wrote in message
ups.com...
Any suggestions on improving the look of old (1936) tile? Something to
add a little shine. Can you wax tile, or will it only cause it to
become slippery? Polyurethane? Suggestions welcome.

Ceramic, right? That lovely hex pattern stuff that was common then? Unless
there are actual damaged tiles, and as long as floor is solid (like around
toilet and shower), best way to make it look better is a heavy cleaning, and
maybe a regrout job. Dingy tile is probably just 69 years of soap scum, wax,
and grunge. Somebody will jump in here with expert advice on the best floor
stripper, probably from a janitor supply, and the best way to bleach or
tuckpoint the old grout. Unless someone used acid or abrasive on it, ceramic
tile is one of the most durable things there is. Once grout is cleaned
and/or redone, make sure to seal it so it doesn't get dingy immediately.
It'll be messy, smelly, and a lot of hand labor, and you may want to wait
for a warm day so you can vent to outside air, but it will make a world of
difference.

Now if you have an old Lino or Asbestos tile floor, I don't have any good
answers for you. If surface is ground away, commercial flooor wax may buy
you a few years, but replacement is the proper repair.

aem sends...