TERRAZZO CHARACTERISTICS

 

Terrazzo flooring is a composite material made of marble, glass, and shells, ground and polished to a smooth surface. The material is used in the construction of modern buildings and is recognized for its durability, ease of maintenance, and design flexibility. Learn about the many characteristics of a terrazzo flooring system.

Characteristics of Terrazzo

Terrazzo, an Italian word for “terrace”, was created during the 15th century. Discovered by Venetian mosaic workers, they reused marble remnants to craft the early form of terrazzo. Cement-based terrazzo is the traditional form of terrazzo.

 

Today the standard is epoxy terrazzo. Approximately 90% of all terrazzo installations today is epoxy-based. Thin-set epoxy terrazzo is a poured-in-place system that is applied over a concrete substrate at 1/4″ or 3/8″ thickness.

 

The main characteristics of epoxy terrazzo are:

 

  • Durability: At 1/4″ or 3/8″ thickness, epoxy terrazzo is thinner than traditional terrazzo systems, yet provides better performance. Epoxy terrazzo is generally stronger and more durable, with greater compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths. It is less susceptible to cracking than cement-based terrazzo systems. The epoxy binder creates a seamless floor that is virtually indestructible, making terrazzo ideal for high-traffic commercial, institutional and industrial spaces. With great wear resistance, epoxy terrazzo typically lasts the lifetime of any building structure and offers low life-cycle costs.

 

  • Low Maintenance: Epoxy terrazzo offers the lowest maintenance costs among commercial flooring systems. The flooring surface can include an antimicrobial additive that and does not support bacterial growth, mold, or mildew. Terrazzo also has excellent stain and chemical resistance. Building owners can save annually on cleaning and maintenance costs. Over its flooring lifecycle, epoxy terrazzo is associated with minimal repairs and no replacement. Daily and weekly routine cleaning are simple and easy, requiring a mop and warm water to remove dirt and debris tracked into the building.

 

  • Design Flexibility: Epoxy terrazzo is limited to your imagination. Epoxy terrazzo offers a wide spectrum of colors that can is excellent for multicolored patterns and designs. The use of divider strips can create any floor design possible from borders, geometric patterns, and logos. Epoxy terrazzo can be paired with aggregates like marble, granite, glass, Mother of Pearl, pebbles, and other decorative aggregates.

 

  • Sustainability: Terrazzo is gaining popularity in today’s modern buildings due to its contributions as a sustainable building material. Terrazzo floors comprise of 70% chip density. Post-consumer and post-industrial glass chips can contribute to LEED points for recycled contents. Aluminum divider strips also may incorporate recycled metals. In addition to aggregates, epoxy resin systems comprise of zero VOC materials, exhibiting little to no off-gassing over the flooring life-cycle. These factors while considering the longevity and low energy use for maintenance make epoxy terrazzo a favorable flooring system among architects and designers.

About TERRAZZCO’s Epoxy Terrazzo System

Concord Terrazzo Company manufactures a VOC-free two-part epoxy resin system. TERRAZZCO EZPour Epoxy 158 combined with aggregates yields a durable and decorative flooring solution for commercial, institutional and industrial projects. We supply flooring contractors with the raw materials to complete a successful epoxy terrazzo installation, all sourced from one central location.

 

TERRAZZCO’s epoxy terrazzo system provides the following solutions to your building project:

Charlotte Douglas International Airport Terrazzo Flooring

Durability & Longevity

 

TERRAZZCO’s epoxy terrazzo system is built to last, with stronger compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths. Able to hold up to heavy foot traffic.

 

Read about Durability of Terrazzo

MUSC Wellness Center Terrazzo Floor

Heavy Foot Traffic

 

Epoxy terrazzo is ideal for facilities that experience high traffic volumes. Able to withstand wear and tear and natural events such as floods and hurricanes.

 

Read about Terrazzo’s Wear Resistance

Low Maintenance Terrazzo

Low Maintenance

 

Terrazzo flooring is easy to clean and maintain, requiring basic maintenance routines to keep the surface looking new throughout the flooring life-cycle.

 

Read about Ease of Maintenance

Seamless Terrazzo

Seamless & Nonporous

 

TERRAZZCO’s epoxy terrazzo system is a seamless flooring surface, without grout joints, reducing concerns over cracking and grout maintenance.

 

Advantages of a Seamless System

Design Flexibility - Healthcare Terrazzo Floor

Design Flexibility

 

Epoxy terrazzo offers designers endless opportunities to create a unique floor for projects. Flexibility to choose any color and aggregates.

 

Explore Design Capabilities of Terrazzo

Fire Public Safety Center Terrazzo Flooring

Antimicrobial Flooring

 

TERRAZZCO’s epoxy terrazzo system can include an antimicrobial additive that does not support the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew, keeping facilities sanitary and managing infection control.

 

Read about Antimicrobial Solution

Chemical Resistance

Chemical Resistance

 

Among its physical properties, epoxy terrazzo offers great chemical resistance against stains, oil and grease. Creates a low maintenance surface for years.

 

Read about Chemical Resistance

Moisture and Water Resistance Terrazzo

Moisture and Water Resistance

 

Epoxy terrazzo is water-resistant and commonly used in areas prone to floods and hurricanes. Also, does not allow moisture to accumulate.

 

Read about Water Resistance

Odorless Epoxy Terrazzo

Odorless Epoxy

 

TERRAZZCO’s epoxy resins contain zero VOCs, improving indoor air quality.  Our epoxy terrazzo system supports healthier building designs.

 

Read about Zero VOC Terrazzo

Recycled Glass Aggregates used in Gray Terrazzo Flooring

Slip Resistance

 

A terrazzo floor using TERRAZZCO products supports a slip-resistant surface and is safe to walk on in high-traffic areas.

 

 

Read about Slip Resistance

Central Piedmont Community College Terrazzo Logo Design

Terrazzo Overlays

 

TERRAZZCO EZPour Epoxy 158 can work as a terrazzo overlay and applied over a number of existing surfaces helping contractors save on demolition and labor costs.

 

Read about Terrazzo Overlays

Sustainability of Terrazzo

Sustainable Terrazzo

 

Terrazzo is an excellent sustainable flooring choice with material options that contribute to LEED certification.

 

 

Read Sustainable Options for Terrazzo