Gransnet forums

House and home

Front door step

(16 Posts)
farview Sat 29-Dec-18 17:22:54

Cardinal red is still available.. definitely online...maybe in small hardware shops also

Bigred18 Sat 29-Dec-18 08:09:05

I used to love doing the porch when i was a child with cardinal. Then id use the block of white stuff to do the step!

SpringyChicken Fri 28-Dec-18 21:54:52

I clean mine with the steam mop, it keeps them looking acceptable. They are quarry tiles from the 1930s.

yogagran Fri 28-Dec-18 21:45:03

I'm inclined to think that Gonegirl has the answer that I'm looking for! Leave them as they are, so tomorrow I'll go out, sweep the mud and dust off and just wash them down. Easy peasy, thanks Gonegirl

EllanVannin Fri 28-Dec-18 16:02:59

I think the last time I used Cardinal red was on some red-pressed bricks outside the house, known as engineering bricks, the par-excellence of house bricks. They don't build 'em like that any more.

FlexibleFriend Fri 28-Dec-18 15:30:30

I'd go for garage floor paint which is usually hard wearing and non slip and comes in a variety of colours.

lemongrove Fri 28-Dec-18 14:50:16

Am interested in this thread as we have those tiles in our covered porch area.I usually just use a Flash solution which cleans them, but a deep shine woukd look good.They are more dark terracotta than red though.
I will look at the link from Tartlet

Gonegirl Fri 28-Dec-18 12:58:58

Having said that, I only use it on my kitchen window sill (red quarry tiles) and I have just noticed a warning "does not give a slip resistant finish). So might not be suitable.

I think I would leave them untreated tbh.

Gonegirl Fri 28-Dec-18 12:53:44

The Tableaux polish that Tartlet linked to is as good as Cardinal was. I got mine from a largish hardware store in a nearby town.

nanasam Fri 28-Dec-18 12:53:22

Be careful with the thick, paint-like coatings. After some heavy treading it flakes/scratches off and will need to be completely scraped off and you'll be back to square one.

yogagran Fri 28-Dec-18 12:47:27

jenpax, it sounds good but I used this paint in our previous house and it was a really bright "orangey red". It looked very unnatural so I'm looking for a different one this time

Tartlet Fri 28-Dec-18 11:59:01

This seems to have replaced Cardinal.

www.amazon.co.uk/Tableau-TRTP-Red-Tile-Polish/dp/B002SPBWRK?tag=gransnetforum-21

Jalima1108 Fri 28-Dec-18 11:29:43

Cardinal Red - that is a 'blast from the past'[.

I remember my mother using it on our kitchen floor tiles until she rebelled and had Marley tiles fitted which were the latest thing then, I believe!

EllanVannin Fri 28-Dec-18 11:18:36

I'm sure if you looked online ( ebay ) you might still find Cardinal Red polish. It was the best product for tiles, quarry or otherwise.

jenpax Fri 28-Dec-18 11:06:55

You can buy a red tile paint from any large DIY store which with a quick application will get the step looking good again

yogagran Fri 28-Dec-18 11:02:43

Our front porch has a reasonably large area of red tiles. Over the couple of years that we've been here they have got dull and patchy. Any suggestions of a way of bringing them back to looking better. I remember polish called Cardinal but that seems to be missing from supermarkets these days. After a few years of hip and back problems (now thankfully sorted) I don't really want to get down on my knees and polish them and I don't want to end up with tiles that are slippery either so if anyone has found the ideal product I'd be grateful to hear what it is.