Terrazzo flooring has become a popular favorite due to not only its durability, but also its beauty with art. The name for this flooring came from the words Terrace or Terrazza, which are Italian. They roughly translate into “A form of mosaic flooring made by embedding small pieces of marble in mortar and polishing.” Terrazzo is formed from little pieces of marble, quartz, granite, glass, and many other types of chipped stone that is mixed with Portland cement, or one that is polyacrylic and then poured or precast.
The mixture is very strong and durable, which is perfect for high traffic areas. This makes Terrazzo very popular, but also one of the most expensive floorings as well. Though Terrazzo is very durable, there are still specific ways of care and maintenance that can give your stone flooring the long lifespan it is suppose to have.
Basic care and cleaning of Terrazzo is first, dust mopping the floor with an untreated dust mop. If you do not own a dust mop, you can simply use a clean towel to run across the surface to both dust and clean up any debris.
From there, you would use a mixture of either just warm water, or warm water mixed with a pH cleanser that’s level is between 7 and 10. Using any other type of cleanser is not recommended as the acid can cause etching or damage to the flooring. Certain soaps can even leave a residue on the surface of the flooring.
After cleaning, simply use clean, warm water to rinse. If it is in a high traffic area, using clean water over it multiple times will help loosen any lingering grim or dirt. Make sure that after each stroke of the mop, you wring it out so that you are using clean water on each stroke.
Drying your Terrazzo flooring is best recommended using a soft and clean towel, this is best done by hand as this will reduce any streaks that can show if not all water is dried up.
Once the floor is completely dry, the next to last step is to apply an acrylic water-based sealer that is specifically for terrazzo or natural stone floors. Though Terrazzo is very durable it is also very absorbent which sealing it will protect it, but it must be done weekly. Depending on which cement the Terrazzo was mixed with will depend on which type of sealer you would need.
Portland cement Terrazzo needs a penetrating sealer where as polyacrylic or epoxy/polyester binders will only need a surface sealer. It is very important to know which one is needed, as that way the correct sealer will protect it. It is always best to get a sealant with the friction rating of 0.5 that way it will keep the flooring from being too slippery.
The final step to maintaining the beauty of Terrazzo is by using a mechanical buffer to get the desired sheen or shine.
Please feel free to contact us today to schedule your appointment to polish your granite flooring or if you have any questions.
Floor ReNew Houston
4530 W. 34th Street Suite C
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 418-9983
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