Terrazzo tile is one of the most versatile tiling options available in the industry. Made by mixing marble, granite, quartz, or glass chips into a cement binder, terrazzo is attractive and one of the toughest products available when it comes to tiling materials.
Why Choose Terrazzo?
Terrazzo is an excellent tiling choice for a number of reasons. The first is its looks. Because it is made by embedding marble, granite, quartz or glass chips in a cement binder, it retains many of the aesthetic qualities of the non-cement additive. Often it achieves a look equally as stunning as pure stone or ceramic tiles at a fraction of the price. Secondly, because terrazzo tile is manufactured by mixing different elements together, you can choose almost any design or colour for your tile project that you can dream of, including abstract decorative designs, official seals, and floor maps just to name a few. The sky is the limit.
On a more practical level, terrazzo is also one of the most durable tiling materials on the market – much more so than its stone and ceramic competitors. Once sealed properly it is impervious to water and stain damage, it doesn’t chip like other tile materials can, and can be used on both interior and exterior applications. And if the surface gets worn down over the years, it can be re-finished and polished to look like new again.
Where is Terrazzo Best Used?
Because of terrazzo tile’s incredible durability, it is suitable for just about any use you can dream up. It can be used outside or indoors as a flooring material, and it is great for high traffic areas such as lobbies, hallways and tiled outdoor areas for just this reason. On top of that, its water resistance makes it an equally good choice for kitchen and bathroom floors as well. In addition to flooring, its ability to repel water and stains also make it a popular choice for countertops, showers, baths, and swimming pools. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the fact that terrazzo is lightweight and can be poured in large swaths instead of laid as individual tiles, makes it particularly suitable for large scale flooring projects in buildings and public areas. In short, any place you can think of where tile might be used, in addition to some places you wouldn’t normally consider tile an option, terrazzo is an excellent choice.
Bathroom Benefits
Terrazzo offers two key benefits when it comes to bathroom installation. One is that this type of flooring is highly durable and low-maintenance, easily lasting for decades – or even centuries – with proper care. The other is that nonporous varieties of terrazzo are naturally water- and stain-resistant, and they also resist bacteria, unlike other bathroom flooring options such as vinyl or carpet. If eco-friendliness concerns you, terrazzo offers an all-natural option that does not release any volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere, and epoxy terrazzo often includes recycled materials.
A Question of Style
While the practical qualities of terrazzo make it an appealing choice for bathrooms, aesthetics also matter. On the plus side, terrazzo comes in virtually any colour or colour combination, so you’re sure to find a match for your existing or planned bathroom features. You can choose from monochrome terrazzo for a simple and modern look, or go with mosaics or patterns for a more opulent, old-world quality. These same qualities make terrazzo clash with some styles, such as rustic country homes, Victorian aesthetics, or shabby chic styles, for instance. If you seek a distinctive flooring style, no two terrazzo floors are alike; each features its own subtly different patterns and stone chips.
Consider the System
If you’re remodeling your bathroom, epoxy-resin or polyacrylate terrazzo can be installed over existing concrete or wood substrate. Epoxy terrazzo offers greater flexibility for installation in pre-existing bathrooms, as well as more sanitary qualities. Indoor-outdoor polyacrylate systems do not quite achieve the range of colors offered by epoxy options, but they feature greater resistance to UV rays – important for bathrooms with lots of natural light – and to moisture.
If you’re looking for a durable alternative to ceramic or stone tiles, terrazzo tiles are the answer. If you’re looking for the perfect terrazzo installation and maintenance in Victoria, get in touch with the experts at BK Stone today.
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