Sealing quarry tiles

[ChassyH]

What product should I use when the tiles are laid on an earth floor/lime bed which will obviously need to breathe ?

The floor is octagonal red with square black inserts, some one suggested red tile polish ??

As an aside, one or two of the small black squares have 'sunk' anybody know of 'an old indian trick' to lift these so that I can get them level (ish) ??

Thanks in advance

 

[FamilyWiggs]

ChassyH

Welcome to the forum. If you search for "seal tiles" you'll see we have discussed this many times, and there are a lot of good ideas out there. It usually goes something likes this:

Various posters - suggest petrochemical coatings that have worked for them.

I suggest raw linseed oil. Others chip in with milk or bulls testicles or some other traditional remedy.

Nemesis posts a link to TileSoc which says don't use linseed oil, and chastises us for never listening.

Shelli or someone posts a pic of her tiles, and we all coo.

Penners makes a joke, and the thread moves on to discussig chemistry experiments in the shed, or old railway journeys or something.

The original poster comes back 3 months later with a lovely pic of their finished tiles (we all coo) and tells us what they used. It is then their turn to reply to the next thread about sealing tiles, and the cycle repeats itself.



Seriously though, I have used raw Holkham linseed oil on 200 yr old hand-made heather browns and it looks stunning. I am about a week away from posting my before/after pics on here of my project - another great forum tradition.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[ChassyH]

Thanks for your advice, it seems all too confusing, as there are a lot of theories out there. Does the linseed oil approach give a finish that will last, or will it need constant re-application ? The house is actually my son's and he doesn't do that sort of thing, more a 'let's play and party' type of bloke.

 

[Ian Bond]

Is this the kind or red tile polish you were thinking of?

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/tableau!REG-red-tile-polish/F/C/Lakeland-sale/product/21673

I seem to remember something call Cardinal tile polish, perhaps that's no longer available - can't find it.

The TACS advice is here:
http://www.tilesoc.org.uk/conservation1.htm

I can't see anything being suggested as a sealer though. Glad to hear that FamilyWiggs likes linseed oil. I love it personally, but everyone else that I've tried to get to use it claims to hate the smell.

The house is actually my son's and he doesn't do that sort of thing, more a 'let's play and party' type of bloke.

There's no playing and partying on PPUK - this is very serious stuff you know. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Linseed oil will need a couple of applications to saturate the tile - and then the occasional top up over the years. I have found it really brings out the deep colour of the tiles, without a glossy finish. You also don't worry about the horrible chemical content of the modern coating sealers.

As to the smell - doesn't bother me. Besides it's only smellable (if that is a word), whilst you are applying it. There's no smell after that. We're getting through gallons of the stuff at the mo - on our new windows, slate floors, slate cills, heather brown floors, toast, etc.

 

[ChassyH]

Thanks familywiggs, I think I am a Raw Linseed recruit, have you any pearls of wisdom re the applying of the stuff, time left between coats etc., ? It would be much appreciated

Regards

 

[skier-hughes]

How longs a piece of string!!!!!!

I love linseed oil and am currently doing my new doors, but applying the linseed last nihgt I thought with a nice warm through draught it'd be pretty close to dry this morning, no chance!!

The problem with drying time is it depends on how much you put on in one go, the porosity of the material, my doors are a very close grained doublas fir and it's just like hardwood.

I'd reckon probably on a good 24 hours between coats, even longer if you do it in the winter.

Heat it up before using, the warmer it is the easier it soaks in, but be warned................
Read this well before continuing :shock: (bottom page 15)

http://periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7228&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=210

And Holkham have some good reading on their site
http://www.holkham.co.uk/linseedpaints/

Don't use any old linseed oil, it's not all the same, spend a bit to get good quality and enjoy.

Graham

 

[Lime]

I've used Hagesen sealer on a newly laid old tile floor.
They were really dull and drab after cleaning and washing.
Using this stuff, see below, i have a tiled floor that many visitors say they thought I've painted them red.
(Which of course i haven't)
I look at them myself sursprised that they are so deep red.
They do realy look as if they have been painted.

http://www.hagesan.co.uk/epages/61534384.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/61534384/Products/hag29/SubProducts/hag29-0001

 

[ChassyH]

Thanks for that info, Lime, reading up on the product, it does seem to fit the bill, allowing the floor to breathe, is it allowed under the PPUK rules? I don't want an investigation by the PPUK police !! As you are an old hand on this message bnoard, I presume it must be OK.

I want something to allow the floor to breathe as one section of about 16 tiles is proving very slow to dry out after cleaning.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I would echo Graham.

Get good (raw)linseed oil. Apparently you are supposed to use raw on wood and boiled on stone/tiles. Boiled is more brown in colour, and will stain your grouting.

I have tried a few, and for quality you can't beat the Holkham raw linseed oil.

Drying time - depends upon the posority of your tiles. Mine vary between a few hours and a few days. You know when they are saturated, because the oil pools on the top and doesn't soak in. A quick rub over with a clean rag and you are good to go.

Apparently the oil soaked rags can raze your house to the ground in 10 seconds, so make sure you have the garden sprinkler going at full tilt in the room when you are rubbing the excess oil off with a rag. Better to be safe than sorry. :lol:

As Graham also points out, heating the oil is a hazardous exercise which should only be undertaken by a fully trained and qualified professional, dressed from head to toe in an asbestos suit. :lol:

 

[skier-hughes]

I put one of these on when I do my wood

 

[Lime]

Yeah, ha ha but the risk of fire from linseed oil soaked cloth is real.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I put one of these on when I do my wood

You just need to be very careful not to bring a rag inside the suit with you! :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[ChassyH]

Help !

Can anyone give me a list of 'good' raw linseed oil brands from which to pick ?? I can get Holkham on mail order, but they seem to want an arm and a leg P&P. All my local paint retailers don't stock Holkham, (and have never heard of it), the brands I have been offered are - Palace, (a local brand from 'up north'), Barrattine and Rustins, as well as another whose name seemed to be so DIY shed that I have forgotten it.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Chas - have responded to your pm.

Robin

 

[Gervase]

I get my linseed oil from the local farmers' co-op. They sell it in five litre containers as an additive for hose food, at around £18 a pop. It's very clean and pure; a pale straw yellow in colour, and smells good enough to drink!

 

[Schoolmarm]

Oh my god is that the same stuff? I have got a huge can of it outside in the horse barn :shock:

 

[MdB]

They sell it in five litre containers as an additive for hose food,

I didn't know that they needed feeding. I just give mine water to drink.

 

[ChassyH]

I have used the linseed oil on my hall mosaic tiles, with excellent results, the tiles started to dry within a few hours, I re-wiped the floor after 24 hours, and it was OK to walk on after 48 hours. As suggested, I gave it 2 coats.

I then tried it on my sitting room floor, (octagonal red quarries with black square inserts), doing approx half the floor area. Now, 48 hours later, of the 250(ish) octagonals oiled (plus the associated blacks) only TWO octagonals have dried ??

I am getting feelings that they will never dry, which of course wont happen . . . . will it ?

 

[yamin]

Used a 500ml pot of boiled linseed oil from the local pound shop!

Did our old flags up a treat! Only one coat, not sure can find before and after shots but I'll try!

I'm such a worrier, plunged oily rags in bucket ofsoapy water outsied for a week afterwards cos of fire risk! (actually, they might still be there!)