Carpet, Tile, or Wood Removal
The first step of a terrazzo floor restoration project is often the thoughtful demolition of the carpet, tile, or wood floor installed on top of the terrazzo floors. We use electric chipping hammers, angle grinders, and hand tools for this process. Incorrect removal can lead to additional damage to the terrazzo floor, so in most cases, this process should be left to an expert.
Tile, carpet, and wood flooring installation each brings different challenges during the repair and restoration process. For example, glue left by a wood flooring installation will stain and discolor the terrazzo and requires careful surface grinding. Removing carpet tack strips will leave voids in terrazzo that we will fill with appropriate, matching terrazzo material.
Terrazzo Floor Damage Repair
If you have a terrazzo floor that was covered with another type of flooring, it’s reasonable to expect that it will require some repair. The most common repair is void filling. Void filling is required where the floor is damaged or in situations where the floor-plan layout was modified, leaving an area without terrazzo where walls once were.
For void repairs, we compare terrazzo aggregates with your existing floor using our extensive archive of marble chips. We remove a small piece of your floor and use it to computer-match the color of your terrazzo binder–in a process similar to buying paint at a big box retail construction store.
Waxing vs. Polishing
After repairing voids and cracks in your terrazzo flooring, the next step in your terrazzo restoration project is grinding it flat using an electric floor grinding machine. Aggressive diamond tools, typically 30 to 40 grit, are used in this process. This grinding process will remove any contamination from other flooring installations and level and blend any of the areas we filled during the damage repair phase of the terrazzo floor restoration process.
After grinding, the terrazzo floors must either be polished or waxed to achieve the final, reflective finish. Waxing, while a more traditional way to finish these floors, requires frequent stripping and waxing maintenance. Polishing is a more modern technique for finishing terrazzo floors and provides a more attractive appearance with lower long-term maintenance. Further, diamond-polished terrazzo floors are less prone to fine scratching from daily use than waxed or sealed terrazzo floors. Finally, polished terrazzo floors are less slippery than waxed floors, which may be beneficial for households with children or to reduce business slip and fall liability.
Terrazzo Restoration Cost
Terrazzo flooring costs are variable based on the square footage we restore and the amount of terrazzo repair work required.
- Residential restoration jobs range from $7-12 per square foot
- Repair work such as void filling is priced by the day with the addition of material cost
- Commercial restoration jobs start as low as $5 per square foot, depending on the amount of square footage.
While there is a lot to restoring terrazzo floors, a properly restored terrazzo floor will provide a durable, lifetime flooring installation. If you have any questions about your terrazzo restoration project, give us a call for a free consultation.
