All You Need To Know About Terrazzo Flooring
Posted on: 13 December 2019
Terrazzo flooring is making a comeback. The once-popular flooring option fell out of vogue with the rise of other manufactured floors, such as laminate. However, terrazzo tiles and slabs are now finding their way into even the fanciest of buildings. Discover all you need to know about this beautiful flooring option.
Basics of Terrazzo Flooring
Terrazzo is a composite flooring material. It consists of cement with aggregate. Said aggregates can be glass, granite, marble, quartz, or similar materials. Manufacturers can also color the concrete to further change the appearance of the terrazzo. The material comes prefabricated, usually either in slabs or tiles. Contractors install the flooring with metal strips between the slabs.
Basic History of Terrazzo Flooring
The foundation of terrazzo dates back to the mosaics of ancient Egypt. However, the method used today is more modern. It dates back to 18th century Italy and a form of pavement called Venetian pavement. Old-school terrazzo was prone to cracking. However, manufacturers now add resin, and installers use the metal strips. Both actions significantly reduce any cracking.
Terrazzo floors were very popular in mid-century designs. The Art Deco movement especially favored the terrazzo material, but all manner of modern mid-century designers turned to the material. Indeed, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was created in 1958, features terrazzo stars with the celebrities' names.
The Beauty of Terrazzo Flooring
As Curbed points out, the beauty of terrazzo is that the material "can look like anything." The base material can come in colors ranging from stark white to subtle beige to bold peach. The aggregate adds more color as well as texture. What's more, the aggregate sizes can range from tiny to huge, which further affects the floor's appearance.
Benefits of Terrazzo Flooring
One of the main benefits of terrazzo flooring is all the options you have. Because you have so many colors and patterns available, you can match a terrazzo floor to any décor. What's more, you can choose either slabs or tiles, which offers you even more design options.
The beauty is also a big boon. Many installers are experts who can create designs out of the slabs and metal strips. Indeed, the designs can be geometric, but they can also feature large images made out of different colors of terrazzo.
Terrazzo flooring is also durable and low-maintenance. You don't have any real upkeep with such floors. They usually feature a glossy finish that's easy to sweep and mop. Terrazzo also stands up well to high-traffic areas.
Consider terrazzo flooring for your new floor today.
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