In the past people would use to say “it’s just a tile, no one will notice it” when it comes to their flooring choices, today this does not hold true anymore most especially with the introduction of terrazzo as an alternative material in the mainstream flooring system of the building and construction business. Beauty and permanence is given preference and priority by establishment owners and homeowners, architects and interior designers that understand terrazzo’s hidden properties.
Terrazzo tiles have been installed in almost all demanding environments in the whole of Australia in the past 40 years or so. Even in the highest foot traffic areas of the busiest airports, fullest railway stations and most demanding of shopping centres have all seen the benefits of having used terrazzo tiles for their flooring system. One is assured of the ease of installation and the years of trouble free and stress-free maintenance. The terrazzo tiles are usually laid, grouted and machine polished on site to create a seamless floor with the grout level with the tile allowing easy daily maintenance. New technological processes have allowed this finish to achieve a non-slip texture suitable for your requirements.
There are three basic types of terrazzo floors
Epoxy terrazzo – the most versatile, strongest and most commonly used type of terrazzo in the market today. It is practically resistant to scratching, fading, staining and cracking. It is typically installed in structures that have multiple levels. Incidentally, Epoxy terrazzo is not suitable for outdoor installation.
Cementitious terrazzo- This kind of terrazzo is heavy and requires laying a thick cement subflooring or foundation to start. This type of terrazzo is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use most especially in heavy high foot traffic areas.
Polyacrylate terrazzo – this kind of terrazzo uses a combination of cement and latex which helps in strengthening the mixture allowing a much thinner spread and therefore it “cures” quicker than cementitious terrazzo. This type of terrazzo flooring is essentially ideal for homes which already have existing level floors. It is more flexible compared to cementitious terrazzo and often includes post-consumer glass aggregates in the mixture.
There are various finishes one can realize with Terrazzo flooring
A Sealed Polished Finish is the standard finish to commercial retail projects. Floor is ground on site and a protective shiny sealer is applied. This sealer is maintained to ensure that the floor looks like the day it was handed over.
A Machine Polished Finish is when the Terrazzo Floor is ground and machine polished on site with a penetrating sealer applied. It is suitable for low traffic areas.
A Honed Anti-Slip Finish is when the Terrazzo Floor is ground on site to a honed finish. If a non-slip finish is required a non-slip additive is added during the manufacturing process.
It is now an accepted reality that terrazzo has made a secure name of its own and is no longer just an ordinary tile material anymore; it has now become a well-respected flooring system for buildings, modern homes, commercial establishments and business offices.