travatine, pollished limestone and slate. cleaning up some-one elses mess

[muddy_trousers]

I've been asked by someone to help them clean up after another tiler. The guy that laid the tiles hasn't cleaned the grout and adhesive off properly once finnished, then sealed the tiles and left. It's a beautiful New build, multi million pound house situated in a very well to do area. The areas of tiling are huge, over 2000 square feet over 2 levels and the mess the previous tiler left is very obvious. It's really awful if I'm honest! It's all been down a month or so I think. So what do you guys suggest I clean it with? The stone floor has an area where it goes under the staircase so would be ideal for a test area. I need to break down the grout and adhesive lumps and swirls so its mint. Any help would be great

 

[DHTiling]

Did you take any pics..?..


What grout was used and what sealer.? and what stone types..?

 

[enduro]

HTC Twister pads would be ideal for this. Used them on a bad install job just like this and they came up a treat.

 

[muddy_trousers]

I'm not sure on the grout and sealer. It was a bal adhesive so no doubt a bal grout. Looks like a tops tile job! Does this make a difference to the chemicals I should use? It's the polished limestone floor ill start with.

 

[Topshop]

Is the travertine polished, honed, or tumbled?

Is the slate cleft, or flat?

That will make a huge difference how you should approach this project. You shouldn't just have a go at these stones with any chemicals unless you have the equipment to re-surface them.

Like Dave asked - got pics?

 

[muddy_trousers]

Sorry about the pic, its a bit rubbish. This is the worst effected and largest area. The customer wants it to have a nice clean shine throughout. The previous tiler says its been sealed but hes left a right mess behind. The sealent wants to be removed and the tiles cleaned up, then sealed again.


The travertine on the bathroom walls is tumbled. He hasn't got a huge issue with these although some of them haven't been cleaned properly. All of that has been sealed.

The travertine on the floor is honed and apparently sealed but has a very matt finnish. I don't think its been sealed to be honest! A large ammount of that needs to be cleaned right back and then sealed.

The slate is all cleft and only a small amount of that has been sealed. They are happy with the bit thats been sealed, just want all the rest cleaned up and then sealed.

 

[muddy_trousers]

Its ok guys, I think I know what I'm going to do. Lithofin "wax off" looks like the best product for the job. I'll start off in a area out of sight and see how it goes. I'll also try and put up some step by step pictures. They might be of use to someone

 

[onion]

I've been asked by someone to help them clean up after another tiler. The guy that laid the tiles hasn't cleaned the grout and adhesive off properly once finnished, then sealed the tiles and left. It's a beautiful New build, multi million pound house situated in a very well to do area. The areas of tiling are huge, over 2000 square feet over 2 levels and the mess the previous tiler left is very obvious. It's really awful if I'm honest! It's all been down a month or so I think. So what do you guys suggest I clean it with? The stone floor has an area where it goes under the staircase so would be ideal for a test area. I need to break down the grout and adhesive lumps and swirls so its mint. Any help would be great

Get a professional to do the job or you will end up looking as bad as the tiler

 

[muddy_trousers]

I did the job almost 2 weeks ago now. Got it all looking spanking, customer was so chuffed. Shame I wasn't in there from the begining!

 

[Richard Edwards]

Hi Muddy

As we restore Travertine and Limestone from time to time including honing and chemical stripping, and therefore have an interest in this thread, please describe in as much detail what you did and what you used and if possible an odd picture would be nice.