A first-time buyer of a 1930s semi-detached house was left floored after she ripped up the carpet in her hallway. She went online to share her finding as others were just as amazed11:50, 31 Jul 2026There are few things more thrilling than peeling back the layers of an older property to find something truly spectacular hiding beneath the surface. For one lucky homeowner, that moment came when she decided to tackle the hallway of her 1930s semi-detached house – and what she found stopped her in her tracks.‌Rather than the bare floorboards or tatty subfloor she may have been bracing herself for, she struck gold when she lifted the carpet to reveal a breathtaking set of Minton tiles that had been concealed for goodness knows how long. Beff documents her home renovation journey on Instagram under her‌Content cannot be displayed without consent‌account, which has already amassed more than 2,000 followers.In her video, she revealed her hallway before work began, showing it smothered in beige carpet.Overlay text read, 'When you won the floor lottery.'‌Content cannot be displayed without consentBeff was then filmed tearing up the carpet to uncover stunning Minton tiles beneath.In the caption, the first-time buyer wrote: "I have always dreamed of owning a house with Minton tiles. Now erm, best way to get underlay adhesive off them?"‌The post proved a massive hit, clocking up more than 85,000 likes.One delighted commenter exclaimed: "I would cry tears of joy every time I walked inside."Another gushed: "Oh my gosh you have absolutely won the lottery! I'd pick those tiles now anyway."‌A third chimed in: "Yay, we won the floor lottery too!The clean up was long but it’ll be so worth it! Can’t wait to see them."While a fourth told her: "They’re the most well preserved encaustic tiles I’ve ever seen!"Why do homeowners love Minton tiles?Minton tiles are celebrated across the globe for their outstanding resilience, bold colours, and remarkably elaborate geometric and encaustic patterns, which established them as the go-to flooring of the Victorian age.‌Produced by the renowned Staffordshire pottery company Mintons Ltd, these tiles masterfully blended cutting-edge industrial techniques with artistic craftsmanship.They were held in such high esteem that they were installed in prestigious landmarks across the world, including the Houses of Parliament and the US Capitol.How do you get underlay adhesive off the tiles?To safely remove underlay adhesive from Minton tiles, you need to employ a careful combination of chemical softening and delicate mechanical scraping.Article continues belowAs encaustic clay is porous and easily scratched, aggressive grinding, strong acids, or sharp chisels will cause irreversible damage to the historic surface.