See How An Old Minton Tile Floor Can Look Stunning

Last Updated on February 12, 2026 by David

This Minton tile cleaning case study in Buckinghamshire documents the restoration of a Victorian clay tile floor in Ovington, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Case study by: David Allen – Abbey Floor Care
Natural stone and tile restoration specialist with over 30 years of hands-on experience in UK homes.

This article documents the restoration of a Victorian Minton tile floor in Ovington, Buckinghamshire, based on firsthand site observations from the project.

The floor is over 100 years old and has had several coatings over its lifetime.

Original condition of the Victorian Minton tile floor prior to restoration

Old Sealer And Adhesive

At some point in the past, the floor had been sealed, and adhesive had also been applied for glue-down carpet. Both were still present in patches and needed removing as part of the restoration.

Ingrained Soil

The tile surface had retained a lot of ingrained soil, which was expected given the age of the floor and the build-up from previous coverings and coatings.

Detail showing age-related surface wear on original clay tiles

Loose Tiles

Over half of the tiles were loose due to loss of the original grout and breakdown of the original bedding. Re-grouting was not included in the restoration specification, so the cleaning and drying stages had to be carried out with extra caution to avoid disturbing unstable tiles.

Protect Surrounding Areas

Protective plastic sheeting was installed on the walls and adjoining rooms, and the door to the w/c was removed to make access easier.

Remove Surface Coatings

Removal of historic surface coatings from the Minton tile floor

The first stage of the work focused on removing the various surface coatings and adhesive residues. A broad-spectrum gel-based sealing and coating remover was applied and left in place long enough to soften the build-up for removal.

Once softened, the residues were worked free and lifted away in stages, with careful rinsing and extraction used to reduce moisture penetration into the original bedding.

Because the floor was old and well-worn, some areas did not release fully with machine work alone. Those sections were treated again and finished with detailed hand work to remove remaining traces.

The floor was then rinsed and dried multiple times to ensure no residual contamination remained before it was left overnight to dry out fully.

After cleaning, the tiles appeared noticeably lighter. This is typical where the original hard-wearing surface has thinned through age and traffic, and it becomes more visible once old coatings have been stripped away.

Apply Colour-Enhancing Impregnating Sealer

Finished appearance of the restored Minton tile floor

Colour and pattern definition were restored by applying two coats of a specialist colour-enhancing impregnating sealer, chosen to suit a historic clay floor and its moisture behaviour.

The visual change was immediate, with the different coloured tiles and the overall pattern becoming much clearer once the finish was in place.

This restoration is one of several documented “before and after” projects referenced in our Victorian tile floor care guide.

If you would like your Victorian clay tile floor, or any other stone floor, restored to a beautiful finish, use our simple contact form.