Terrazzo Today: Exploring the Journey from Origins to Today’s Trends

Terrazzo Today: Exploring the Journey from Origins to Today’s Trends

Terrazzo Today: Exploring the Journey from Origins to Today’s Trends

The benefits of choosing terrazzo

 

Are you unfamiliar with terrazzo flooring? No worries! Today, we will be covering the following topics to help you gain a better understanding of it:

• The history and origins of terrazzo

• The modern-day use of terrazzo flooring

• The process of installing poured terrazzo floors

• Tips on selecting a trustworthy terrazzo contractor

• The benefits of using terrazzo as a flooring material.

 

When was terrazzo invented?

Terrazzo is a flooring material that has opened up many design possibilities in recent times. Its origins date back to mid-16th century Venice, where mosaic workers found a way to reuse marble remnants by mixing them with concrete to create terraces around their living quarters.

Initially, terrazzo was polished by hand using a long-handled tool called a Galera. However, it did not become popular until the 1920s, when the electric grinder machine replaced the Galera. This mechanization of the production process significantly reduced costs and installation time, making terrazzo an affordable flooring option.

In recent years, further developments have made terrazzo even more cost-effective, versatile, and high-functioning.

 

Terrazzo today

Market studies indicate that epoxy terrazzo is currently the fastest-growing terrazzo system. This is due to several reasons. Designers and architects prefer epoxy terrazzo because it has no grout lines, is seamless, and offers limitless design opportunities.

The terrazzo system, VIA.ZZO, is an eco-friendly, hybrid epoxy-acrylic terrazzo that is poured, grinded, and polished on-site, with no joints under 100 square meters. Terrazzo divider strips are integrated into the flooring surface to separate areas larger than 100 square meters or to separate different colors of a particular design. This new flooring material is an evolution from the classic cement-based terrazzo flooring and provides an escape from the world of plain patterns and ready-made products.

 

Poured Terrazzo Floor Installation

Terrazzo is a type of flooring that is created by pouring a mixture of marble, granite, glass or other aggregates and fillers, combined with cement or resin binder, onto the floor. The mixture is then grinded, grouted, and polished to create a seamless and shiny finish.

Cement terrazzo systems are thicker and heavier compared to thin-set epoxy terrazzo. While they offer a wide range of colors, the colors are not as vibrant as epoxy terrazzo systems. With epoxy or polyurethane-based systems, colored resins can be easily poured into any desired pattern. Thanks to the versatility of this seamless resin flooring, designers can think of the floor area as a canvas on which they can create bespoke works of art.

With over two decades of experience in the resin flooring industry, we believe that quality is the key to successful terrazzo installations. That’s why we are proud that we received international recognition from the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association (NTMA) in 2020 after a rigorous four-year admission process. The NTMA is the only professional terrazzo flooring organization in the world, providing and following the highest standards and procedures in the terrazzo industry.

Our terrazzo brand, VIA.ZZO, fully complies with all NTMA standards and regulations.

How to choose a reliable terrazzo contractor?

When choosing a contractor to install terrazzo flooring, it is important to ensure that they are highly skilled and can deliver the highest quality installation.

The easiest way to guarantee a professional, pre-qualified terrazzo contractor is to use a member of the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association, Inc. (NTMA). NTMA contractors and associate members are performance-based and will ensure a high-quality floor.

VIA.ZZO is the only NTMA terrazzo flooring contractor in Europe and complies with all NTMA standards and regulations.

 

So, why terrazzo is a great material for flooring?

Terrazzo is a highly versatile and durable material that can withstand the test of time. It offers exceptional design potential and is also environmentally friendly. Terrazzo is highly resistant to wear and easy to maintain. Moreover, it is a seamless and antimicrobial flooring material that doesn’t have tile grouts. This means that it doesn’t support microbial growth or allow moisture to accumulate, thus creating a mold-free environment.

Terrazzo can be used in a variety of ways, including flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, walls, furniture, and other bespoke designs and patterns.

Recently, there has been a renewed interest in terrazzo among interior designers and architects, as it is a sustainable flooring system. Terrazzo has become a popular choice for modern designs, not just for flooring but also for furniture and decor accents. It is one of the most modern design trends and has seen a major resurgence in the last few years.

 

To learn more about terrazzo, check out viazzo.ro

For more information about NTMA, visit ntma.com

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