Don’t get the eye-catching headline above wrong! The word “Recycled” here is a positive outcome of the utilization of marble scraps that was used centuries ago by ingenious Italian workers who “reused” the marble chips left over from the marble blocks that they cut into customized form for the Venetian terraces a very long time ago on the floors of their workhouses and homes.
Terrazzo floors as we have known it has been around for centuries and have been the original recycled flooring. Today with new and more advanced technology, Terrazzo has become back into the spotlight as a creative design building material.
Nowadays sustainable construction is of central essence for buildings. Terrazzo floors will typically outlast the lifetime of the structure it is used in. In many older buildings, where terrazzo floorings have been used, the old floorings can be easily restored to their original luster at a fraction of the cost of replacing the floor. Both cement and thin set epoxy terrazzo floors have extremely low maintenance expenses. Routine maintenance includes dry and damp mopping, with an occasional spray buffing. Generally speaking maintenance for terrazzo is significantly less than other flooring systems.
Today Terrazzo is not “recycled” per se but is now basically composed of a natural mix of occurring aggregates, river pebbles and stones, granite, recycled glass, quartz and basalt and a processed cement or epoxy binder. This is a far cry from its humble beginnings centuries ago when it was just scrap trimmings thrown away! Terrazzo can either be made into building materials for floors, stairs, walls, partitions or various elements for interior pre casts. Polished, honed or brushed terrazzo can be custom-made to suit a wide range of tastes and interiors.
Terrazzo products by Terrazzo Australian Marble are widely used for both interior and exterior applications. Terrazzo Tiles and Insitu Terrazzo are usually used indoors for high foot traffic areas. Also, there is a style of terrazzo that can withstand the extreme elements known as Terrazzo External paver. It is frequently used for outdoor applications such as walkways driveways and swimming pool areas with its special anti-slip surface property for added safety and slip resistance. When considering which terrazzo system is appropriate for the planned application, the required thickness could become the deciding factor in the overall mix.
Surely you have strolled across a shopping centre’s shiny floor or a glitzy hotel lobby’s floor and have noticed the beauty, design, and many possibilities of a terrazzo floor. Today’s terrazzo floors now have more color possibilities, more selection of aggregates, and more design potential than ever before. Terrazzo products are beautifying upscale homes, hospitals, shopping centers, schools, and restaurants. Its versatile color and design can go from bold and bright to elegant and classic to minimalistic in style. Terrazzo floors can be personalized in design to depict anything from one simple colored floor to complex geometric shapes. Terrazzo floors have a long history of durability in high-traffic areas and are easy to maintain.
Surely, this once recycled product has found its special niche in the building and interior design industry in the eyes of architects and interior designers alike.