Terrazzo is one of the first recyclable products ever made in the history of the world. Many centuries in the past, this flooring type was manufactured using chips of marble from other projects. Venetians revolutionized terrazzo, using it for functional flooring as well as a more decorative type. While back then, terrazzo was mainly marble stone chips, the terrazzo of today may have glass, epoxy, mirror, and metal chips inside. This requires different terrazzo floor maintenance than it may have centuries before this one.
Modern Terrazzo
The sheer number of colors and types of chips has been an inspiration for many designers and architects. However, it can be a challenge for those involved in facility management or mechanics. The chips are strong and dense, making it difficult to grind and pour the material. There is also a lot of work required in determining both strength and absorption rate for different types of chips. This can make building a maintenance plan difficult.
Cost of Maintenance
Terrazzo is a seamless material and is mainly made of stone, which means maintenance costs are relatively low. The durability of the material also means that the cost is broken down over decades, making it a truly economical choice. In fact, as long as the floor is installed properly and maintained, it can last hundreds of years.
What Not to Use
You should never do terrazzo floor maintenance with cleaners that contain acids or ammonia. You also need to stay away from alkaline strippers or hard scrubbing pads. These will only deteriorate the stone chips while breaking down the floor itself. Be sure to double check before doing any work that none of these products will be involved.
What to Use Instead
One of the most common options used for terrazzo is wax. It gives the floor a nice luster with the correct resistance. However, reapplying and removing it can reduce the length of time the floor will last. Also, most wax strippers have a large amount of acidic or alkaline ingredients. Before using these products, they have to be neutralized. If this doesn’t occur, the stripper will deteriorate the surface of your floor.
Other Options
There are more environmentally friendly products hitting the market as of late. Silicate and silicone-based sealers are an excellent option for the terrazzo floor. As far as scrubbing pads go, diamond pads will remove any traffic marks after a lot of use.
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