How often do you pay attention to the open you ’re walking across ? I do n’t think I ’d heard the password " terrazzo " to name a level until I took a tour of the " Fabulous " Fox Theatre in Atlanta , Ga. The Fox , built in 1929 , has a Moorish paper and sports some beautiful terrazzo flooring .
Terrazzo is the Italian word for " terrace , " but it also line a cloth and technique used for deck , walls , countertop , bench and more . Terrazzo can be relatively unpatterned or intricately detailed . At first glance , it ’s soft to confuse terrazzo and mosaic . The difference is that the pieces of marble and glass used in mosaic are usually cubic ( known astesserae ) and cut specifically for use in mosaic work . Terrazzo use dissimilar figure and size of chips , lay into aconcretebed ( usually dyed ) , then brush up to a shiny control surface . They can be methamphetamine , marble , granite , stone or even mirrored . Sometimes terrazzo is more of a uniform color , but it can also include part of dissimilar gloss . It can be useful , or just as beautiful and ornamental as mosaic .
alike floor have been establish in Western Asia that were laid thousands and K of year ago . However , Italian mosaic workers are credited with inventing terrazzo in the 15th C . Supposedly , they train leftover pieces from their work home to tile their own floors . Terrazzo is fantastically lasting , low sustentation and does n’t easily suck up bacteria or water . That ’s why it ’s often used in high - dealings areas like aerodrome , as well as office buildings and hospital . Terrazzo is also becoming a pop type of take aback in house . It can even be " green " because depending on the character , it can be made with recycled spyglass or other materials , and it does n’t emit toxic compounds .
Personally , I ’d love terrazzo flooring in my theatre . But which one would I choose ? There are three basic eccentric of terrazzo flooring . We ’ll start with the traditional , old - humanity type , also called cementitious terrazzo .
Traditional Terrazzo
This eccentric of terrazzo is basically what the Venetians used back in the Clarence Day – with a few changes . It was cheap for them because it used remnant , clay , and goat ’s milk as a sealer . Of naturally , it also required destiny of hour of Labor Department as the workers did everything by helping hand , including shine what was initially a very rugged surface into something placid and comfortable for walking . That ’s part of what makes the traditional terrazzo expensive today – the cost of labor . It ’s a time down , intensive process and requires skilled workers .
Traditional ( also fuck as cementitious ) terrazzo is heavy and requires laying a thick cementum foot slab to start . There are a couple of different variation , but agree to the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association , grit - cushion is the best of these . On top of the cement slab , there ’s a membrane to block wet , follow by a layer of sand . Dividers – cartoon strip of alloy orplastic– are placed to both make colouring change in the terrazzo and provide elbow room for the cementum to blow up and reduce , preventing cracking . Then the terrazzo " crown " , a mixture of cement and conglomeration ( poker chip of marble , granite , et cetera ) is total . In sum , you ’re face at around three inches of dump and a exercising weight of about 25 pounds per square metrical foot . The cement also takes a farsighted time to cure , or dry .
So why choose this braggart heavy stuff ? you may install it outdoors as well as indoors , and you generally do n’t have any problems with it staying level and even once installed . It breathes , so you do n’t have to worry as much about wet problems . This is authoritative if it ’s being installed outdoors or in a basement . It can adapt big chips but the aggregate choices are limited – thing like field glass ca n’t be used because it ’s not porous and ca n’t hold onto the stiff concrete . In improver , people of colour choice are limited because the cement itself is dyed , and this type of terrazzo does best with simple shapes like squares because of the way the cement cures .
If erstwhile - school terrazzo twist you off because it ’s heavy and complicated , next up we ’ll look at what ’s sort of the " middle earth " of main terrazzo types .
Polyacrylate Terrazzo
This type of terrazzo has several vantage over former - school terrazzo . The chips are n’t just set into a thick cementum – they ’re laid in a matrix , or mixture , that ’s a combining of cementum and latex paint . The rubber-base paint tone up theconcrete , countenance the terrazzo topping to be spread out as thinly as three - eighths of an inch . or else of floating over the cement U-boat - floor on a cushion of sand , it ’s bonded now to the concrete Italian sandwich - layer below . Polyacrylate terrazzo systems cure quickly in comparison to traditional terrazzo – often it can be installed in a undivided day – especially because they ’re commonly bonded to an subsist concrete slab .
Because of the nimble cure , they require less work and less product , so polyacrylate terrazzo floors are less expensive . If you require to put terrazzo in your home , it could be a good choice if you already have a level slab . Level is key – since there ’s no sand shock , a polyacrylate terrazzo floor ca n’t be laid on an odd storey . The be concrete floor must have joints placed at specific distances ( which vary depending on the size of the trading floor ) , and you have to put dividers over these joints . you may put more dividers if you require more color changes in the floor , but unless they ’re over junction , they do n’t help prevent the storey from crack up . That ’s because the terrazzo topping stratum is so unbelievably flimsy . It weighs about four and a half pounds per square foot .
Since polyacrylate terrazzo is breathable , you could have it install outside , too . And unlike cementitious terrazzo , some formulations of polyacrylate terrazzo allow you to let in glass and mirror chips – including recycled glass . The conglomeration can also be different sizing . Polyacrylate can be dyed to match just about any gloss , and in brighter colors than old - school cementitious terrazzo . multitude often utilise it on wall and other applications since it ’s so flimsy and cure quickly . If I could , I ’d have polyacrylate terrazzo coldcock in my mansion . It does n’t require any smelly resolution , either … unlike some types of epoxy resin terrazzo . But that has its own perks , too . study on to find out why it ’s the most pop terrazzo set up today .
Epoxy Terrazzo
So if the traditional , cementitious terrazzo is great for basements and the out-of-doors , and polyacrylate terrazzo tolerate a wide variety show of colour , why is there a third option ? In the past , traditional was the only choice . Then epoxy resin , or resin - based , terrazzo fare along in the 1970s and revolutionize the world of terrazzo flooring , making it much more affordable . concord to the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association , epoxy has more 70 percent of the terrazzo market place . It ’s the most versatile , the secure and the least susceptible to scratching , fading , fracture or staining .
you could have epoxy glue terrazzo flooring that ’s just a one-quarter of an inch thick , and it can go over a disposed concrete slab or even on top of plywood hoagy - flooring reckon on the heaviness . It ’s installed in multi - story building because it ’s so light – about three or four pounds of weight per satisfying foot . Epoxy terrazzo is usable in any colour and is the best for draw intricate , multi - colored designs . you may install it with very few dividers , specially if it ’s being installed over plywood . It also ca n’t be diffuse by wet , so epoxy ca n’t originate mould , mildew or bacterium .
That non - breathable quality is great for sanitary purpose , but it also means that moisture can get trapped between the concrete slab and the terrazzo top . Some contractors will install a vapor roadblock between them to aid with this problem , which can lead to the top becoming loose . It also ca n’t be set up outdoors – one , because it ’s non - breathable , and two , because the epoxy can pass with exposure to sunlight . Another downside is the solvent used in installation and cleanup spot with some types of epoxy glue terrazzo . There are some solvent - free versions , and only those kinds can be used in places with common ventilation system like hospital . Otherwise the fume are too strong .
As you could see , each type of terrazzo has its pros and bunko , depending on what you need . They ’re all die to be more expensive than many other type of flooring . We ’ll face at intensive process of installing terrazzo next .
Terrazzo Installation: Groundwork
No matter which eccentric of terrazzo you prefer , it ’s all go to be more intensive thanputting in carpetor hardwood . Many type of flooring bestow themselves to weekend projects or DIYers – terrazzo is n’t one of them . Unless you fall out to be a mason . If you need terrazzo instal in an exist edifice , you call for to call in contractor who specialise in it . Each one goes about it a little scrap other than . While I ’ve laid out the three main and most common types of terrazzo , there are all form of variation and contractors have their preferences and specialties . So permit ’s sham you ’re going get terrazzo .
First , your contractor will have to assess your current Cuban sandwich - flooring . If you want traditional terrazzo , you ’ll need a thick concrete base . That might mean excavating down under your business firm , because there ’s that sand layer on top of the cement before the genuine terrazzo topping is set and naturally you require that to jive with the existing base level in the sign . That ’s a mess of clock time and money pass , but if you ’re have it installed outside , it might not be as grownup of a deal . If you have a concrete slab already and you ’re get polyacrylate or epoxy resin terrazzo , it ’ll just postulate to be checked to be certain it ’s sound and level . Your contractor will also locate existing joints in the concrete . And some type of epoxy terrazzo can be pose on top of plywood Cuban sandwich - flooring – what many of us are most likely to have in our homes .
But let ’s go with the concrete slab , shall we ? Workers will clean it , repair any defects , and prepare it for the type of terrazzo you ’re scram , a process known as creating the CSP ( concrete surface profile ) . A thicker type , like traditional terrazzo , require a pugnacious concrete surface , while thin - set systems like epoxy can go on a relatively placid surface . You may also need a special tissue layer onto top of the cement to help prevent fracture , or in the subject of epoxy resin terrazzo , to play as a wet barrier .
If you ’re going with traditional , next you ’ll get the layer of sand , then a layer of cement , and then onto the design . But with polyacrylate and epoxy , it ’s direct onto the invention . That ’ll all be plan out ahead of time , of course of action , differ depending on the eccentric of terrazzo . Some contractors will print out the design on paper and lay it , full - sized , onto the level . How detailed do you need it ? colour changes in the design are separated by separate strip , which might be made out of credit card , bull , zinc , brass or other materials – the vividness can be part of the design , and they might also be different thickness . Really intricate designs might be put out on panels of telegram mesh in the lead of time , or even habituate templet trim down with water jets , while the residuum is bent on - site . Workers solder joints together and then glue or otherwise impound the dividing strips to the concrete . The end is in tidy sum …
Terrazzo Installation: The Pretty Part
ultimately , the pretty part ! The cementum , cement intercellular substance or epoxy is mixed on site , with colors added directly to the mix . Then the mass – glass , marble , granite chips – is mixed in . If you have wad of different coloration , this means lots of unlike mix . Epoxy cures promptly so it ’ll be done in minuscule sections . The topping is scatter evenly between the divider strips with trowels , or poured if it ’s a thinner aggregate . Next number the curing . It could be less than a day , or several Clarence Shepard Day Jr. in the causa of traditional terrazzo .
Once the terrazzo is cured , you might be amazed at how , well , countryfied it look . Like lumpyconcrete , actually . Go figure . You might like this look in some out-of-door applications , and some people do go away their terrazzo this way . But that ’s probably not what you require to walk on in your house or office building . That ’s where grinding come in . A huge labor automobile with disks cover in rhomb or carborundum ( silicon carbide ) is pass over the floor to expose the chips and create a quiet surface . necessarily there will be some small hole leave in the aerofoil due to air pockets when the terrazzo was spread , so workers will go back and fill all of these in withgrout . Then they apply a sealant to keep any staining or moisture from getting in to the purpose .
Last comes polishing and waxing – only then will you truly see the sweetheart of terrazzo . Now was n’t that worth the price ? But how much are we talk , you may ask ? Using a price reckoner offer by the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association , in my land it can be between $ 10 and $ 16 per satisfying human foot . But terrazzo has what industry people call a " superior life story cps cost welfare . " Although the initial install is pricey , you do n’t have to worry about supplant it or repairing it like you do with rug , roofing tile or just about any other character of shock for at least 40 years . So delight . Or if you ’re like me , look up to its beauty and durability anytime you walk across it .
I was n’t exactly enthuse when I first found out that I ’d be write about flooring – just being honest . I had a vague thought of what terrazzo was , but I did n’t know anything about its story , complexness , or versatility . At best , I remember terrazzo was sort of a poor cousin to mosaic . Sure , that ’s sort of how it started , but it really has grown into an own artistry form and get ahead new life through its " light-green " possibility . You might see useful or ornate examples in all variety of place . Terrazzo can be project in a hospital , a university building , a pavement in New York , or in famous landmarks like St. Peter ’s Basilica or Mount Vernon , the estate of George Washington . I ’ll be pay stuffy aid to what ’s under my feet from now on !
