What Is a Terrazzo Floor?
The beautiful terrazzo floor is a durable and low-maintenance flooring option. They have chips of stone on the surface, giving your floor a mosaic look without compromising the integrity of the surface. The resulting floor finish is absolutely stunning. Polishing terrazzo floors will make them look their best. Here are the details of how to properly do terrazzo floor polishing.
Terrazzo comes from the Italian word “terrace,” where the style originated. Old-world artisans pressed natural stone fragments into clay and sealed them to create a mosaic. As times changed, concrete replaced clay to ensure terrazzo had staying power.
A modern terrazzo floor is a stunning, eco-friendly flooring made from stone and marble chips. While this flooring is more expensive than ceramic tiles, it’s durable and won’t crack easily.
Terrazzo Flooring is a great eco-friendly choice for Office Environments
The terrazzo surface is as durable as concrete but adds elements of color and style due to the chips of marble and stone within the terrazzo tile. Polymers, epoxy, and resin help keep the surface smooth and strengthen the floor to handle high traffic and heavy-weight loads. The overall look resembles granite, giving any room a stately finish.
Terrazzo floors have been popular in schools, hospitals, and community buildings for decades. Due to its affordability and durability, this method is becoming a stylish choice for residential use.
How to Make Terrazzo Floors Shine
Professionals install terrazzo floors, grind them flat, and then a penetrating sealer to give a smooth, shiny polished finish. The top layer is a coating or sealing that is easy to reapply as needed, but it’s best to hire professionals for polishing terrazzo floors.
Terrazzo flooring often needs recoating every few years or even every few months in high-traffic areas. While the substrate is strong enough to resist cracking, constant foot traffic can dull the shine that makes this floor so stunning. Terrazzo restoration will keep your floor safe while improving its appearance.
However, just as you can stain polished concrete for a specific look, you can apply a finish to a terrazzo floor to eliminate the need for constant maintenance. Thanks to Concrete Floor Systems, you’ll appreciate the natural shine you get from the initial installation of your terrazzo floors.
Terrazzo Maintenance
Many homeowners feel inconvenienced at the thought of reapplying wax or a floor coating sealant to their terrazzo floors yearly. However, you don’t need regular maintenance if you contact Concrete Floor Systems. Our patented approach keeps your terrazzo floors shining without having to reapply coatings frequently.
You’ll just need to keep your floor clean by removing any dust and debris that collects from normal use.
If your floors are uneven, have lost their shine, or have cracks, you can contact us for help grinding, finishing, and leveling the surfaces. We can also handle concrete repair to keep your floor safe and attractive.
Can You Put Wax on Terrazzo Floors?
Yes, you can put certain types of wax on terrazzo floors to improve the shine if you have a sealed floor – but you probably shouldn’t. Wax gets dull quickly, so this approach won’t have long-lasting results. It’s better to get a coating on a terrazzo floor that doesn’t require constant waxing for lower maintenance costs and a longer life for your flooring.
Using surface wax on a terrazzo floor can also make it slippery and dangerous for foot traffic. You should never put wax on an unsealed terrazzo floor because it will seep into the pores and damage the integrity of your flooring. It can also change the color and look of the floor.
How Do You Clean Unsealed Terrazzo?
It is best to use a dry mop to remove dirt and debris as the first step in keeping your terrazzo clean.
Unsealed terrazzo cleaning is similar to most other flooring types—use a damp mop and a neutral soap. Always test a small area before you soap the entire floor to ensure it doesn’t ruin the surface.
Use clean water in the mop bucket to wash away all the soapy residue without letting it dry on the floor. However, unsealed terrazzo doesn’t have the lifespan of a sealed floor, so consider having a professional seal the floor for the best results.
Cleaning sealed terrazzo takes a similar approach. You can mix soap, water, and rubbing alcohol to clean minor stains and cloudy spots on the floor surface. This solution shouldn’t go on untreated terrazzo, as the liquid soaks into the pores and can change the look of the floor.
Stubborn stains may require a buffer machine along with the cleaner. If you’re unsure how to clean your terrazzo floor, err on the side of caution and contact Concrete Floor Systems for help. Our technicians have flooring certifications for concrete polishing, installation, and repairs.
How Do Professionals Clean Terrazzo?
Concrete Floor Systems uses a method that cleans and polishes the surface when you need terrazzo floor restoration, lowering your maintenance cost. We use gentle products to increase the shine and luster of the floor, ensuring it has the glossy finish you want. This approach extends the lifespan of your terrazzo floor.
Terrazzo Polishing
If you have terrazzo flooring that you’re struggling to maintain, we can help. We are experts in terrazzo polishing and can restore and rehabilitate any decorative concrete surface – including terrazzo.