Terrazzo floor design process

One of the ancient civilizations is the Roman Empire. It started in the 9th century BC and is considered as the richest civilization because of the amazing stories and beautiful architecture. Roman buildings were made from a special material which was very durable and high quality, which is the reason why the buildings are still intact at their positions even after the passage of so many centuries. Terrazzo is the material used for the flooring of the palaces, courtyards, villas, assembly halls and the bathhouses of the Roman Empire. The durability of the terrazzo material can be estimated from the fact that during the unearthing of the Pompeii ruins, forgotten terrazzo floors were found to be intact and undamaged.

Therefore, if someone says that these floors are time-tested, it would not be a lie as the world has observed the pressure and adversity this material is capable to withstand. The national terrazzo and mosaic association claims that the material comprises of marble, onyx or glass chips, granite and Portland cement or a resinous material. The composition of this amazing flooring makes it so sturdy. It is designed to meet the requirements of everyone.

One can have these floors in their home, backyard, garage or shop etcetera. Besides, the terrazzo floors can also be seen in public places, such as the plazas, restaurants, museums, zoos and many other places. The terrazzo floor design process involves a few simple steps. First the pure material is bought from a reliable source. Then the sample is poured in the mold and cured. The material is ground afterwards and put away for some time. Then it is polished in the end. The secret behind the superiority of quality of this material over others is due to the specific composition of this material.

Terrazzo floors are used to cover the floors, walls and stairs. The material is poured in place where it needs to fill up the floor and let it to dry. The application is very easy. This flooring has been in use since the 9th century BC, from the advent of Roman Empire, but its use was declined from the last decade. People started using other flooring materials, which were not so durable but in the end, the terrazzo flooring won the race. According to some professionals, the terrazzo flooring is sold with some modifications in the composition of the material in order to make it more durable and strong.

In the older days, epoxy matrix was used as a binder but later its use was declined. Epoxy is currently again used to make the floor well-settled. Epoxy does not crack or breaks and is available in different colors. This variation in colors of the binder helps in making different designs and patterns of terrazzo floors. Another advantage of using this epoxy material is that the color of this binder never fades and remains there for large period of time. Another advantage of using this binder is that this binder can also take both large as well as small chips. The thickness of terrazzo floors can be managed at will of the owner.

There are a few simple steps that need to be followed in order to have smooth and flawless terrazzo flooring;

1. Remove everything from the room where you need to make terrazzo flooring, that is, clear the room of furniture and other accessories with the exception of fixed furniture.
2. the second step is to make the surface of the ground rough, so that he flooring stands there and becomes firm. This is done by using a hand sander. After doing so, clean the surface with the help of a moist cloth and then finally, using a dry paper, dry it off.
3. Flooring is preferably initiated from the sink area and moved towards the countertop’s back. This is a sophisticated step and need to be done accurately and with perfection. Tiles should be measured and cut accordingly. First adhesive is applied and then the tile is placed over it.
4. After applying the tile, press it a little so that it gets firmly attached to the floor. To hide the cut lines of the tiles and to make it smooth, bull nose tiles are preferred. The tiles are left over night to get set.

These terrazzo floors are an inexpensive alternative of the marble tiles and are more durable too. There are only a few maintenance and affordability issues of using terrazzo flooring which is the reason behind the wide acceptance and success of this flooring type.