Terrazzo Maintenance Restore and Polish
Terrazzo maintenance what is terrazzo is the material of choice for many residential and commercial locations.
Perhaps its rich history has something to do with its continued popularity, given that it has been in use for centuries now.
It’s commonly used for flooring, walls, countertops, stair treads, bases, and much more.
Whether it’s in residential, commercial, or business environments, you can always see fine finishes of terrazzo.
In fact, if you take a closer look at the places you visit regularly, you will see evidence of terrazzo being used on different surfaces.
Indeed, this is a material that can do lots of unique and incredible finishes that make interior and exterior environments extremely attractive. Therefore, it’s important to develop a deeper understanding of terrazzo so as to know where and how to use it effectively. Learn, below, all you need to know about this wall and floor treatment.
What Is Terrazzo Made of and How It’s Poured?
There are various fundamental components of terrazzo. These elements include: chips of marble, glass, quartz, shells, stones, granite, and other suitable materials.
It’s worth noting that either a concrete or epoxy-resin binder is used to hold terrazzo together.
Once you have the aggregate mix, it is poured on the floor or any other surface at the required height using hand trowels.
Afterwards, a power trowel is used to level and tighten the aggregate.
Types of Terrazzo
When it comes to the commonly used types of terrazzo, two types come to the fore.
They are: concrete terrazzo and epoxy terrazzo.
The epoxy terrazzo started gaining prominence in the 1970s while the concrete terrazzo began appearing in buildings before 1980.
The epoxy terrazzo is the most popular and the one that needs the least effort in regards to maintenance.
Moreover, it’s the most resourceful type of terrazzo, given that it can be used for both flooring and countertop finishes.
Design customizations are limitless when using the epoxy terrazzo.
The cement terrazzo happens to be the best in areas where many people frequently visit.
For example in shopping malls, airports, and schools.
This is so because of its high level of durability. It’s also cost-effective.
When installing it, you should take note of weather conditions to avoid any cracks thereafter.
Moreover, you should be careful when mixing and laying out cement terrazzo to make sure that it lasts for a long time.
How to Maintain Terrazzo
Maintaining terrazzo is an extremely important exercise.
If you maintain it in the most effective way possible, it will last for a long time and you will enjoy the benefits thereof.
Fundamentally, maintaining terrazzo requires you to clean it regularly because of its susceptibility to dirt and stains.
Quite often, you will realize that dust and grime accumulate on terrazzo, thus it’s prudent for you to clean it on a regular basis to maintain its fine look.
Additionally, take note of unsealed terrazzo. It absorbs liquids quite easily; hence, you should make sure that you clean every liquid spill as soon as possible.
Through this, you will give your terrazzo surface a long-lasting attractive and well-maintained look. Another imperative aspect to consider when maintaining terrazzo is the products you use.
Always ensure that you use maintenance products that are specifically made for terrazzo.
Not all cleaners out there in the market have the capacity to clean your terrazzo-furnished surfaces. Some of them contain components that can damage terrazzo.
So, make sure that you only use cleaners designed for terrazzo maintenance only.
Terrazzo Floor Restoration
Learning how to do terrazzo restoration is extremely important for your interiors and exteriors.
The tear and wear that terrazzo surfaces face deems it necessary to have them restored from time to time.
Especially terrazzo floors, they will need restoration because of the high traffic usage.
Basically, the process of terrazzo restoration involves the following processes: grinding, hole filling, and final polish.
During the process of terrazzo restoration, you will need to remove surface layers, and this is where grinding comes in handy.
The initial layers have to be removed and stripped off so as to allow for new applications.
The process of hole filling allows you to ensure that the polishing of terrazzo will be effective and done in the most accurate way possible. The final process of terrazzo restoration is the polishing bit.
The common way of polishing is by spreading an acidic powder mixed with water across the terrazzo and then polish using a special polish machine.
This will result to a highly shiny and polished terrazzo surface.
Terrazzo Repair
Once in a while, you might be required to do some repair work on a terrazzo floor. For small repairs, all you need to do is to thoroughly mix a small amount of epoxy and apply on the places that need repair.
Take note that you need to apply gently.
Finally, let the epoxy mix dry for around 24 hours before people can walk on it.
If you need a large repair, you need to first clean the crack and remove the sealant around the area that requires a repair using a paint stripper.
Afterwards, use a high-gloss and oil-based paint that matches the terrazzo.
Apply it to the cracks until they are covered well. The next thing to do is to apply a sealant that matches the repair into the surrounding terrazzo flooring.
Terrazzo Maintenance Tips
There are various significant terrazzo maintenance tips you can use to keep them in good shape for a longer time. The first tip to always consider is using sealants.
In spite of a sealant not necessarily giving you a glossy finish on your terrazzo floor, it will definitely protect your terrazzo-finished floor from damage.
Another important tip is changing the moping head and cleaning solution regularly to avoid contamination, which can negatively affect the glossy and shiny look of your terrazzo surface. Lastly, ensure that you clean terrazzo regularly to enhance its longevity.
Indeed, terrazzo has been in use for a long time because of its ability to keep interiors and exteriors looking fine and attractive.
Based on its popularity, residential and commercials buildings will continue to use terrazzo as a finishing and furnishing material for different surfaces.
That is why it’s highly valuable for you to get all the information you need about it. Now that you understand much about terrazzo, you can consider using it to make your interior and exterior environments more beautiful.