23 Jan Should I Restore my Terrazzo Flooring?

Terrazzo flooring is a material that the average person doesn’t hear much about nowadays. A composite material that can include chips of marble, quartz, granite, shells or glass, it’s typically used for custom and high-end products. Highly decorative works of art, it’s installed in sections. Invented by the Venetians, terrazzo flooring has been found in Turkish ruins dating back 10,000 years.

The material has a lot to recommend it. Terrazzo is extremely durable, requires little maintenance and offers an extensive range of flexibility in design. The world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame has more than 2,700 terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks. The flooring of the John Adams Building lobby is terrazzo and it was George Washington’s flooring of choice for his Mount Vernon home.

Terrazzo Floor

Your terrazzo floor will typically last for 8 to 10 years before it begins to dull and lose its sheen. The question then becomes “Should I restore my Terrazzo flooring or cover it?” The good news is that when the shine begins to dull on a terrazzo floor, it can be ground and polished to restore its vibrancy.

However, over time terrazzo will develop small holes and chips and those must be addressed before any other restoration work can commence. Diamond-polished terrazzo will also retain its non-slip attribute. Terrazzo is very porous and will need to be sealed to prevent fluids from penetrating the surface and eliminate the potential for staining.

Replace or Restore

If you want to completely change the flooring in your home for a more modern appearance, hardwood flooring, carpeting or ceramic tiles is an easier and less costly method than restoration. All those materials work well for covering terrazzo. It’s important that you hire the services of flooring experts that have experience in laying new flooring over terrazzo for the best outcome.