FLOORS | TERRAZZO

TERRAZZO - MAN-MADE USING NATURAL MATERIAL

Terrazzo is a composite material made of stone chips like marble, quartz, granite, glass, etc. sprinkled or un-sprinkled, and poured with a cementitious binder. Terrazzo is then cured, ground and polished to a smooth, shiny surface.

Here, I have described the characteristics of Terrazzo floors along with my rating. The overall rating will help you compare Terrazzo with other floor options.

CHARACTERISTICS OF TERRAZZO:

Composition: Marble, granite, quartz and/or glass chips mixed with portland cement or epoxy resin.

Occurrence: Terrazzo is man-made, but with natural materials like marble or other stone pieces and a sand/cement mix. Because of it's all-natural material, Terrazzo lasts so long. * 8

Physical Characteristics: Terrazzo flooring is hard, heavy, durable and long lasting.* 8

Seamless flooring: Terrazzo floors are poured and polished at the site and so has a seamless appearance. * 10

Porosity:  Terrazzo is impenetrable to water.  * 8

Scratches: Terrazzo floors tend to take scratches because of the embedded Marble pieces. * 7

Stains: Terrazzo floors are not completely stain-resistant. *8

Choices: Terrazzo is available in a wide choice of colours, textures, and shapes. * 7

Cost: Terrazzo is relatively expensive as it needs specialized installation.  * 8

Maintenance: Terrazzo flooring is easy to maintain because of it’s shiny surface. *9

Green rating: Terrazzo is made of natural materials and doesn't harm the environment. Also it is recyclable. * 8

 OVERALL RATING OF TERRAZZO FLOOR:  * 8.1

ADVANTAGES OF TERRAZZO FLOORING:

Durable: It is very durable material. This type of flooring should last a lifetime if maintained properly.

Dense: Terrazzo flooring is very dense and if sealed well, is impermeable to water.

Water resistant: It is nearly impenetrable to water due to its low moisture absorbency and hydrophobic nature (non-affinity for water). Therefore, it keeps the floor from harboring bacteria.

Easy to maintain: It requires less and inexpensive maintenance. You simply have to sweep up the floor often to remove the dust that can act as an abrasive.

Cool under foot: It is cool under feet.

Appearance: Terrazzo provides an elegant look to a room as it almost looks like Granite. Because of the unique way that terrazzo flooring is made, it is quite unlike any other flooring and no two floors will be exactly alike.

Environment-friendly: Terrazzo flooring doesn't harm the environment. It is constructed out of all natural materials including sand, marble, and other types of stone. You can even recycle this type of floor.

DISADVANTAGES OF TERRAZZO FLOORING:

Professional installation: Terrazzo flooring can only be installed by a professional because it is made, poured and cured at the point of installation.

Relatively expensive: Because of the specialised installation, the upfront cost is considerably higher than resilient flooring but when viewed long-term, it can actually be less expensive.

Slippery: Terrazzo can be slippery when wet.

Hard underfoot: Terrazzo doesn't have any cushioning, so it will be hard to stand on for an extended period of time.

Cold: It is a good conductor of heat so it leads to a lot of heat loss in room heating.

Stains: Terrazzo tiles are prone to stain marks caused by acidic substances like vinegar and tamarind.

Maintenance: Terrazzo requires heavy polishing at the time of laying. Periodic polishing is required to maintain that shine.

SUITABILITY OF TERRAZZO FLOORING:

Terrazzo is a durable, long lasting and cheaper option to marble and granite flooring. It is used in entryways, the entire house and public and commercial buildings. Terrazzo is hypoallergenic and is water and bacteria-resistant. For these reasons, it is often used in kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and recreation rooms. A similar type of flooring is the Crazy marble floor which is mostly used in driveways and outdoors.

For information on other flooring options, go to:

• FLOORS