by wiping it with a wet washing-up sponge pad kept in the cold water bucket. Wash the sponge pad in the cold water and wipe the tile again until pad no longer picks up any dirt. Dry off the tile with some kitchen towel. Ventilate room well and change the water when required, i.e. quite often.

I'm not sure breathable grout is required as the tiles are porous and can absorb a surprising amount of moisture. Much of my grouting is dirt at the moment.

 

[88v8]

Quarries were often laid tight, and not grouted.
Looks as if your were grouted in cement which is unhelpful for breathability.
Breathable grout would be a damp mix of 3:1 of silver sand and lime (lime = NHL3.5) tamped well into the joints. Rub off the surplus with a piece of sacking as you go.

Those that have been taken up, bed them back into a mix of sharp sand & lime, not too wet. Travis Perkins can usually supply bagged lime, may have to order it. Beware of their sharp sand, they have two grades one of which is a gritsand that's great for pointing walls but too coarse for tile bedding. For that you need just plain old sharp sand.

The kithcen units, if you intend to keep them, should have all their kickboards taken off and some brass vents cut in. At the moment they are trapping the damp.
Good selection here https://www.inbrass.co.uk/acatalog/slotted-vents.html I would think the 7 x 1.5" or perhaps the 6 x 3" would do nicely.

Ivor

 

[Abi Cott]

I had a house years ago that suffered from slugs. They were coming through the walls. We took the skirting of and put a coat of bitumen behind it. A rather bodge job by a couple of youngsters in their first house but it worked.

I think the questions about exterior ground levels are probably very apt.

 

[Dot99]

Kitchen is above the ground level.

Todays decision the tiles are coming out. Kitchen rather small so the floor is not overly visible. (I personally wouldn't walk on it bare foot). Also I imagine it to be cold to walk on in the winter.

 

[mardinor]

What an amazing find! A gorgeous floor in fantastic condition. Just give it a scrub then a week or two to dry and it will be the best bit of the house.

It’s the units and door I’d be ripping out.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Kitchen is above the ground level.

Todays decision the tiles are coming out. Kitchen rather small so the floor is not overly visible. (I personally wouldn't walk on it bare foot). Also I imagine it to be cold to walk on in the winter.

That's a shame. Will you be laying the tiles back down again once the floor is insulated?

 

[88v8]

Don't skip them. 8" quarries aren't that easy to find.

Yes, tiled floors are cold, I never do understand why people put down new tiles.
But then, that's what slippers are for.

Ivor

 

[Lime]

Don't skip them. 8" quarries aren't that easy to find.

Yes, tiled floors are cold, I never do understand why people put down new tiles.
But then, that's what slippers are for.

Ivor

Yes solid floors of any sort are cold to the touch unless the are heated directly.
We have rugs and mats in our modern kitchen that has tiles on the insulated floor.
I can walk directly from a new insulated tiled floor to a 112 year old tiled floor in bare feet and do I notice a difference between the two?
The answer is no, absolutely not.

 

[Dot99]

I feel like I'm walking outside in that kitchen hence the changes. The grouting or dirt annoys me too.

Old tiles will be recycled/sold etc.

(Also found some sheets from the News of the World 1972)

 

[Feltwell]

Dot, that floor looks identical to my original, untouched 1899-ish kitchen floor - in fact I'd offer a modest amount of money that "Dennis Ruabon" is written on the back of those tiles....

Give the floor a scrub with nothing more than mild detergent & water, then give it some time to settle down (and I mean at least a few weeks) would be my advice before doing anything. Honestly, you've got a lovely original floor there - the patina and wear is something you'll never get back, even laying reclaimed items.

Mine is also close grouted and on what is probably original cement onto earth, and is as dry as a bone - and I think it looks really nice & in keeping with the house. Pictures can be provided if you want!

 

[Westholme]

I was thrilled to discover the quarry tiles in my dining room and kitchen were still there, intact, under cheapo laminate. My experience so far in the kitchen is that the tiles are extremely practical and I'm not bothered if I splash water on the floor. From the photo of your kitchen the floor is the best bit, despite the efflorescence.

What size are your tiles? Mine are 7¾" x 7¾" x 1¼".

 

[Dot99]

Dot, that floor looks identical to my original, untouched 1899-ish kitchen floor - in fact I'd offer a modest amount of money that "Dennis Ruabon" is written on the back of those tiles....

Give the floor a scrub with nothing more than mild detergent & water, then give it some time to settle down (and I mean at least a few weeks) would be my advice before doing anything. Honestly, you've got a lovely original floor there - the patina and wear is something you'll never get back, even laying reclaimed items.

Mine is also close grouted and on what is probably original cement onto earth, and is as dry as a bone - and I think it looks really nice & in keeping with the house. Pictures can be provided if you want!

Feel free to post some pics. (I was able to upload under 250kb jpeg images)

There is not too much of the floor visible once all the kitchen cabinets are in. As it's a tenanted property I have to factor in what works for them. I wouldn't be a fan of the floor as a renter.

Monday is my decision deadline.

 

[Feltwell]

Blunt opinion I freely admit, but I think you'd be mad to take those tiles up - they are perfect for a rented property.

Quarry tiles are as tough as old boots - they've survived for over 100 years already, they'll easily survive tenants. We've been here 10 years, the kitchen has had three young kids charging about in it, for about 2 years we regularly had sit&ride toy cars whizzing through the kitchen drifting - yes, they could get up enough speed to do that! - round the corner of our units - and the floor doesn't have an extra mark on it. It looks it's age, yes, but that fits with the house. At some point in the future you'll come to sell that place, many buyers will really value original features.

Here's mine - it's highly onerous care regime consists of waving a mop at it occasionally with a bit of flash in the water. That's it.





Anyone else spotted that Photobucket has backtracked and become available for free again? All my old pictures have been reinstated as well.

 

[Pennyviz]

Blunt opinion I freely admit, but I think you'd be mad to take those tiles up - they are perfect for a rented property.

Quarry tiles are as tough as old boots - they've survived for over 100 years already, they'll easily survive tenants. We've been here 10 years, the kitchen has had three young kids charging about in it, for about 2 years we regularly had sit&ride toy cars whizzing through the kitchen drifting - yes, they could get up enough speed to do that! - round the corner of our units - and the floor doesn't have an extra mark on it. It looks it's age, yes, but that fits with the house. At some point in the future you'll come to sell that place, many buyers will really value original features.

Here's mine - it's highly onerous care regime consists of waving a mop at it occasionally with a bit of flash in the water. That's it.





Anyone else spotted that Photobucket has backtracked and become available for free again? All my old pictures have been reinstated as well.

Those tiles look great feltwell - how did you seal them? Penny

 

[plasticpigeon]

I would normally agree with you Feltwell, but in Birmingham/Midlands area, people rip out good quality features for fun, and replace with the cheapest crap from B and Q. It seems a form of inverted snobbery. Good stuff is fine for people in other places or in museums, but not for Brummies.

 

[plasticpigeon]

Here is my kitchen floor of reclaimed quarries. Once insulated it is only as cold as any other tiled floor, just more durable and attractive.

 

[Dot99]

All your floors are looking great.

if i can get rid of the mucky grout in between the tiles i may be more inclined to keep the floor.

 

[Dot99]

all cabinets ripped out...

discovered old wall tiles too and an open fireplace

 

[Feltwell]

Those tiles look great feltwell - how did you seal them? Penny

I didn't! They've got nothing on them Penny. I don't think quarries need sealing. The odd one has a more deteriorated top surface as you can see in the pictures, just adds to the character though, I think at least!

PlasticPigeon, your floor looks really good. I've spotted some quarries identical to my kitchen ones for sale - I may grab those as at some point I need to redo my downstairs loo, which would have been a pantry originally. It has nasty modern tiles at present, under those I think the original tiles have long gone. I can pretty much guarantee it would have been quarry tiles originally, even my cellar floor is covered in them - although the floor has moved a lot there and most are smashed.