Terrazzo Restoration – All Questions Answered

Last Updated: March 5, 2022

Terrazzo restoration is a process for restoring the attractiveness of a terrazzo floor that has been deteriorated by aging, wearing, stains, or other factors. The elegance and textural texture of modern terrazzo, which originated in Italy over 500 years ago, has made it a popular option for contemporary environments. There is no grout, high gloss, and a stunning appearance. A professionally restored terrazzo floor is the center of attention in any home.

Here are the most asked questions about terrazzo restoration we got from potential customers AND our answers:

Is terrazzo an outdated floor finish? 

From the 1920s through the 1970s, terrazzo flooring was extremely popular. It is true for a while, terrazzo floor is considered “old fashioned”. However, according to ELLE Design, it’s making a huge comeback in 2020 and will be one of the most popular home decor trends!

Terrazzo floor is becoming a fast-developing building material as a result of today’s emphasis on sustainability in construction projects. Its durability, minimal maintenance, and versatility make it ideal to be used in schools, airports, hospitals, and residential homes. Epoxy terrazzo floor also allows architects and homeowners to build their own floors and is more cost-effective than other flooring solutions, because of the prolonged lifespan and low long-term maintenance cost.

So absolutely no, terrazzo floor is no longer an outdated floor finish. On the contrary, terrazzo flooring is being restored all across Florida and the whole country.

Can terrazzo be restored?

Yes. Terrazzo floors that have been damaged or have a dull look may be restored and look brand new again. Terrazzo floors could be grinded polished and resealed, and refinished. Chips and cracks in terrazzo floors can be repaired using a matching floor color and aggregates.

What’s the best way to restore terrazzo floor?

There are mainly three ways to restore terrazzo floor. In our opinion, diamond grinding and polishing is the best way to restore terrazzo floor.

The diamond grind polishing process starts with diamond grinding using a planetary walk-behind grinder. Use coarse-grit diamond tooling to grind the terrazzo surface first, to get rid of scratches and scuff marks. Polishing is then done by passing medium-grit, followed by fine-grit diamond tooling and resin polishing pads to achieve visually appealing, high-gloss finish.

Crystallization, also known as vitrification, is a different technique to restore terrazzo floor with acid solution, steel wool pads, and grinding/polishing equipment. After sprinkling a little amount of the acid solution onto the terrazzo floor, the polishing machine with the steel wool pad attached is used to uniformly disperse the solution throughout the surface. The acid solution chemically changes the terrazzo stone surface during crystallization. The glossy look of the terrazzo floor after crystallization is due to the calcium fluorosilicate layer formed from the reaction between the acid solution and the terrazzo surface.

Buffing terrazzo floor with polishing powder is the third way to restore terrazzo floor. Put a substantial amount of the pH-neutral polishing powder on the terrazzo surface, then buff the floor using the buffing machine with the soft polishing pads attached.

Although it’s the most expensive method of the three, diamond grinding and polished terrazzo surfaces can maintain their satiny sheen for 8-10 years or even longer if maintained properly. Terrazzo floors polished with polishing powder or crystallization solutions, on the other hand, often lose their luster after around two years.

Why diamond grinding and polishing restoration is better than waxing?

There are various advantages to choosing grinding and polishing restoration over waxing for terrazzo restoration.

Polished terrazzo floors retain their shine and, with proper maintenance, seldom require repolishing, even in high-traffic areas. As a result, polishing restoration is an obvious solution for extending the life of your concrete flooring. When the wax is used, residue wax must be removed and it requires regular reapplication and maintenance.

Terrazzo floor that have been properly polished are impervious to spills, need little maintenance, and will retain their luster for many years. Touch-up polishing on a regular basis helps keep your floor shiny. However, even with minor touch-ups, polishing is significantly less expensive than regular waxing.

You’ll only need a few items to clean polished Terrazzo flooring. The supplies your has on hand are likely to be sufficient to keep your floors clean and shiny for many years. Most of them time, all you need is a dust mop and a wet mop.

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How long will terrazzo restoration last?

A professionally restored terrazzo floor in a home normally lasts 8 to 10 years. If you remove your shoes and maintain the floor clean and sand-free, it can look beautiful after twenty years. When the terrazzo becomes dull, all it needs is a good polishing. At that time, you’re back to the shining condition you were in before the first restoration.

Is restored terrazzo floor slippery?

Terrazzo floor in its natural state is not slippery. Diamond polished terrazzo is also non-slippery and meets OSHA standards of .5 coefficient of slip differential, wet or dry.

Sealers and coatings sometimes determine whether or not a terrazzo floor is slippery. If you have concerns over how to prevent slips and falls on a terrazzo floor, make sure to use recommended sealer and coating products, and check the manufacturer’s instructions. Avoid using wax products.

How much does terrazzo restoration cost?

Terrazzo restoration costs might range from $3 to $8 per square foot. It varies based on a variety of parameters such as the size of the property, the condition of the substrate, the difficulty of the project, and the method of restoration utilized, among others.

Generally, the larger your terrazzo surface, the greater the lump-sum cost, but the cheaper the unit cost per square foot.

Diamond polishing is often more expensive than crystallization and powder polishing since it is a more labor-intensive procedure that produces a longer-lasting shine.

Let AI Coating terrazzo restoration services to breathe new life into your aged terrazzo floor using our cutting-edge equipment and technologies. We remove surface discolouration and defects, and restore terrazzo floor’s gloss and sheen with our specialized equipment and diamond tooling.

We also offer our expertise in terrazzo floor patching and repair. We can help you determine aggregate and matrix ratios, acquire all the necessary supplies and perform the installation to your satisfaction. Contact us today!

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