How to make Victorian tiles shine
Making Victorian tiles shine is a simple process of applying and building up multiple layers of an acrylic wax on the surfaces of the tiles. The wax has a deepening effect that creates a bit more shine with every subsequent layer that is applied. If you wish to know a bit more about the process read on.
Victorian tile wax explained
The main ingredient in shining Victorian tiles is applying a specific wax designed to adhere and form a semi durable layer on the surface of the tile. In the industry this wax is known as a polymer modified wax and is a blend of wax that has been mixed with plastics and resins to form the perfect blend of durability and natural effect.
This type of wax can be found in many different forms for many different industries and also has many different names. For instance it is also used to seal Vinyl and some wood floors and different blends of the wax allow for mat, satin and high gloss finishes. In the tiling industry I have seen it called different names such as , High gloss, Natural effect, Satin effect wax, Colour enhancer etc. “It all has a milky white or light bluish look to it”
For best results you want to be using the satin effect version and build up multiple coats of this wax. The satin effect wax is the most durable and with the application of multiple coats builds a very pleasant , natural depth and shine to the tiles. This is the wax that I personally use on my own jobs , Fila Satin wax
How to wax Victorian tiles
- Ensure floor and tiles are thoroughly clean and dry
- With a fiber free cloth or sponge apply the wax in circular motions being careful to apply light rather than heavy coats. Make sure to overlap the previous patch a bit.
- Be as methodical as possible and try to spread it as evenly as you can. Pay special attention to not leaving any of the area out.
- Allow at least 30 mins for the coat of wax to dry and do not worry about blue or white bits of the liquid as it all goes see through when dry.
- Repeat this process at least 4 – 5 times to achieve a normal level of shine. To achieve more shine you can build up further layers of wax 7-8 coats will really shine ( as in the pic)