In the first part of this article series, we learnt what it meant to seal Victorian floor tiles and why it is necessary to do so.
We also discussed in what cases it's a good idea to seal your tiles with an impregnator and how it can be unsuitable for tiles fitted outdoors in regions where subzero temperatures are regularly reached.
Now that you've decided to seal your Victorian floor tiles with an impregnator, these instructions will explain how to go about it.
First off, it's necessary to thoroughly clean your Victorian tiles using a specialist cleaning product such as a porcelain cleaner.
I usually stick with a named brand such as HG who provide a series of specialised products for certain tasks that really work.
It's necessary to first clean the floor as we are quite literally sealing it.
A chemical impregnator or sealer essentially creates a thin, invisible membrane over the surface of the floor and if any dirt was trapped under this seal, there it would remain.
After cleaning the floor, it's important to remove the surface liquid with a clean, dry towel to insure no chemical residue is left behind.
This would occur if the water were allowed to naturally evaporate in a similar way as to how seawater leaves behind salt crystals.
The floor may now look dry but it needs to be drier.
Leave the floor for a further hour (or possibly longer in cold temperatures) to ensure all water has evaporated from the pores and crevices in the surface of the porcelain.
Be sure not to walk on the floor during this time as you may leave further dirt behind.
So now we're ready to seal our Victorian floor tiles.
As mentioned, HG produce an impregnator which I have used in the past to great success called a Stain Protector.
However, any local or chain DIY store produce something similar that come in a perhaps more convenient spray bottle as opposed to HG's concentrated bottles.
Apply a coat of the sealer ensuring to achieve an even 100% coverage over the tiled surface.
The sealing solution is a fairly watery substance so only a thin layer can be applied before pooling occurs.
After applying the sealer, wait for 30 minutes.
You should notice that the sealing solution 'dries' remarkably quickly.
This is in fact due to it being absorbed by the tiles.
Now apply a second coat of sealer the same way as the first and wait a further 30 minutes.
You should notice that this second coat takes longer to dry.
This is because the pores in the tiles have become saturated and the sealer is now sitting on the surface.
It is essential that you mop up any pooling of excess sealer with kitchen towels because if these puddles were allowed to evaporate naturally, a terrible residue of the impregnating compound would be left behind on the surface.
You can now test whether the sealing has been successful by dripping water on the tiles.
The water should form beads on the surface of the tiles (similar to rain on an anorak) indicating that the tiles were unable to absorb it.
If the water is still being absorbed, repeat the above steps until the desired outcome is reached.
Congratulations, you've now successfully sealed your Victorian floor tiles and protected them from future staining.
It is typically necessary to repeat this process every 10 years or so.
The valuable investment you've made to your Victorian era house in the form of Victorian floor tiles will now last through the wear and tear of daily life.