Terrazzo – What Is that?

Terrazzo Flooring.  You see it everywhere, from hotel entranceways to airports, but you may not even recognize the name.  Or you may not even know what kind of floor you’re standing on.

Terrazzo floors have been around for centuries, using recycled materials, marble chips, and more, to embed into the flooring.  It is considered the original recycled flooring, using marble chips that were a by-product on stone-cutting trades. The ability to use all excess materials allowed terrazzo flooring to be put into practice.  Today’s technology and emphasis on green design has pushed terrazzo back into the spotlight, emphasizing it’s durability, composition, recycled content and air quality issues.

What is Terrazzo?

Let’s define what terrazzo means.

The National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association (NTMA) defines terrazzo as follows:

“Terrazzo consists of marble, granite, onyx, or glass chips in Portland Cement, polyacrylate Portland Cement, or resinous matrix binder. The terrazzo is poured, cured, ground, and polished. Terrazzo is typically used as finish for floors, stairs, or walls.”

Featured is Old Dominion University’s school crest embedded into the floor using terrazzo materials.

Terrazzo can be used as an interior and exterior finish. Cement terrazzo can be used for both interior and exterior applications.  Epoxy resin matrix terrazzo is not recommended for exterior use. Pompei primarily focuses on epoxy resin terrazzo.

Epoxy resin terrazzo needs to have a system thickness of 3/8 inch total.  It can be used over concrete or wood, and there is an unlimited range of vibrant colors available.  Glass, marble and virtually any other hard material can be placed in the epoxy to form the terrazzo.  This allows design flexibility and excellent color uniformity due to the sophisticated manufacturing process.  Epoxy resin terrazzo is the most cost-effective terrazzo system for interior use, and it has an accelerated chemical cure.

Sustainability

Terrazzo floors, in addition to their beauty, have a history of durability in high-traffic areas and are easy to maintain.  The longevity of terrazzo allows for a lifetime of beautiful flooring. Generally maintenance for terrazzo is significantly less than tile.

The Possibilities are Endless

Now that you understand more of what terrazzo is, you may realize that you’ve seen terrazzo on an airport floor or hotel lobby and noticed the beauty and design of the terrazzo floor!  Today’s terrazzo floors have more color possibilities, aggregate selection and design potential than ever before. The versatile color and design can be bold and bright, or classic and elegant.  Terrazzo floors can be personalized in design to depict anything, from company logos, to local attractions. School and company logos are more common with terrazzo design – but the possibilities are endless!

Working with terrazzo for over 60 years, Pompei understands the complexity and design capability of terrazzo.  This is why we are the leading terrazzo installers in Virginia. We always deliver high-quality terrazzo flooring, leaving our customers with ultimate satisfaction.  If you or someone you know is interested in commercial terrazzo flooring, please contact us today!