Terrazzo Skirting Boards & Covings

Elegance Meets Functionality

Terrazzo has long been admired for its seamless beauty, durability, and versatility in flooring. However, its applications extend well beyond just flat surfaces. At VIA.ZZO, we believe that skirting boards and covings made from terrazzo provide an elegant solution for uniting walls and floors, achieving both aesthetic harmony and practical performance. Let’s explore what makes terrazzo skirting and coving an appealing choice, how they are produced, and why they could be the perfect finishing touch for your space.

What Are Skirting Boards and Covings?

• Skirting boards (or baseboards) are strips placed along the bottom of interior walls, creating a neat transition between floor and wall, protecting walls from kicks, furniture, and everyday wear.
• Covings are curved or rounded and placed where walls meet floors, creating a smooth transition and a seamless appearance.

These elements can match or complement floors and stairs, creating a continuous, seamless look.

Coving vs. Skirting: Two Different Approaches to Wall–Floor Transitions

When working with terrazzo, the detailing at the junction between floor and wall can dramatically change both the aesthetics and functionality of a space. Two common solutions are coving and skirting boards—and VIA.ZZO projects offer clear examples of both.

• Coving (UNArte Project, Bucharest)
  At the National University of Arts (UNArte), VIA.ZZO designed a seamless transition from the floor to the wall, a solution known as coving. This design eliminates the sharp 90° angle typically found at the junction of the floor and wall. The result is a continuous and flowing surface that is both elegant and practical, particularly in spaces where hygiene and easy cleaning are essential. With no corners for dust or dirt to accumulate, coving is especially well-suited for educational, medical, and high-traffic environments. These can be done on-site or through a combination of prefabricated elements and on-site application.
• Skirting Board (Millo Office Building, Bucharest)
  In contrast, the Millo Office Building features terrazzo used as a skirting board. In this case, terrazzo slabs were manufactured as prefabs and installed against the wall after the floor was completed. Unlike coving, skirting boards maintain a vertical profile, creating a protective band at the base of the wall. This design preserves the sharp 90° angle while providing added durability and resistance against impact, scuffing, and cleaning equipment. Additionally, it offers an elegant visual frame for the floor without altering the geometry of the wall-floor junction.

This project is a more intricate example of terrazzo skirting due to its height and specific shape. Typically, standard terrazzo skirting boards are around 10 cm high and feature a classic design.

Coving seamlessly blends the wall and floor into a single continuous surface, while skirting creates a decorative and protective band that emphasizes the separation. Both solutions showcase the versatility of terrazzo, allowing designers and architects to tailor details to meet the functional and aesthetic needs of each project.

VIA.ZZO’s hybrid epoxy-acrylic terrazzo systems exemplify how the combination of form and function can produce timeless, durable, and beautiful details that unify spaces. For architects, interior designers, and homeowners, terrazzo provides an opportunity to think beyond traditional flooring—to define edges, transitions, and boundaries elegantly.