Beneath decades of paint, lino, and flying-carpet adhesive in a typical Notting Hill entrance hall, there’s usually something worth saving. Victorian encaustic tiles are among the most durable floor finishes ever made — and when they can be restored, they lift an entire property.
What Encaustic Tiles Actually Are
An encaustic tile isn’t painted — the pattern runs through the full thickness of the body. The tile is moulded in multiple clays of different colours, pressed, and fired as a single piece. That’s why they last 150 years and counting.
The Restoration Process
Phase 1: Uncover
Almost every period entrance hall we survey has been covered at some point. Lino glue, vinyl sheeting, and carpet underlay come up with a combination of heat, steam, and patience. We never use chemical strippers on encaustic — the clay body absorbs them.
Phase 2: Clean
A low-pressure rinse with an alkaline neutraliser removes the accumulated grime. Stubborn stains get a poultice of fuller’s earth left overnight.
Phase 3: Assess and Source Replacements
A surviving 1880s floor will always have some damaged tiles. We source period-accurate replacements from Craven Dunnill, Original Style, and (for the harder-to-find Geometrics patterns) bespoke reproduction workshops in the Midlands.
Phase 4: Re-lay and Re-grout
Damaged tiles are lifted, the substrate is checked and repaired, and replacements are bedded in with a lime-based mortar that flexes with the period building’s natural movement. Grout colour is matched to the original — never a modern off-white.
Phase 5: Seal
A breathable penetrating sealer (never a topical coating) protects the surface without changing its look. Recoating is needed every 3–5 years.
When It’s Worth It
If your floor is more than 70% intact, restoration will always beat replacement on both cost and property value. If it’s less than 40% intact, we recommend a full replacement with heritage-specification reproduction tiles.
