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TERRAZZO RESTORATION
TERRAZZO RESTORATION
Weird Science Concrete has been restoring and polishing terrazzo since '03 and it's one of our favorite types of projects! We have the experience and knowledge to tackle the challenges of terrazzo restoration and repair. Some may look at their old terrazzo and think it's a lost cause when in reality, it can regain the beauty of it's former days with some TLC from WSC. Many high end modern and historical buildings have terrazzo as a feature. Though at one time, terrazzo installation was more common and affordable, these days a normal terrazzo install can cost upwards of 40 dollars a sq ft! No wonder people are catching on to modern trends and looking to add value to their home by reviving their terrazzo floors.
These photos are of Terrazzo installed in the 60's or earlier that needed restoring
These photos are of Terrazzo installed in the 60's or earlier that needed restoring
Modern terrazzo was invented around 500 years ago in Venice, Italy. Venetian artisans of the time began to take the discarded chips from marble slabs and im-bed them into concrete mixtures. They would then grind down the surface for their own terraces and other living spaces – hence the term, “terrazzo” – which is the Italian term for “terrace”. However, here in Florida it has only been around the last hundred years approximately. Many terrazzo floors here in Sarasota were installed during the 40's, 50's and 60's. Many of them are in need of restoration but are by no means ready to be thrown away.
The main ingredient in terrazzo is the aggregate. This can consist of marble, glass, shell, granite and other types of stone. There are two main types of terrazzo: Cement terrazzo and Epoxy terrazzo. Cement terrazzo is the older, more traditional type that is commonly seen here in Florida whereas epoxy terrazzo allows for faster production, greater color selection and better resistance to stains.
Cement terrazzo was a common choice of flooring in the 1950's and 1960''s and is now making a comeback as many people are pulling up old carpet ,tile and vinyl finding terrazzo underneath. The machine pictured to the left is similar to the machines that first ground and honed these old terrazzo floors here in Florida. They are known as rotary grinders. The machines we commonly use now to restore terrazzo are planetary grinders, the difference being the way the tooling underneath the machine turns. The tooling is all diamond based tooling that is set into different types of metal, resin, ceramic material or combinations of these.
The diamond finish on terrazzo floors allows them to have a mechanical polish, a shine that was never had before. That's because older terrazzo floors were finished until smooth but not shiny and then a topical sealer was applied. Whereas now the floor will shine from a diamond polished finish and not a glossy sealer. The floor is still stain resistant however because a penetrating sealer can be applied that will soak into the floor or if the floor is crystallized(a hardening and sealing process),this will give the floor stain repellent qualities.
We have almost two decades of experience doing terrazzo restoration and hope to make your terrazzo our next addition to the portfolio.
We have almost two decades of experience doing terrazzo restoration and hope to make your terrazzo our next addition to the portfolio.
