Q: My parents live in a 18th century water mill in Belgium. They are undertaking major works in the ground floor. The tiles in the kitchen are colorful (but faded) cement tiles with a very original pattern. Of course they want to keep them, but have you any idea how to revive the color of the tiles?
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Beautiful tile! Do you know anything about how the tile was made? It's possible the process is still used, or modern tile companies would have the know how to replicate it and know how to revive the color. It looks like most of the tiles are chipped and cracked. If there isn't a way to revive the tile color, I would look into sealing it so the existing color can be preserved and you can stop the fading.
Also, talk to preservationists and other historic societies, and visit churches from that era. It's possible the artisans who worked on the mill used the same processes used on cement floors and other tiles in churches. Those buildings have stood the test of time; their histories might give you ideas on how to preserve and revive the tile color.
I was also going to suggest sealing them. I've seen similar tiles in a reclamation store which are coloured concrete. I think sealing them will brighten the colours and protect what you have now..
The problem is that if the sealer bonds more to the finish than the finish bonds to the tile, then you run the risk of taking off the finish even faster.
I was going to recommend a wax--but that might make the tiles slippery.
The fade doesn't bother me. It is historically old and that is part of the charm. I say make it work, and if they can't I will HAPPILY make it work for them... please? Pretty please?
I don't know the answer, but what a beautiful floor!
I understand your desire to brighten your floor, or at least try to get some of the old luster back. You'll need to do a thorough clean with 1 part bleach (I know, counter-intuitive) and 1 part laundry detergent. Use the neutral eco-friendly stuff if you can.
After allowing it to COMPLETELY DRY (I recommend at least a week), top with a high grade commercial sealer, like Ardex PC finish (in low or high gloss, see here, respectively: http://www.ardex.com/productDetail.asp?ProductID=475&ContentParentID=2 http://www.ardex.com/productDetail.asp?ProductID=314&ContentParentID=2
This should substantially brighten your concrete and protect it from any further damage.
I don't know the answer, but oh what a beautiful floor!
@SkippingDasies,
You might be right. The concrete tiles I've seen are coloured all the way through, so there really is no finish to come off. I can't tell if this is the case in this photo though!
I sell my concrete tiles through Ann Sacks and like to think that they become more beautiful over time. I think that the years of use reflected in the look of your parent's tiles should be appreciated, especially in the context of the historic mill. The focus should be on preservation, not restoration. It is impossible to tell a lot from a picture. At first glance I thought they were encaustic tile, but it appears that the color may be applied. If this is correct, it would be even more perilous to do too much.
My suggestion is to clean the tiles with a neutral ph cleaner made for stone and masonry. Seal it with two coats of a good penetrating sealer, such as 511 Porous Plus. This will not change the look of the tile or make them glossy. After that, if desired, a coat of paste bees wax, such as Monocera, will make the floor color deep and rich looking. New applications of bees wax can be added when it is needed. The wax build up adds to the patina. This will not make the floor impervious to further change, but will help it continue to age gracefully. It is always prudent to test any products in an inconspicuous part of the floor first.
They're so beautiful as is!
Here's the key question: are they cement or are they ceramic? Depending on the answer, the treatment options will be quite different. The two can look deceptively similar as shown on this website page: http://www.granadatile.com/cement_vs_ceramic_tile.php. The easiest way to tell is to look at the back of the tile if you can lift out a loose piece.
If they are definitely cement, I would agree with Andy Fleishman's recommended course of treatment. If they are ceramic, then I would contact one of the antique encaustic tile purveyors and ask their advice.
Wishing you all the best with your beautiful floors!