Cleaning flagstones

[JoceAndChris]

Always lots of questions about the treatment of flagstones on this forum - here's one approach.

We started out very dirty - this flagstone floor had in the main just been vaccuumed since moving in:

This pic shows slight improvement after a quick scrub with Ecover linseed oil based cleaner:

I realised something more drastic was called for, so last week spent 2 or 3 days on hands and knees gently scraping off all the flecks of paint and scrubbing with Liberon stone cleaner. I must have got through 50 buckets of water. This brought about a very soft colour, but all shine was erased.

And here it is today, after 4 coats of Liberon linseed oil based sealant and one coat of Liberon stone wax:

The upkeep of it is now NO WET CLEANING (Hurrah!), but regular reapplications of wax. I think this is better than monthly sloshing of water about.

 

[Penners]

Joce, as has been observed before, your patience and attention to detail are truly admirable.

I do hope you feel a warm glow of pride when you see that floor. But for goodness' sake, don't go spoiling it by walking on it. :wink:

 

[JoceAndChris]

Aww, thanks! But it's so slippery that walking on it is far too dangerous anyway. I could tumble down those vaulted undercroft stairs! Oh well, I'll just have to go in and out the windows, like the cat.

 

[ilona73]

wow!!! looks fantabulous!!
I found a lovely stone floor in my icckle water closet off my dining room which was covered in thick lino and ugly brown smelly carpet. I have scrubbed it and scrubbed it and we are getting there slowly.
But hats off to you madam its looking mighty fine!

 

[Carol]

Wow! Super effect, but I must ask, how are your knees? Do you fancy coming to Somerset to do the same on our church flags? Or my hall way?
Great ad. for Liberon and its nice smell.

 

[Penners]

I could tumble down those vaulted undercroft stairs

Hey - how about a door! :wink:

 

[Penners]

icckle

This is an official warning that I have placed malevolent code in your computer. If your errant fingers ever attempt to type the above "word" again, havoc will be wrought. :evil:

 

[Flyfisher]

Wonderful work Joce. I thought that floor looked fantastic in earlier photos but you've made it look truly lovely. I trust you're also pleased with it. However, like Carol, I'm also thinking about your knees.

Edit: that last sentence could have been phrased better, although now I think about it . . .

 

[JoceAndChris]

icckle

This is an official warning that I have placed malevolent code in your computer. If your errant fingers ever attempt to type the above "word" again, havoc will be wrought. :evil:

.Mr P, that's an icckle bit harsh. Queen Lucia, in Benson's lovely books, uses that word all the time.

Hey - how about a door! :wink:

I need a door! If anyone spots an 18th C cottagey door with 4 panels let me know.

Thanks for the nice comments, Carol and Ilona and Flyfisher. I am pleased with how it's turned out, and fortunately my knees are in marvellous condition thankyou, never better, and all in all I feel very strong and fit. As there are at least 11 more hard floors to restore in this way I won't be renting myself out anytime soon though. :shock:

 

[Flyfisher]

As there are at least 11 more hard floors to restore in this way . . . .

. . . but how lovely to have such floors in the first place, considering the regular postings here of similarly lovely floors that have been screeded over with concrete or some other awful gunk.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Thanks Flyfisher, yes, it's nice to present a floor well that's got the footprints of my predecessors planted there. I've got some treats in store- the lovely original brick floor in the little wine cellar, the ancient -looking flagstone floor in the breakfast room, the wide original boards in the drawing room, in perfect shape, the second bedroom's floorboards (had a sneaky peek under the carpet and they look great too.) But then there are 3 with cement that will need breaking up - I wonder what's underneath -and some areas where I just don't know what to do, but I'm sure you lovely people will help.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Seriously, I used to do all jobs whilst kneeling and am bl##dy sorry now. They are agony and I can't get up from any low chairs and have to bend for any jobs now. There is no way I can kneel and do low down jobs.

Please use a good quality kneeling pad or knee pads for EVERY job.

I miss using my knees.


That floor is beautiful.

 

[JoceAndChris]

How horrid for you- your poor knees. Were you an athlete, or runner as well? I'll try to look after my own a bit better, thanks!

 

[Schoolmarm]

No, not athletic at all. I did do quite a bit of cycling years ago but I am certain it is all the kneeling doing sheep feet trimming, chiselling cement off floors and just sat kneeling in front of the fire watching tv.

 

[Moo]

You could certainly point the finger of blame at the cycling, if our son's experience is anything to go by. That Lands End to John O'Groats cycle ride did some very nasty things to his knees.

 

[Schoolmarm]

Oh dear. Hope he is soon better. That's awful.

 

[worms]

kneeling doing sheep feet trimming

:shock:
I've found this to be bad for my back but that is with me standing and the sheep sitting up. How do you control the sheep if you are kneeling? Or is someone else holding and you are kneeling to trim?

 

[Schoolmarm]

Yes, if I am on my own I stand with the sheep sat up between my legs.
But if I can persuade eldest offspring to get it down and keep it there I can either bend or squat. Or used to :lol:

It only works for quiet sheep though, the naughty ones set off kicking and really hurt your leg if you are in the way.

Now, I can only bend. I sound like a real "demic" don't I! :lol: :lol:

 

[Penners]

If you happen to have an old galvanised steel loft header tank, I may have a novel solution to your problem.

Some friends of ours used to keep a few ewes, the largest of which was Mrs Greedy. Each year at dipping time, I used to help my pal with the job. We would fill the old galvanised tank with sheep dip, then grab each ewe by the legs, swiftly invert the beast and dunk it briefly in the tank.

Unfortunately, Mrs Greedy grew larger each year, until one year we tried this technique and she ended up stuck fast in the rim of the tank, all four legs in the air. We quickly turned her over and she then proceeded to give us her impression of a tortoise, until we could prise the tank off her.

Poor Mrs Greedy.

However, it strikes me that a sheep wedged into the rim of a tank with legs in the air could have its feet trimmed at an ergonomically correct height.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I have a sheep turnover crate that does just this. Bought from eBay for about 70 quid.

Works well and presents the sheep upside down with feet in the air - great for trimming and crotching.

The alternative is to plonk them backwards into a deckchair - much easier on your back than having them between your legs Carole as you don't need to bend over them from behind.