Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Getting banisters repaired + Victorian Tiles

Does anyone know of anyone that specialises in repairing old banisters?

Have recently moved into a house on The Ladder and have found a few of the lovely carved banisters are basically dead and a bit of a health hazard to our little one, but want to keep the design, rather than replacing them with uglier newer ones.

Any tips most appreciated.

Oh, and while I'm at it, anyone got any mosaic restorer specialists for the hallway mosaics?

Tags for Forum Posts: Bannister Repair, encaustic tiles

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Hugh on June 28, 2010 at 10:12

With the bannisters, I had a look in the tradesman's recommendations group and found this one post which may be worth following up.

For Mosaics, I'm guessing you're talking about the old Victorian floors. There's a place in Crouch End that I've used. For modern mosaics we have the Harringay based Hannah Griffiths - see our Virtual High Street.

I'll also ask Dick Harris to comment since I know he's used someone.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dick Harris on June 29, 2010 at 10:38

I never had a big problem with bannisters but we did need to deal with a mosaic floor which was badly worn and broken up in places. After much delay and consideration we gave up on the idea of repair because of the condition of the underlying substrate which was crumbing and poorly supported. We had also found that the mosaic pieces were of varying thickness which, we thought, would have made restoration very labour intensive if the resulting surface was to be even. In the end, we got a local firm to remove the whole existing hallway floor, repair the supporting timbers, lay a new modern concrete screed and lay new black and white tiles in a diamond pattern. It is quite different from the original but most people admire it. Let me know if you would like to see it.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Fran on July 31, 2010 at 17:09

Hi there, we are very keen to do exactly the same to our hallway, so I would very interested in seeing your pictures if that is no hassle, and ask you for the contact you used? how much did it cost? and did the tilers supply the tiles, or did you source those yourself?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Fran

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Doro on September 12, 2012 at 12:40

Hello, We are doing the same now -- could you recommend your local firm? We'd like to get some quotes. Thanks very much.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by pamish on June 29, 2010 at 10:49

There's a tile supplier over here in Seven Sisters who can get you modern copies of the old mosaic tiles in the right colours, including some of the lovely encaustic (?) patterned pieces. When I'm not about to go off to work I'll look up their number. They are in the Rangemoor Industrial Estate ie the shed blocks in Page Green. Not cheap but they do match.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by pamish on June 29, 2010 at 22:49

Here they are. Carvall Group Rangemoor Industrial Estate,
Tottenham,
London N15 4NX

Tottenham (Head Office):
020 8801 5331
Tottenham (Sales Office):
020 8808 3011

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Anna on June 29, 2010 at 21:22

you could try stroud green windows in stroud green road - they seem to do all things wood with old houses and very reasonable prices

and by mosaics if you mean the tessilated tile floor - the fireplace shop on the way to crouch end in tottenham lane will give you a list of recommended companies who will restore - if you email me i will tell who NOT to have - the one who did my floor which was a bit problematic - he did an ok job but so expensive and unreliable re time

anna