How To Strip Saltillo Tile And Grout

[@mikemurray5780]

Thank you. This video inspired me to take this on. We have 550 sf of saltillo. The old sealer was at least 20-30 years old. There were large areas, especially in the kitchen, that could not be cleaned because the dirt/grease was embedded in the sealer. No one in our area knows anything about properly stripping and resealing saltillo tile. So either I was going to do this myself or get a new floor. The process I used was similar to what's posted here but a little different. I brushed on the Klean Strip (with methylene chloride). Waited 15 minutes, then used a 4" scraper to gently remove most of the sealer. It came off quite easily but required a lot of careful work around the edges, low spots, and other imperfections. Also had to be careful not to scrape down into the tile itself. I then scrubbed the grout with a wire brush (same width as the grout lines) and vacuumed up all the stripper/sealer goop with a shop vac. I then sprayed on some plain water and used thick blue 3M scrub pads to remove the remaining sealer from the tile and grout. There was always just enough stripper left after vacuuming to mix with the water and create a thick slurry for scrubbing. I then added a bit more water and vacuumed up all remaining water and debris. Finally wiped it down with rags and clear water and then with mineral spirits, which dried everything completely so I could carefully inspect the tiles and grout for any residual sealer. In the beginning I was not using enough stripper and had to rework lots of tiles. After a while I learned to brush on the stripper VERY thick (and "flood" the grout). Then the whole job became much easier and quicker. I used 4.5 gallons of stripper for 550 sf. The Klean Strip with methylene chloride is hard to find. In my area, only Tractor Supply still carries it. I just finished the stripping yesterday. It took about 10 days working 4-6 hours per day, which is all I could endure. I started off doing 4 tiles at a time, then tried 8, but that was too much. I backed off to about 5-6 tiles at a time and that worked well. I used the 15 minutes while the stripper was "doing it's thing" to clean all my tools, rags, and vacuum hose. It was exhausting work and very hard on the knees, even with knee pads. But I am very happy with how it turned out. Thanks again for posting and inspiring me to do this job.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Mike Murray You’re welcome, Mike. And thank you for your comment. This video was created, in part, to assist DIYers, so I’m very happy that it served that purpose effectively for you. Sounds like you did a great job!

[@babyady69]

I have a question. How much will cost to strip 1,000.sq ft in kitchen area of this tiles ? Average. My second question is... all the stripping you do.is by hand?

[@dianebushby2510]

@@CatalinaFloorCare I live in Portugal, the house we have just purchased has this handmade clay tiles all over the house and they look in pretty poor condition....we could probably strip these tiles and reseal them ourselves because have done a lot of renovation work but I have no idea where to get Methylene chloride from...is there a worldwide product that you know of that I could purchase from the internet? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

@@dianebushby2510 Hi Diane. The two stripping products that I used in this video can both be purchased through online vendors. The Klean Strip product no longer contains methylene chloride but is still effective.

[@antonyvc1]

Finally a useful how-to! Thank you. So many of these videos are just ads for a cleaning service. I live in a rural area and even if I wanted to pay someone they just aren't around. Thanks for helping people out instead of just trying to sell services.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Antony Van Couvering You’re welcome, Antony. If you need ongoing assistance throughout your project, just text your questions to the number listed in the description.

[@bobee-kayclark1402]

Yes! I feel your pain. I needed this so much!

[@henryuzoho4209]

You are just 1 in a million youtuber ​@@CatalinaFloorCare

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

@@henryuzoho4209Thank you, Henry! 🙏

[@_Ag-]

Very well explained and great demonstration, too. Thanks for wanting to help others resolve their tile issues; generous of you. Edited to add: Also appreciate the lack of obnoxious background music. 😌

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Thank you for your kind comment.

[@anjelsedai]

I appreciate this video so much, I am trying to get stains out of a floor in a house we purchased 3 years ago.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Good luck! Call or text me at [phone] if you need additional help.

[@anjelsedai]

Wow, you’re so helpful! I just might text you later. I’ve already stripped this space 3x with the ZEP. I might try the Klean Strip.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

@@anjelsedaiYeah, Zep Heavy Duty Floor Stripper by itself won’t do it.

[@boblevey]

Great video. So helpful for you to give us the products so at least we can do our research. Not many DIY’ers will be able to pull this off but at least you give us a shot. Thanks again.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Bob, call or text me at the number listed in the description and I’ll be happy to guide you through your entire project.

[@boblevey]

Catalina Floor Care Thank you very much. Not quite ready yet. I am very familiar with these types of materials having been in the high end finishing business for over fifty years. Retired now to Green Valley. My website is www.boblevey.net Again I really appreciate your style, very rare these days. Sincerely, Bob

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Bob Levey Thank you, Bob. I’ll visit your website.

[@JoseLuisperez-h2n]

What applicator are you using to apply the sealer

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Here’s a link to the applicator tool type: www.google.com/search?q=padco+paint+pad&client=safari&sca_esv=08c4341ef57b0161&channel=iphone_bm&source=hp&ei=1ukvZ_qBBLDakPIPzaOLkQQ&oq=padco+paint&gs_lp=EhFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocCILcGFkY28gcGFpbnQqAggAMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgYQABgWGB4yCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFMgsQABiABBiGAxiKBTILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFSLd4UMcOWIZocAV4AJABAJgBswGgAewOqgEEMi4xMrgBAcgBAPgBAZgCE6ACyhCoAhPCAhAQKRiABBixAxiDARhGGIACwgICECnCAggQKRiABBixA8ICEBAAGAMY5QIY6gIYjAMYjwHCAhAQLhgDGOUCGOoCGIwDGI8BwgILECkYoAEY-AUYiwPCAgUQKRiABMICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgsQLhiABBixAxiDAcICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgILEC4YgAQY0QMYxwHCAg4QABiABBixAxiDARjHA8ICERAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGIMBGMcBwgIFEC4YgATCAg4QLhiABBixAxiDARiKBcICCBAuGIAEGLEDwgIOEC4YgAQYxwEYjgUYrwHCAg4QLhiABBixAxiDARjUAsICFBAuGIAEGLEDGIMBGMcBGI4FGK8BwgIJELkBGIAEGO8EwgIOELkBGIAEGLEDGAoY7wTCAgsQLhiABBjHARivAcICBxAAGIAEGArCAg0QLhiABBjHARgKGK8BwgIHEC4YgAQYCsICChAAGIAEGLEDGArCAgsQuQEYgAQYChjvBMICBRAhGKABmAMYkgcENS4xNKAH3YkB&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp#piu=ps:21&oshopproduct=gid:13656428138666375261,mid:576462680723243086,oid:15613395114665486920,iid:7231476301054061627,pvt:hg,pvo:19&oshop=apv&pvs=0

[@CB-ki4ov]

Hi. I live in Phoenix, have researched this topic so much! Your video was the best! I attempted a small section and realized too much for me (wrist is replaced) I ended up hiring what I thought was a very reputable company and made a large down payment. They left today and plan to come back ready to seal, however, I don’t think it is stripped enough. Could I share pics with you for your opinion? Thank you!

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Absolutely. You can either text them to me at [phone], or email them to me at [e-mail].

[@JoyinFlorida]

I unknowingly used a rubber backed rug in my sunroom and the humidity stuck it to the tiles😢 i have NO clue how to remove the residue? Do i have to strip and reseal?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Unfortunately, yes. If you need additional help, you can call or text me at the telephone number in this video’s description.

[@JoyinFlorida]

@@CatalinaFloorCare lol I was sooooo hoping you didn't answer that way, but I had a feeling you would🤦‍♀️ And yes, I may actually reach out for help, so thank you. It's roughly 12 of the 11" square tiles so at least it isn't a whole floor. I appreciate your response and your willingness to help an idiot😆❤

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

@@JoyinFloridaIn your own words you unknowingly did it, so you’re NOT an idiot. Call or text anytime.

[@JoyinFlorida]

@@CatalinaFloorCare ❤

[@tiburciomoran1262]

Thanks for showing on a step by step. I own a Mexican restaurant in California and it needed lots of work. What’s the going price per square foot if u can share $

[@alexj1188]

I got a saltillo job coming up Do I have to strip it first then coat it? Or can I just clean it then coat it? It doesn't look like there's any coating on top. Or stripping is a must

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Alex, please text me some pictures of your floor at [phone] and I’ll let you know.

[@Honjonck]

Sir. You are a life saver. I want to do this project staring with my kitchen. I had contacted some local companies but until know im not happy with their results. I would appreciate your guidance in advance to get the tools required for this task. Thank you so much.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Honjonck I’m glad you are feeling more optimistic after watching my video. If you call or text me at [phone], or email me at [e-mail] I will be happy to guide you through your entire project.

[@BobbyChavs8]

This is a great system. Do you just manually brush 1000sf or do you have machines to work more areas at time? Would a floor scrubber with a black pad and commercial vacuum help with larger areas at a time?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Robert Chavez Thanks, Robert. This entire floor was stripped by hand 4 tiles at a time. A large portion of the floor had to be stripped 5 times. The coating was extremely resistant to methylene chloride. In a situation like that, your natural inclination is to want to try to speed up the process through means like the one you suggested. But since saltillo tile is soft, delicate, and porous, and because its surface is irregularly shaped and not flat, using a floor machine (with a constant RPM of 135) equipped with a black stripping pad on a completely flat base will not only damage the higher areas of the tile, but will also skip right over the lower-lying areas in the tile. I commonly receive calls from people who have had their saltillo tile floors damaged by companies who’ve attempted to strip them using floor machines. Saltillo tile should always be stripped by hand.

[@BobbyChavs8]

Catalina Floor Care makes sense. Thank you for the response. What type of topical sealers do you recommend using for commercial floors, after the floor has been stripped?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Robert Chavez If by commercial floors you mean VCT, I like using a sealer called Enseal made by a company called National Chemical Laboratories, followed by a product called 24/7 made by the same company.

[@bdelikai]

Thanks for making this video. I'm wondering how I would strip saltillo tiles that have black epoxy paint and then sealer. Would it be the same process?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

For the sealer it would be. I’m unsure about the black epoxy, though. I’d suggest doing a sample area, and after you get through the sealant let the Klean Strip sit on the epoxy for about 30 minutes before attempting to strip it.

[@MrPablot95]

I did all of that, then applied stone tech sealer and looks hazy , it looks nice when applied but when dries it looks whitish...did I missed a step?🤔

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

This is a saltillo tile stripping video, (not an instructional video on sealing saltillo tile), but with that said, it sounds like one of three things might have happened. 1. When stripping solutions come in contact with a coating, they turn the coating white. If the coating isn’t completely removed off of the tile during the stripping process, a white residue will remain on the floor and show through the new coating. 2. I always allow 48 hours dry time after I’ve thoroughly cleaned the floor post-stripping phase. If water inside the tile and grout isn’t given adequate time to evaporate it will try to escape through the new coating, and in that process will turn the coating white. 3. If subsequent coats of a sealer or floor finish are applied prematurely before the previous coat is completely dry, the coating will turn white. If you have any additional questions, please call or text me at [phone].

[@MrPablot95]

@@CatalinaFloorCare I'm sorry for asking a question that has nothing to do with the content of your video. Thanks for taking your time and helping me understand a little bit more about the process of sealing Saltillo.

[@sandiegocleantech2589]

would you share how much does this service cost to the customer?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

The cost of any saltillo tile stripping and refinishing project is determined by two factors - the volume of the coating on the floor - how thick it is, and the level of resistance the coating has to the stripping products. Not all coatings present equal levels of resistance to the stripping products.

[@SkiSkateGCNFRN]

We had a local guy strip and re-seal our Saltillo tiles and he slopped the stripper onto my birch baseboard and quarter-sawn oak cabinet toe molding. Any suggestions on how to remove it? It was Sun Glo Hot Stripper by Twi-Laq Industries. The stripper is red in color. The sealer that was on there before (and now) was Trewax. Thanks for any advice you may be able to offer.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

SkiSkateGCNFRN First off, I’m very sorry (but not surprised) that this happened to you - unfortunately, these kinds of events are very common these days. Secondly, whenever I strip perimeters which are bordered with wood baseboards, or around cabinets with wooden kick plates or quarter round, I always mask them off. So, I have no personal experience with having to clean slurry off of any of those types of surfaces. With that said, I would suggest that you speak with someone in Twi-Laq’s tech support department. Here’s a link to their website which includes a “contact us” button. Best of luck. www.twi-laq.com/

[@davemccabe1282]

Our tile seems to have been finished with a really tough epoxy coating about 15 years ago. I don't have the name or manufacturer. Will your process work for stripping this?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

In 17 years, I’ve never encountered a saltillo tile floor with an epoxy coating on it, Dave, so I cannot give you any firsthand advice on whether or not the stripping products I use will be effective in stripping it if the coating is, in fact, epoxy. I would suggest buying a quart-sized can of Klean Strip Premium Paint Stripper and a gallon bottle of Zep Heavy Duty Floor Stripper, (both available at Home Depot), and then do a test area. If you have any additional questions you can text or call me at the telephone number in this video’s description.

[@sunrise7244]

Thank you! From FL 👍🏻

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

You’re welcome. Best of luck with your project!

[@MrJimgillnm]

Very informative - Well done - Thank You !

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Jim Gill Thanks, Jim.

[@tessm9775]

Thank you for the great video. I am in CA, and I think Klean Strip is only offered without the methylene chloride, unfortunately. Do you suggest that I try it with the Klean Strip "non-methylene chloride" formula, or would that be a waste of time and money??

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Tess M Thank you, Tess. Yes, the new formula for the Klean Strip product does work. You can use it the same way I used the old formula in this video. If you have any additional questions, you can text, call, or email me with them using my contact info in the description.

[@tessm9775]

@@CatalinaFloorCare Thank you!

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Tess M You’re welcome.

[@stevetheyardguy1738]

A recently removed dry latex paint overspray from tile floors with Jasco paint/epoxy thinner. It helped but the 2 bedroom apartment still took 3+ hours or major scraping with a wire brush. I want to find a Product/Method that will melt that shit away

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Years ago a man who lives in a town close to Tucson called Green Valley called me to acid stain the concrete floors in a very large garage that he was converting to a casita. He had reinstalled new drywall and had his painter paint the walls with an airless paint sprayer. The painter put down drop cloths around the entire interior perimeter, but the drop cloths were a mesh material that the paint went straight through. So I had to strip a very thick band of paint from around the entire perimeter that extended about 10” out from the walls. I used a product called All Strip that is only available here locally. My suggestion to you is to find a product with methylene chloride. Good luck!

[@stevetheyardguy1738]

@@CatalinaFloorCare Very Cool thank you and you went through the same thing as me it sounds. I have an oreck orbiter and considering getting the gray brush that (I believe) is wire to save me lots of work

[@frlouiegoad4087]

TUCSON AZ! Thank you! I am going to try it!

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

You’re welcome. Feel free to call or text me at the number listed in the description and I’ll be happy to guide you through the entire project.

[@PaintLooseWatercolors]

Hi, Thanks for your video. I would like to tackle my saltillo tiles but I can't find your products online. Home depot has a product now called Klean-Strip 1 qt. Paint and Varnish Stripper. Is this okay? Also I can't find Annihalator. What can I use from Home Depot?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Paint Loose Watercolors Thank you for your view. Depending on where you live, Home Depot carries these two products that can be used in combination with each other as I demonstrated in the video: www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-gal-Premium-Paint-Remover-and-Stripper-GKPS300/307994460 www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-5-Gal-Heavy-Duty-Floor-Stripper-ZULFFS5G/203145418 If you need additional assistance please feel free to contact me using the contact info I gave in this video’s description and I’ll be happy to guide you through your entire project.

[@PaintLooseWatercolors]

Thanks for responding so quickly. I have 1070 Tiles. How much will I Neff and also, fires a shop vac get destroyed by the stripping goo?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Paint Loose Watercolors You’re welcome. The exact quantities of products you’ll need depends on two factors, the volume of coating on your floor and the level of resistance to stripping products the coating has. If you need to call or text me to make interacting simpler, feel free to at [phone].

[@PaintLooseWatercolors]

Also, can I do the floor in sections and put finish before moving to the next section?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Paint Loose Watercolors If you decide to strip and refinish your saltillo tile floor in segments, leave a stripped row of tiles between an area that you’re refinishing and an area which hasn’t been stripped yet. That way, when you resume stripping a section next to one that you just refinished, there will be a protective border separating the two areas.

[@gentclan4]

Good day sir. I found your video in a search as we are attempting to pour self leveler over the saltillo in our AZ room and place epoxy over it. We are going this route due to asbestos tile and mastic being under the saltillo and trying to avoid the high cost of abatement. The saltillo is down REALLY good so I do not have any reservations about it as a solid foundation. I believe I understand the products you have used but am uncertain on the use of the Annihilator. Is that just used to keep the stripper from drying up? Is this along with the Klean strip better than the Annihilator stripper or CG itself? Is the removal just wiping and shop vacuuming? If, as I described, the saltillo is down solid do you see why the self leveling would not adhere? Thank you

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

The stripping process I use in this video incorporates Klean Strip Premium Paint Remover with Annihilator Professional Strength Stripper to strip coatings off of saltillo tile. Black stripping pads are used as an abrasive tool to scrub off coatings after the two stripping solutions have loosened them. Annihilator keeps the Klean Strip product soluble. A shop vac is then used to extract the slurry (which is a combination of the emulsified coating and the two stripping solutions). If you have technical questions about the specs of a leveling agent such as LevelQuik RS, or similar products, I’d advise you to contact the manufacturers’ tech support departments, and direct those questions to them.

[@gentclan4]

@@CatalinaFloorCare Thank you very much for your quick response!

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

@@gentclan4 You’re welcome. Best of luck!

[@cindylou3674]

DON'T COVER YOUR TILE~! Find someone to restore it for you!!!

[@juliarubio822]

Great reslove, but This isn't quite my problem. The tile was installed and it somehow absorbed some of the grout stains. I truly haven't a clue on how to remove the stains or even if it's possible to do so.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Julia Rubio For some reason, I’m just now seeing this comment, so I apologize for the late reply. From your description it sounds like either the water from the grouting process entered the tiles from their sides and water stained them from a phenomenon known as windowing, or that the grout wasn’t completely cleaned off of the tiles before they were sealed. In the first scenario, if you coat the tiles with an oil-based product, the windowing will most likely disappear. In the second scenario, the tiles would need to be scrubbed with an acid-based tile cleaner to remove the residual grout.

[@antonyvc1]

I'm trying to find the Klean-Strip "orange label" online and I can't. I see blue, yellow, etc. but not orange. Do you have the exact product name or an acceptable alternative? Thanks so much!

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Antony Van Couvering The packaging has changed since I uploaded this video. It’s the blue can with the orange label.

[@nevergiveupfitness4710]

Thanks for the tip

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

You’re welcome!

[@XER239]

In South Florida, how much can i expect to pay for this restoration to be done to a 900 sq.ft saltillo terrace

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

6824648 If you have hired or are going to hire a company that is experienced in Saltillo tile restoration, the factors that determine pricing are the extent to which the particular coating is resistant to methylene chloride, and the volume of coating existing on the tile. The most important thing is to find a company that is probably capable of doing the job.

[@babyady69]

@@CatalinaFloorCare where are you located?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Carmarie Rios Tucson, Az.

[@jackhowland112]

Ok, but what are you stripping off? The sealer people have been putting on over the years to give it a quick shine? I need to remove the factory finish that was put on when they were made. I installed the tiles 20 years ago, did nothing but wash the floor over the years and now the factory glaze is worn off all over. They need to be stripped down to the clay and refinished. So, what do I strip with and what do I recoat with? Urethane as if it was a wood floor?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Jack Howland Early on in the video I described exactly what I used to strip and exactly what I was stripping off. In this case, the coating was an acrylic whitewash which had been top-coated with an acrylic floor finish called To The Point. Any product that is used to pre-seal saltillo tile can be successfully stripped using the stripping products (and tools) identified in this video. The stripping products I use are Klean Strip Premium Paint Remover and Annihilator stripping solution. Home Depot no longer carries the Klean Strip product, but Ace Hardware does. Home Depot carries a product made by a company called Zep which can be used in place of Annihilator. The product is called Heavy Duty Floor Stripper. As for what to re-coat your tile with, there is a wide range of products that can be used ranging from water-based polyurethane, acrylic, and urethane, to oil-based acrylic and urethane, to penetrating sealers available with or without color enhancers. In most cases, when I’m re-coating interior saltillo tile, I use two products made by a company called National Chemical Laboratories. I seal the tile with a water-based acrylic sealer called Enseal and top-coat it with a water-based acrylic floor finish called 24/7. If you need further assistance with your project, feel free to call or text me at the telephone number listed in this video’s description.

[@slekidd]

Why does your video go into fast forward mode at 1:29?

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Sharon Kidd Because if I had uploaded the video unedited and at its normal speed, it would’ve been way too lengthy. Each four-tile section took 30 minutes on average to completely strip down to bare.

[@cscarter71]

As a homeowner, wouldn't you want the most durable finish possible? So you wouldn't have to pay someone to do this when the finish degrades? Cool video on removal though.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Scott_C. Hi Scott. Durability of the coating can be achieved by re-coating the floor on a regular basis (every year or two) and through weekly maintenance (dust mopping followed by damp mopping). The thing you have to keep in mind is that eventually you are most likely going to have to strip the coating on your Saltillo tile. If the particular coating on your floor is highly resistant to methylene chloride and other stripping solutions, the cost to strip it, naturally, will be greater.

[@treslongwell1332]

lost audio at 1;28.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

That’s because we sped up the video in order to shorten the video’s duration somewhat. If there is info that you feel you missed out on, please text, call, or email me. My contact info is included in the description.

[@RVBadlands2015]

There’s no sound.

[@myaquariuminfo]

👌👏

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Myaquariuminfo Thank You.

[@andrew3979]

Yikes! Great job!

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

Thank you.

[@CB-ki4ov]

The Saltillo Tile world needs to know: Jody is the real deal. Use this company. Do not make the same mistake I did. After watching the you tube video and attempting the saltillo tile restore myself - starting with a set of 6 tiles. Using his technique - the small section came out beautifully! BUT it was very hard work so I decided to hire out for the job. My first mistake - assuming Jody only worked in Tucson. Dont make the same mistake - he travels to Phoenix! Mistake #2 - I consulted with Wade @ Mexican Tile & Stone. I explained how the small section was completed (using Jody’s technique) he nodded and said yes we can take care of this. Mistake #3 - Not kicking them out of my house after the first hour of work. I wasn’t allowed to be in the house because of the strong chemicals. After 4 hours of work I was told the job was done (I couldn’t go in and walk on it) .. FIVE times they claimed the job was done, yet there was still old sealer crusting on the floor (see pics), Wade came out to inspect and agreed with my concerns and unsuccessfully attempted to resolve the issues; However, Mexican Tile & Stone has permanently damaged our Saltillo Flooring. 1. The sealer is not doing its job. If water is spilled it doesn’t bubble on top of the sealer like it’s supposed to, it soaks into the tile. 2. The aggressive scrubbing using a machine (not by hand using Jody’s technique like I requested be done) has left an orange peel texture on the face of the tiles. 3. The grout lines were filled in by basically “painting in”which leaves a faux look rather than classic saltillo grout. Yes, Wade will claim it was a hard restore job on tile that needed a lot of work because it’s an older home. However! Using Jody’s technique I successfully restored 6 beautiful tiles before I realized the job was too big for me (my wrist is replaced). If you are in Phoenix - he is worth the travel fee! If you decide to take the project yourself - ask him questions! He is super helpful. Trust me - I have had these tiles for 20+ years, have hired the wrong guys before, but I saved my money for a long time and really trusted Mexican Tile & Stone BUT- Do not make the same mistake I made - This video is the only way to beautifully restore saltillo tile.

[@CatalinaFloorCare]

That is such an infuriating story, which sadly, is not all that uncommon. Thank you for your kind words. It’s been awhile since we spoke over the phone, but I can sense the frustration that you’re still experiencing. Hope all else is well.