How to 'buff up' Tiles

[staceym]

Hi. I have painstakingly cleaned my hall tiles (hands & knees and little brush job) and I just want some advice on how to buff them up a bit. I don't want them to be shiny and look odd, but they just look a bit sad at the moment. One book I read says to use linseed oil but I am sure I read somewhere that I definitely shouldn't use linseed oil???? I can't really afford to spend £100's on it sadly.

Thanks for your help

 

[LadyArowana]

They look lovely in the photo, but I guess close up is a different matter. I am sure there will be someone with a recommendation along soon. Whatever you decide to use it's always worth trying it out on an inconspicuous place first. If I had put in that much effort I would probably be issuing everone with slippers, or at least stern instructions to take off outdoor shoes!

 

[JoceAndChris]

That's a really lovely floor, well done for your hard work there!

I haven't ever looked after encaustic tiles so this is a longshot - but this company recommend this:

https://www.originalfeatures.co.uk/online-shop/tile-cleaning/hg-golvpolish.html

I used to think that company very good when we lived in London, we had a Viccy floor like yours under the hallway carpet that we always planned to restore. ( we still could as we've rented out the property and I'd use that company for the spares)

Linseed oil can build to a sticky coating, wax might be a better choice as it just naturally wears off without sinking in too deep.

Hope someone more knowledgeable comes along soon!

 

[MdB]

Others have stated in the past that you don't want to use linseed as it can grow mould causing the tiles to go black. If this happens it is very difficult to deal with if I remember correctly. Others have used it though without problems I think. The quality of the linseed may have something to do with it.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I believe a traditional remedy is to invite Joce round in her slippers....

Lovely floor by the way.

 

[JoceAndChris]

if you're going to buff the wax with slippers the best kind are those 4 quid ones from the supermarket with the soft unrubbery sole. It's amazing what you can do with your feet, it's much much better than wearing out your poor shoulders even more. I take buffing as a two week task that's fitted round everything else - just get on the newly waxed surface and have a good slide about. For the first 2 months the floor is a bit slippery so you might want to then move into grippy indoor shoes or slippers but after that the slipperiness wears off.

This is a lovely product but I don't know how it would sit on an encaustic tile.
http://www.liberon.co.uk/stone/stone-floor-shine,434,464.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0zMDQmYWN0aW9uPWZpY2hlUHJvZHVpdCZpZD0xNTMmfA%3D%3D


You can get buffing machines but might not want to bother for a small area.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

if you're going to buff the wax with slippers the best kind are those 4 quid ones from the supermarket with the soft unrubbery sole.

There's a supermarket with a soft unrubbery sole? 8)

 

[LadyArowana]

if you're going to buff the wax with slippers the best kind are those 4 quid ones from the supermarket with the soft unrubbery sole.

There's a supermarket with a soft unrubbery sole? 8)

I think if you look in the fish department they should have one. Althought the final texture will depend on how you cook it.

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol:

 

[staceym]

Thanks for your suggestions, will look into the products, but particularly loving the slipper suggestion!!! Boyfriend will think i'm mental.....

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Stacey - for the avoidance of doubt, I think the fish idea is probably a joke...

:wink:

 

[staceym]

awwwww, I've just bought a pallet load from tesco's. Plus I thought the smell would help when potential buyers are looking round. That's what 'they' say helps sell isn't it? Coffee, freshly baked bread, fish ......... :wink:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Do you know - you might be on to something. Perhaps fish oil works in a similar way to linseed oil and will give a lovely sheen to the floor without the risk of black mould?

If only we could overcome the resulting cat problem, we might be onto something!

 

[AMc]

When I was "Color Magic" polishing the oxidised paint on my old red peugeot I bought a cheap one of these car polishers.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_189810_langId_-1_categoryId_165640
Mine was cheaper than that and came from Woolies.

It might be a sensible thing to try for a comparatively small area if the tiles are fairly even?

 

[Flyfisher]

FW's cat photo gives me an idea about how to buff up those floor tiles . . . .




Only joking, I love cats really and wouldn't dream of using them as floor cloths. Honest.

 

[worms]

FW's cat photo gives me an idea about how to buff up those floor tiles . . . .




Only joking, I love cats really and wouldn't dream of using them as floor cloths. Honest.

Yes, when I saw that picture I was trying to remember if floor polishing had been one of the original 101 uses...

 

[Keith Bowman]

As a new boy here I have at last found a topic where I might actually be able to add something useful! The traditional material for cleaning and maintaining floor tiles in France is Savon Noir - it seems to be a soap made from the skins of black olives, or simply containing olive oil, or possibly linseed oil. An internet search brings up quite a few references - these two for example: http://www.burgundylimestone.com/maintenance.asp or http://www.bauwerk.com.au/products/product.cfm?product_id=5. Hope this helps.

 

[Feltwell]

Only joking, I love cats really and wouldn't dream of using them as floor cloths. Honest.

That reminds me of my old English teacher - she always had a postcard on the wall of her classroom, with a cartoon of a cat holding a tennis racket - with the caption "It takes guts". Apparently I was the only kid she'd taught that had ever understood and commented on it, which says more about the low standard of my school than anything else.

Or perhaps it's just that English teachers have twisted minds. It would explain why we spent so much time studying Lord of the Flies.......

 

[Feltwell]

As a new boy here I have at last found a topic where I might actually be able to add something useful!

It'll never catch on Keith. Give it time and you'll be making daft comments and merrily wandering randomly off topic about any old thing like most of the rest of us. The only hope is often that the conversation wanders so far off topic that it comes round in a complete circle and miraculously comes back to what the original poster wanted to hear about.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Welcome to the forum Keith - if you've been lurking for a while, you'll know that now you've came come out of the shadows it is customary, nay, de rigeur, to post some pics of your house/project.

It is the only way to sate the voracious appetite of PPUK vampires....