What are Terrazzio Tiles?

We’ve been in the business of making terrazzo large format tiles for over 30 years. We believe in this product and are hoping to help people learn more about it by writing some articles in the coming years. We thought for our first article, we should start at the beginning!

What is Terrazzo Flooring?

Terrazzo itself dates back as far as ancient Egyptian mosaics, when chips of stone were mixed in with a bonding material for decorative purposes. The material we know as terrazzo today is more closely related to 18th century Venetian pavement (or pavimento alla Veneziana). This was created by workers placing marble fragments near each other within a poured mortar base. The technique seminato (or “sown floor”), took the pavement process a step further by incorporating a polishing at the end. This terrazzo material was nearly impenetrable by moisture and was extremely durable, but came with a few flaws including the long preparation, installation and curing time required.

Terrazzo was first brought to the United States in the late 1890s but did not become popular for large installations due to the likelihood of cracking and the labor-intensive hand polishing it required. In the 1920s, however, they solved these issues by introducing metazzio, or metal strips between slabs that allowed the material to expand and contract after installation, and the electric grinder which made finishing a far more reasonable process.

Once they were able to improve the installation and longevity, terrazzo floors took off in the Art Deco and Moderne world. They were highly customizable, durable, able to be designed into curving shapes that could fit any décor—even the Hollywood Walk of Fame eventually. Since then, terrazzo style flooring has become a favorite in commercial and institutional buildings like hospitals, schools, airports, offices and more for its ability to look stylish while under the pressure of constant and heavy foot traffic. It’s also found a place in residential installation with its classic but mod styling.

What is Terrazzio Tile?

While terrazzo material is long lasting, the installation and replacement of a poured-in-place terrazzo floor can be daunting. That’s why we created Terrazzio tiles. We make large format, terrazzo tiles in our manufacturing facility right here in the United States. They install in just hours with no on site grinding or polishing and can be walked on within just one day. We can customize your colors, materials and designs as needed too. For FAO Schwartz in New York City, for example, we crafted terrazzo tiles using recycled yellow button fragments! We’ve taken the work and the waiting out of long-lasting terrazzo floor installation.

Find out if our tiles are right for you by requesting a free sample today!

Terrazzio Tiles vs. Terrazzo Flooring

At Terrazzio, we’ve taken an ancient art and brought it into a convenient and modern material with the same staying power and some real benefits over the traditional installation.

What Exactly is Terrazzo?

Terrazzo is a style of flooring material and a process for installation that has been used since ancient times for the sake of creating smooth, durable and elegantly diverse walking surfaces. The basic process of creating terrazzo, which remains practically the same to this very day, involved placing fragments of crushed marble or other stones and ceramic materials into a poured mortar floor base. These would then be allowed to cure and afterwards polished down to create an extremely durable, smooth surface that could resist penetration by moisture or mold for incredibly long periods of time.

Later, innovations such as the use of metal strips between terrazzo slabs to prevent fractures from thermal expansion and contraction, and the use of electric grinding tools made the process of installing these floors a little easier. It remained very time consuming, however, since creating a lovely, smooth poured terrazzo floor continues to require weeks of prep work, installation, curing, polishing and cleaning.

A more modern solution for terrazzo flooring, which incorporates prefabricated manufacturing and the same durability of ancient terrazzo had to be developed. The creation of this is what allowed these lovely floor installations to become far more affordable and easily installable.

The Terrazzio Tile Innovation

This is where Terrazzio (with an "i") comes into the picture. We’ve brought in a modern manufactured evolution to the time-honored process of terrazzo that's far easier to install while delivering a finished surface that's almost identically beautiful and long lasting. Terrazzio tiles are pre-cast in large formats that can range considerably but include dimensions such as 24"x 24", 48"x 48" or rectangular shapes such as 24"x 48" and larger.

The most useful thing about our terrazzo tiles instead of poured-in-place terrazzo is that these smoothly polished new tiles are created, cured and finely polished down well before they're delivered. Thus, instead of a slow organic process of pouring mortar filled with pieces of rock, letting it set and then polishing everything down finely, you can simply have fully finished, finely cut tiles set into mortar and ready to be walked on in just a few hours.

Terrazzio tiles offer the same material surface and production as the terrazzo flooring of antiquity, but in a far more modern form that's also extremely durable. These diverse tiles are manufactured right inside the United States and can be customized based on color, internal rock material, design and size depending on your needs and aesthetic desires. Our tiles can also be customized to match your project colors and designed to recreate your logo.

Because the size of each standard terrazzio tile is so large, they can be finely joined together to form a nearly uniform look that closely resembles the smooth floors of traditional terrazzo with its much higher labor costs. This is ideal for large commercial installations.

Additionally, our tiles are composed of 20% recycled materials, which can get you two LEED points if you’re working on your certification. And those builders within 500 miles of Loretto, TN may qualify for additional points as well.

If you'd like to experience the most modern possible version of terrazzo design without the laborious and time-consuming ancient pouring process, Terrazzio tiles are the answer. Contact Terrazzio for free samples, shipping details and cost calculations.

How Terrazzio Can Create Beautiful Custom Floor Logos

The flooring of a business or organization can be more than just a place for visitors' footsteps. If anything, the floor itself can be one of the most visually-striking places in the entire building for proudly placing an extremely-visible logo.

With the right fabrication materials, your floor logo can last for decades and send strong messages about brand identity, organizational culture and a company's pride. Terrazzo floor logos can add a personal stamp to your space.

How Terrazzio delivers lovely floor logos

Terrazzio offers a completely unique floor logo material. As we've described before, prefabricated, flexibly-sized ceramic composite terrazzo tiles are a modern innovation that don’t involve the time-consuming process of pouring and polishing cement floors laden with stone fragments. Terrazzio tiles have the terrazzo look, but in an easy-to-install tile format and with large-sizing options, making installation a simple and quick process.

In addition, since we custom make our tiles, we can customize it with a logo. With Terrazzio, the finished result is a smooth, long-lasting logo installation that—even years later—looks as perfect as the day it was placed.

One example of how effective Terrazzio logos can be in places where both serious durability and aesthetics matter, let's consider the case of Marine Corps Base, Quantico, in Virginia. There are several Terrazzio installations throughout the facility. They cover a total of 120,000 square feet on which thousands of marine troopers' rough-and-tumble combat boots tread, often covered in mud, rocks and all sorts of grit. Despite this, the Terrazzio logos on the base still look as fresh and new after each day's cleaning, as they did since the day of their installation.

As one particularly effusive Marine Officer explained, "You have great STUFF, sir. This is the best STUFF I've ever seen. We are tough on floors, and every day, this stuff looks great!" Terrazzio floor logos definitively prove their mettle when they leave even seasoned Marines impressed.

Make a big impression with your logo

Terrazzio can deliver completely customized logo designs for any style you need. We can also surround these with both standard and fully customized tiles in a broad range of sizes that can be textured or colored in any way you'd like. Whether you'd like to texture your tiles with natural stones or any number of recycled materials, that's doable too.

Once you've established your desired tile, the actual installation of them will move rapidly. Within just a day of placement, your terrazzo floor and its logo design are completely ready for full use. Contact us for a personalized estimate!

Using Recycled Materials for Your Terrazzo Floors 

Recycled materials for commercial or household flooring is not a new concept. Many owners of houses, cabins or other types of buildings will happily use recycled wood boards, recycled paving stones and even reuse old terracotta tiles for beautiful rustic effects that can last a long time. 

With Terrazzio, recycling is also not only possible—it's already a part of the process. Our tiles are made up of 20% or more recycled materials. What Terrazzio tiles also offer is a more robust design more durable than many alternative recycled flooring choices. They also let you explore some truly unique recycled materials as decorative options. Here's a real—and famous—example you might recognize. 

F.A.O Schwarz and the Movie "Big" 

If you've seen the 1988 Tom Hanks movie "Big", in which the actor plays the part of a young boy trapped in a grown man's body, then you've seen Terrazzio recycled materials floors. In one of the iconic scenes from the film, Hanks plays "Chop Sticks" on a giant piano keyboard laid out on the floor in the famous NYC toy store, F.A.O Schwartz. Well, that yellow terrazzo floor was composed of Terrazzio tiles filled with broken yellow buttons from New York City's garment district. 

Terrazzio tiles were specially manufactured with recycled materials for the first time ever for the toy store's flooring as a custom special order. F.A.O Schwartz was so dedicated to this specific recycling project that the toy store itself sent employees off to the NYC garment district to collect as many broken yellow buttons as they could find. The buttons were then sent to Terrazzio where they were incorporated into tiles made for the world-famous toy store. These tiles can be plainly seen in the movie. Check it out for yourself right HERE.  

These particular 2’ x 3’ tiles were made utilizing the buttons and white marble aggregate. Terrazzio manufactured the pieces in the Muscle Shoals of Alabama for F.A.O Schwartz one year before the movie was filmed in the NYC location, where all the film's toy store scenes were set. 

The Benefits of Recycled Terrazzio Flooring 

Moving on to today, Terrazzio makes 20% of each of its tiles from recycled content. By installing these in your own building or office flooring project, you become eligible for 2 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification points from the U.S. Green Building Council. Accumulating LEED points not only helps your project create a lower carbon footprint, but there are a number of economic benefits including it increases your building’s value, is an appealing feature to tenants, and can help you save money. 

In other words, the benefits of installing Terrazzio tiles with recycled materials are both aesthetically pleasing and good for public relations. You can find out anything you'd like to know about highly durable custom or standard recycled materials tiles by contacting Terrazzio for more information at sales@terrazzio.com.

 A Prescription for Your Hospital: Terrazzio Tiles

Due to the uncertainties about the costs of COVID response measures, many hospital administrators—both private and public—put previously planned building projects on hold in recent years. Instead, a focus was placed on temporary, practical facilities that could operate cheaply, while leaving funds aside for possible emergency measures. 

This is now set to change as the pandemic slowly dies down. When it does, hospitals will need to consider the best ways to handle their design for maximum functionality and easy sanitization. Terrazzio offers a smart solution for this. 

Terrazzio as the Ideal Medical Flooring Solution 

There are several reasons why Terrazzio tiles are ideal for hospital flooring. 

Physical Appeal 

With Terrazzio, it’s possible to create durable and lasting hospital floors that feel timeless and clean without feeling overly institutional. For people entering a hospital under stressful circumstances, these are important factors.  

Ideally, you want to create the least possible amount of dry clinical reminders of where or why they're visiting. Terrazzio floors, available in many vibrant and soothing colors and textures, create an impression of strong design that can readily lend itself to a welcoming environment. It also brings the on-trend and classic appeal of the popular terrazzo tile style, but in a larger size—perfect for hospital flooring. 

Color and Layout 

Terrazzio tiles aren't just surfacing material for floors. They are available in a kaleidoscope of color and subsurface texture that offer more than just simple institutional flooring. The selection of options for designs that are available with Terrazzio can be used to create vast colorful installations that suit the nature of your hospital.

Logos and other designs 

We at Terrazzio pride ourselves on giving our clients a superb range of color, design and other customization options. These can even include customer requests for a particular material or type of object being added into the tiles themselves. Because of this, going with Terrazzio for your hospital floor layout lets you request very specific and complex patterns, such as your facility logo, or other powerful visual elements, shapes and letters too. 

Your hospital can not only include visually-pleasing designs in its floors, you can also promote your brand image or any other logo inside your floors. In essence, if a design can be drawn and colored in, it can be built to order. 

Sheer durability 

All questions of visual appeal and aesthetics aside, Terrazzio tiles are durable in ways that few tiling or flooring materials can match. With Terrazzio tile patterns, you can look forward to decades of use with virtually no wear, tear or cracking. What's more, because this material delivers colors that are in the tile itself, logos or floor color patterns never lose their vibrancy. They might get dirty, but they can be brought back to full glow with a simple wash. 

Sanitary value 

Terrazzio floor pieces are very tightly installed, finely polished and come in a range of large tile sizes. This combination of factors, and their lack of porosity, makes them ideal for medical settings where the risk of fluid or chemical spills is high and the need for ease of thorough cleaning is vital. With Terrazzio, you will have a material that fits these criteria while also being resilient to chemically-induced fading. 

Terrazzio Offers Solutions for Your Facility 

For all your hospital floor needs, regardless of facility size or specialty purpose, Terrazzio creates a superbly powerful solution that you can safely rely on for decades. Contact Terrazzio now for a flooring installation and design consultation. 

The Perfect Flooring Solution for School Renovation Projects

If you're a school administrator taking advantage of summer break to conduct major facility renovations, there's a good chance those plans include renovating floors. This is where you might want to pause and carefully consider your options. One option to look at that offers the combination of aesthetic value, easy maintenance, flexibility, and sheer lasting power is Terrazzio floor tiles.

Tremendous Lasting Power

The commercial flooring options schools often select include linoleum, plastic, concrete, vinyl plank, rigid core vinyl, laminate, and even carpet or hardwood flooring. While carpet and wood flooring are outright terrible ideas for a number of durability and sanitary reasons, many of the others do indeed have their merits. However, none come close to Terrazzio when it comes to extreme durability.

With Terrazzio flooring, you're installing large-format hard tiles made from a proprietary resin base that can be impregnated with natural materials. These can include stones, granite, or nearly other natural material.

This combination of smoothly polished tiles and natural filler material can not only last for many decades without wearing down, but it also never loses its color and design patterns. The visual durability works because the colors, textures, and patterns in Terrazzio are part of the tile itself, instead of painted or etched onto its surface.

What's more, Terrazzio is thoroughly sealed, after installation, in a way that renders it nearly impervious to moisture damage, humidity, or persistent exposure to grime, salt, and other residues from foot traffic. No other common school flooring material delivers this combination of general and aesthetic durability.

Beautiful Finish

Terrazzio can look downright beautiful. Whether you're looking for a minimalist look or want something that explodes with a variety of colors, you can have any of these styles installed depending simply on the sort of Terrazzio tile size and color finish you choose.

The options are limitless for these qualities. With Terrazzio, the finished look of the tiles is smooth and the decorative aspect of these tiles is almost completely customizable. If you'd like to install Terrazzio tiles with specific visuals such as a school logo or graphic, you can request this option as well. The resulting decorative elements will stay in place and remain vibrantly colorful for decades.

Impressively Rapid Installation

Terrazzio tiles can be installed with exceptional speed. Rapid installation is possible even for a custom floor project. These tiles come in several large-format sizes that make installing them very easy — even for buildings with large floor areas.

What's more, Terrazzio tiles are finished and polished before delivery, allowing them to simply be installed using the recommended thin set that hardens fully enough to walk on within 24 hours.  However, Terrazzio tiles must be sealed, after installation, with a recommended sealer before full use. You can have an entirely new and custom-designed floor in place well before it's time for students to come trotting back into the halls and classrooms.

How to Choose Terrazzio

Terrazzio takes orders from all over the country. Reach out to us, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm central time for a free, no-obligation quote. You can also request a sample so you can get a sense of the look and feel of Terrazzio tiles.

Commercial Flooring Options for Hot & Humid Climates

Commercial flooring should be built to last. After all, the cost of installing and maintaining it is almost always higher than that of any residential flooring setup. Unfortunately, climate conditions won't always agree with what you'd like.

This applies especially in humid, hot environments where the natural wear and tear of regular use combined with destructive airborne moisture can wreak havoc on the wrong kinds of flooring materials. With that said, let's take a look at what both your worst possible and most durable choices are so you can know how to get the most from your project before you've even laid down a single square foot.

Understand Your Options and Limitations

With the right quality of installation and the right levels of maintenance, almost any floor material can be installed in nearly any environment. There's no honest way to say that you simply CAN'T use certain materials in humid places. However, the keyword here is maintenance: If you use less-than-ideal materials, they may look good and work well enough, but only if you constantly repair them.

This is hardly practical if you want minimal fuss over the years, especially for typically large commercial quantities of floor space. Keep that in mind for the following.

Avoid Carpeting

Carpet is quite possibly one of the worst options out there for commercial flooring in general and especially for flooring in humid environments. Carpeting absorbs enormous amounts of dust, grime, moisture, stains, and other materials that even minimal humidity can latch onto with a vengeance. This will cause fungus and mold infestations that you absolutely don't want. Carpet floors are a bad commercial idea in most settings and they're a downright health hazard in humid places with lots of foot traffic.

Hardwood Is a No-Go

The beautiful finish of varnished hardwood floors can look and feel strong and makes for a lovely option in many homes. In commercial properties, however, the high quantity of foot traffic that you can expect makes hardwood a less than stellar idea even if your geographic location is arid. Why spend the money on such a fine type of floor if numerous people trampling it will wear the wood down over time?

A further problem of hardwood is that it reacts badly to moisture. While careful installation and sound maintenance can let a hardwood floor look good for years, wood expands and shrinks as it goes from moist to dry and back. In a humid environment, this will inevitably mean cracking, displacement, and the loosening of boards. Despite a topcoat of varnish, moisture will also find its way under the protected surface to cause mold infestations that have to be dealt with.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate is an affordable, easy-to-install commercial flooring option that gets lots of use worldwide. However, the material itself does tend to absorb moisture. Over time, this will usually cause it to swell, buckle, and eventually peel away. In other words, though installing and maintaining laminate flooring might be fairly cheap, it will also become a frequent chore in a humid environment.

Terrazzo Tile

Quite possibly one of the most versatile, robust, and extremely durable flooring options out there, terrazzo is truly built to last. These molded cementitious ceramic tiles can be impregnated with chips of any hard material of your choice and built to custom sizes or colors of any kind.

They are set in place with a thin set material. With Terrazzo, you get higher durability than regular ceramic tiles offer, along with a far greater range of aesthetic and size options. It makes them perfect for ultra-long lasting decorative flooring in any climate.

The availability of extra-large tile sizes makes it even tougher than most types of conventional ceramic tile floors. Terrazzio manufactures terrazzo tiles in several standard size options while also offering customization on color and dimensions as needed. Start by requesting a sample so you can see the difference and strength for yourself!

 How to Profitably Accelerate Your Next Commercial Build

To an enormous extent, commercial building projects live and die by the clock. How rapidly and efficiently you can go from start to finish of your contracting project will heavily influence how pleased your customers are with you, how much of a profit margin (or loss) you have as a result, and how quickly you can move on to your next project.

Generally speaking, the more projects you can handle in a year with a solid profit margin for each, the better. Therefore, speed is so important, so long as it can be achieved without sacrificing quality. Fortunately, it can!

Keep It Simple

“Keep it simple” is a wonderful general guideline for many things, including commercial building. Obviously, you're often beholden to the desires of your client and can't always decide what construction elements or design principles to use, but you can make professional suggestions. Even if a client still rejects simplicity of design, style, and construction in some cases, you can at least suggest flooring, wall, decorative or finishing elements that make it easier and quicker to complete a complex job.

Keep Supply Chain Issues in Mind

The supply chain for construction materials plays a major role in how costly or time-consuming a commercial project is. Thus, when selecting materials for your client's needs, choose those that offer quality but are also easiest, quickest, and least costly to obtain. Also, focus on using as few materials as you can without spoiling aesthetic quality and diversity. Doing these things will reduce your costs and the time you spend on logistics while also increasing your profit margins by removing unnecessary middlemen.

Build for Durability

Making sure your commercial build is built to last not only will help reputation with customers, it also saves you time and money. If you offer any kind of warranty for your work, handling it badly from the start will almost certainly lead to you coming back repeatedly for repairs or touchups. You can avoid this by being conscientious from square one.

On the one hand, this means simply making sure to install any structures or finishes firmly and professionally. Secondly, it means using materials that resist damage and last a long time. Again, designing a project around construction materials that are ideal for durability in the local environment and site conditions will offer firm results. For example, if working in humid environments, concrete, tiles, Terrazzio, other ceramics, stone and non-corroding metal elements will make a huge difference.

Choose Terrazzio

If we're discussing durable, extremely flexible materials, then Terrazzio's Terrazzo tile fits the bill. This proprietary resin-based product can be impregnated with natural hard, colorful materials of most colors and then cut into tiles in large format sizes. When installed, Terrazzo tiles can be cut to shape or size, laid down, and polished before placed so rapidly that your client can use the site within a day.

What's more, Terrazzio's Terrazzo tiles are extremely versatile, letting you use them for an incredible range of visual elements and decorative touches. They can also be installed on floors, stairs, and walls with nearly equal ease. Obtain a sample and you’ll see the quality for yourself!

What You Need to Know About LEED-Qualified Flooring

Using the right materials to make your commercial floors beautiful doesn't have to just be about aesthetic value. It can also create health benefits, improve indoor air quality, and make your office a more environmentally-friendly space. There are measurable ways to create all these advantages and materials that help. There's also a type of certification that publicly recognizes these efforts with a highly-respected certification program.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and it's a green program run by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED certification can be applied to buildings or how materials used for their construction improve environmental and energy utility. LEED certification does not apply to specific products and particular manufacturer brands. So, what does all this mean for your floor installation?

Quite simply, while you can't install a specific material in your building that's LEED certified, you can indeed invest in types of materials and construction methods that earn you LEED points. Accumulating enough of these will eventually earn you LEED certification. This applies to flooring too.

What is LEED-Qualified Flooring?

LEED-Qualified flooring is a type of floor material or construction method that earns your building LEED points. Earning enough of these points for different elements of your office or building construction will in turn bring you closer to LEED certification or improve your LEED certification level. Levels include LEED Certified, LEED Silver, LEED Gold, and LEED Platinum.

So, when it comes to flooring, how it’s built and how it integrates with the rest of your building's installation will cause you to gain LEED points. But for flooring, not all materials are created equal to achieve LEED points.

For example, if you use wood floors throughout your office or other building space, they will only earn you points if the wood was first certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as sustainably harvested. You can earn further points if instead of natural wood, you use materials such as wood composite, which are usually made from recycled lumber. Or you can simply use an entirely different material that is more environmentally friendly to earn even more LEED points.

To offer another example, the USGBC awards LEED points for floor installations that "reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants."

Some of the most trusted flooring materials for complying with the above and other USGBC requirements are finished flooring products such as tile, masonry, cut stone, and terrazzo. These are in fact so well regarded that they don't even require IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) testing to qualify for LEED credits.

To quote the USGBC itself: "Mineral-based finish flooring products such as tile, masonry, terrazzo, and cut stone without integral organic-based coatings and sealants and unfinished/untreated solid wood flooring qualify for credit without any IAQ testing."

How Terrazzio Can Help

When it comes to earning LEED points that help you with certification, Terrazzio is an ideal choice that also offers many aesthetic and practical benefits. 

What's more, the small-to-large format tiles offered in different shapes, colors, and filling materials by Terrazzio give you the option of selecting the colors and patterns you prefer. You can even choose your own custom designs.

Another huge benefit of terrazzo tiles from Terrazzio is that they last an extremely long time even after heavy-duty use. Moreover, their color patterns and designs fully saturate each tile, meaning they will never wear out or fade. Terrazzio tiles are also easy to clean, easy to maintain, and extremely durable. All these factors make them exceptionally useful for high-traffic flooring while helping you earn LEED points with a minimum of testing or other requirements.

Contact Terrazzio at any time for further details about the many tile shapes, styles, and color options available.

 How Airport Remodels Got Practical and Aesthetic

As the air travel industry has exploded in scope in the last several decades, major airports have had to adapt to cope with the millions of travelers moving through them. This adaptation has taken on many forms that include new technologies, updated security measures, increased airport sizes, additional creature comforts, and of course, major design changes.

These design changes include everything from the superstructures of airports to their flooring and other construction materials. Here's a breakdown of some of the major shifts that are making headway right now.

Easier Mobility

Most major airports in the world are gigantic places and often the largest public structures in any given city. In many of them, there's simply no way to avoid causing at least some inconvenient legwork for rushing travelers.

Despite this, many new and newly renovated airports are trying to improve by redesigning their internal layouts. Their aim is to make it easier for flyers to go from entering, to check-in, to their main gate as easily and quickly as possible without getting lost.

One newer example of this is Istanbul Airport, which despite being the 2nd busiest airport in Europe and the 2nd busiest in the world for international passengers, has been designed to maximize passenger access and mobility between the main concourse section and the different terminals along with their gates. This new airport achieves this through a physical layout that minimizes all possible bottlenecks and simplifies as many of the usual check-in procedures as possible for its millions of travelers. It also features a very open design that allows for easy foot traffic flow in all main areas.

Improved Visitor Amenities

Airports are also increasing the quantity and quality of the amenities they provide. Basic options include improved, airport-wide free WiFi access, much better connectivity and charging options for mobile and other electronic devices, and wider access to superior comfort facilities.

In the case of some airports, full-service medical clinics, integrated hotels, and convention centers are also being added in to give people more convenient access to robust visitor services. Other amenities include VIP lounges, spas, gourmet restaurants, cocktail bars, and of course, more diverse shopping options.

Health and Security Measures

The COVID pandemic had a tremendous impact not just on air travel as a whole, but also on the health measures of airports worldwide. Because of this massive global upheaval, both government authorities and commercial interests have begun redesigning some airports in ways that further minimize sanitary risks. Some of these measures include touchless airport interactions for steps such as check-in, baggage drop-offs, and ID verification. Airport spaces are also being redesigned or built to minimize crowding and maximize airflow.

Layout Aesthetics

Other upgrade features of airports have included access to outdoor garden spaces and fresh air, higher airport ceilings, and increased facility ventilation through larger windows or open spaces. Even the flooring in many airports has been designed for easy cleaning and impermeability to stains or spills.

One example of extraordinary layout aesthetics can be found at Singapore's Changi International Airport. In this facility, entire indoor jungle gardens have been combined with luxurious modern amenities inside vast, airy interior spaces to create a truly unique layout.

Design Materials

A key part of the many new design trends in newer and newly renovated airports today is the use of lighter, stronger, airier materials and those that blend aesthetic value with easy maintenance and durability. A quick look at some of the world's newest airports and airport renovations—such as the above-mentioned Istanbul International Airport, or the entirely new terminal at Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans—clearly shows how they emphasize all of these above design elements.

Ideal Materials for Airport Flooring

But when it comes to airport flooring, Terrazzo tiles are the superior choice. They are built to last for decades, are extremely easy to clean, and can be installed rapidly and efficiently across millions of square feet of floor space. It can also be extremely decorative and colorful. For example, Cleveland Airport uses Terrazzo flooring, as does Pittsburgh International.

However, Terrazzio tiles offer a version of Terrazzo that is better than the rest. Flooring provided by Terrazzio comes in tile sizes larger than anyone else—meaning less seams—and can be installed quickly and efficiently. It can also be prepared to suit any color or internal visual design required. This is something that other types of durable floors such as those made from ordinary tile floors or polished concrete can't match. Contact us to learn more and to see a sample for yourself!

 The Key to Terrazzo Tiles: Aggregates

Two of the most notable features of Terrazzio's Terrazzo tiles are their durability and vibrant range of textured colors, and aggregates are why. In the simplest terms, an aggregate is a combination of several elements. So when it comes to Terrazzo tiles, an aggregate can include a range of granularly-crushed materials that are added directly to the tile mix for texture, color, strength, and specific design elements. These aggregates can be made from pulverized rock, crushed concrete, sand, marble, and many other recycled or manufactured hard materials.

Because of the enormous possible range of aggregate materials that can be used, Terrazzio tiles can be created to showcase any number of colors and patterns. Most importantly though, because these aggregates are what give Terrazzo tiling its color patterns, the tiles become impervious to color fade. The reason why is obvious: The colors are integrated throughout a section of tiling as part of its very makeup. This means that even decades of use allow original color patterns to keep shining through.

So where can Terrazzio tile aggregates come from? Let's take a closer look!

Stone Chips

Stones of pretty much any kind can be crushed down into little chips, pebbles, or even fine sand and added to terrazzo tile resin substrate. The kinds of rocks that can be used include granite, decorative stones, limestone, onyx, agate, and marble, among others. Marble is useful because its little pieces can come in a whole range of colors that blend wonderfully with the terrazzo resin for custom colors and designs.

These different rock types can be sourced from all over the world, but in the case of marble and limestone, they often come from domestic quarries. Agate and onyx can come from several U.S. states or from countries like Brazil and Canada.

Recycled Materials

For a decorative filler that offers a lighter environmental footprint, Terrazzio also offers terrazzo tiles formed with recycled aggregates. In particular, Terrazzo designers can offer recycled materials such as crushed porcelain and recycled concrete to create tiles with unique colors and design patterns for any floor space or countertop.

Exotics

Exotics can vary enormously too and as long as they consist of hard materials, they can be blended with terrazzo resin to form very strong surfaces. One famous example is the terrazzo floor of the famous NYC toy store, F.A.O Schwartz, which had a prominent scene in the movie "Big" with Tom Hanks. In this case, the floor in the background is made of tiles filled with brilliant, broken yellow buttons sourced from the New York City Garment District. Other exotics can include marine shell pieces, mother of pearl, and many other unique substances for some truly fascinating design choices.

Why Terrazzio?

The materials described above give terrazzo tiles from Terrazzio a range of styles, designs, and color options that almost no other floor material can really match. The tiles themselves are extremely hard, long-lasting, and exceptionally easy to clean. They can also be cut to whatever custom size and visual needs you have for your own commercial or home floors. What's more, as we already mentioned, color in terrazzo tiles isn't just surface-deep. It lasts as long as the tiles themselves do. Contact Terrazzio for a quote on your own project to find out more about what's available.

 What Sustainable Construction Means For Your Flooring Project

Sustainable construction and renovation are becoming important goals for builders who want to save money and energy. Today, it’s become easier than ever to achieve as materials manufacturers and installers gear themselves to delivering on demand.

This applies especially to flooring since it's usually the most heavily-used part of a building's design. Interestingly, one of the most robust materials for sustainable flooring is inspired by the ancient art of terrazzo flooring.

Why is Terrazzo Sustainable?

Modern terrazzo floor tile installation takes sustainability to its max through a combination of sheer durability and numerous opportunities for using recycled materials. It also happens to have enormous aesthetic versatility.

Durability

First, durability-wise, terrazzo floors can last for decades or longer without needing to be replaced. The materials that make up these tiles are a combination of crushed, closely packed aggregate materials that can come in many colors and shapes. Their manufacturer then molds these together with an ultra-strong resin binding matrix.

Terrazzo is offered in smooth tile size options that can be nearly seamlessly joined together without the need for grouting that wears down over time. This combination means extremely low chances of cracking. Terrazzo tiles also deliver both enormous compression strength and tremendous tensile endurance.

What's more, because the aggregates themselves provide the color and design patterns right through a terrazzo floor, they can't fall victim to discoloration or wear. Instead, tiles that are easily kept clean will maintain the same vibrant colors even decades down the road.

This overall durability means that your Terrazzio floors won't need to be replaced at all unless you want to change their design, and will require minimal to no repair work over the years.

Recycling

The materials that go into terrazzo's resin matrix can be made up of nearly any hard material. Options for these include numerous crushed stone options, recycled materials such as concrete and porcelain, or even reused commercial materials such as buttons and certain plastics or resins.

This major use of recycled and repurposed aggregates in long-lasting terrazzo tiles means that instead of requiring further material and energy inputs from the wider environment, your floor installation can help reduce them.

Certifiable Sustainability

The above combination of durability and numerous options for using recycled materials makes terrazzo flooring essentially ideal for any builder or designer who wants their floors to be environmentally sustainable.

This level of sustainability can also help contribute to a building's formal certification as a sustainable structure. By incorporating terrazzo into your own commercial and other flooring needs, you can help benefit your building with formal certification points under the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED Rating System.

LEED Rating is particularly important for any builder who wants to earn credit for sustainable construction. Its points system is used to gauge how well a building has been designed based on several factors that include:

• Carbon use

• Energy use

• Water use

• Waste transportation

• Materials sustainability

• Health

• Indoor environmental quality

For almost every one of these categories in sustainable construction, Terrazzio provides an option that's superior to almost any alternative. This makes it ideal not just as an extremely durable and versatile aesthetic option, but also as an environmentally friendly floor choice.

For your next commercial flooring needs, obtain a precise quote for the kinds of floor you'd like to have by contacting Terrazzio now. We offer numerous terrazzo floor customization options for size and design.

 Why Builders and Contractors Love Large Format Tile

If you’re a builder or flooring contractor in the market for tile flooring, you should consider large-format tiles. Not only are they stylish and visually appealing, but they also offer several advantages over traditional tiles. Let’s take a look at why large-format floor tiles are worth considering for your next project.

Easier to Install and Maintain

If you’ve ever done tile work involving lots of tiny mosaic tiles, then you know that where tile installation is concerned, bigger is better. With large-format tiles, you can cover larger areas faster than you would with smaller tiles.

What’s more, you’ll discover that there will be a lot less grouting to do, too. Try out this grout calculator to discover the difference. A 200-square foot space with 6x6-inch floor tiles and 1/8-inch grout joints will need close to 20 pounds of grout whereas, in the same space with the same size grout joints, 24x24-inch tiles will only need about five pounds of grout. That means not only less time spent pressing grout into joints but also a lot less time cleaning and finishing those grout lines.

Large Format Tiles Are Often More Durable

Because they’re bigger, large format tiles are also often designed to be thicker than smaller tiles so that they’re more shatter resistant. The end result is a more durable tile floor that can stand up to even the heaviest foot traffic without cracking or chipping. This makes them ideal for business flooring, commercial flooring, or busy areas such as high-traffic hallways or living rooms where people will be passing through constantly.

Additionally, since they’re made from a single piece of material, large format tiles are less likely to suffer from moisture damage due to water seeping into cracks in the grout lines. At the end of the day, with large format tiles, you’re more likely to have happy clients and fewer callbacks from clients who need repairs.

Customers Enjoy the Look and Selection of Styles

Large format tiles have become incredibly popular—and it’s not a trend that will fade away any time soon. Thus, there is a huge selection of colors and styles to choose from, such as terrazzo tiles, which is a great selling point for customers who want to create the perfect look during floor remodeling or floor installation during a new build.

On top of that, large-format tiles offer a versatile, contemporary look that traditional tiles can’t replicate. Subway tiles will always give off a vintage feeling, for example. And smaller tiles can make rooms look busy or cluttered whereas large tiles (and fewer grout lines) make rooms feel more spacious.

Terrazzio Large-Format Tiles Are the Superior Choice

In conclusion, large-format floor tiles offer several advantages over traditional tile floors for builders and contractors looking for an eye-catching yet low-maintenance option for their projects. With the durability and wide variety of styles available, this type of flooring is sure to make any room look stylish while still being able to withstand whatever life throws its way.

At Terrazzio, we bring large-format tiles to a higher level. Not only do we offer all the benefits that come with larger tile installation, but we our tiles offer the sophisticated look of poured-in-place terrazzo. Plus we offer terrazzo tile sizes that are larger than most: 4’x4’x3/8” and 4’x8’x3/8. Order a free sample to see it for yourself!

Top Flooring Tile Trends for 2023

Whether you’re looking for something timeless and classic, or modern and eye-catching, there is a flooring tile out there to best fit your client’s need for their upcoming build or business remodel. Here we will discuss the top six flooring tile trends for 2023, so that construction company business owners, contractors, and builders have a better idea of what’s in style this year.

Marble

Marble has been making a comeback in recent years as it adds an element of sophistication to any room. It is also incredibly durable, which makes it perfect for high-traffic areas like living rooms and kitchens. There are many colors available when it comes to marble flooring tile, from classic whites and greys to bolder blues, greens, and pinks.

Terrazzo

Terrazzo tile is one of the hottest trends in flooring right now. This multi-colored option looks beautiful in both traditional and contemporary settings, providing an eye-catching touch to any room. Terrazzio offers an extensive line of terrazzo tiles that makes them the perfect choice for any home or business owner looking for lasting quality at an affordable price.

Sustainable Tile

Sustainable tile is becoming increasingly popular as more homeowners look to reduce their environmental impact while still enjoying stylish updates to their homes. Sustainable tile options include recycled glass tiles made from post-consumer materials, as well as cork tiles which can be harvested sustainably without damaging trees or ecosystems.

Concrete Tiles

Concrete tiles provide an industrial feel while remaining incredibly stylish at the same time. They come in a variety of colors including grays, whites, and blacks—making them perfect for both traditional and modern styles alike. Concrete tiles are also extremely long lasting due to their durability—ensuring that your floors will look beautiful for years to come!

Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tiles are a versatile option when it comes to flooring tile trends in 2023—they come in virtually every color imaginable, just like Terrazzio tiles! You can even find ceramic tiles with unique patterns or textures if you’re looking for something truly eye-catching. Plus, ceramic tiles are very easy to clean which makes them great for families with children or pets who need low-maintenance floors.

Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain tiles offer a luxurious look while also being incredibly durable and easy to maintain over time. They come in a wide range of colors and can even be found with intricate designs if you’re looking to add some extra flair! Porcelain is also very resistant to scratches which makes it ideal for high-traffic areas such as entryways or hallways where people may be walking around regularly.

Terrazzio Can Provide You With Trendy Tile

Flooring tile trends continue to evolve each year with new styles coming into fashion all the time! As 2023 promises more exciting developments when it comes to interior design, these top 6 flooring tile trends will remain popular throughout the year. However, though they all have their pluses and minuses, Terrazzio tiles comes with a tremendous number of benefits. From their durability, to quick and easy installation, versatility in design and size, the customizations available, and ease of maintenance,  Terrazzio makes it easy to stay on trend while having a floor that is made to last!

 Common Commercial Tile Flooring Installation Problems & Solutions

Installing tile flooring in a commercial setting can be a challenge. From selecting the right type of tile to making sure it is properly installed, the process requires careful consideration. Unfortunately, there are common problems that arise during installation that can lead to costly mistakes and delays. In this article, we'll look at some of these common issues—and how you can avoid them—when installing tile flooring in a commercial space.

Substrate Prep Issues

One of the most common issues with tile flooring installation is inadequate substrate preparation. If the concrete or other material that your tiles are being installed on is not properly prepared before laying the tiles, then you may find yourself having to deal with costly repairs down the line. It's important to make sure that your substrate is level and free from any debris or other materials that could interfere with the adhesion of your tiles. Additionally, any cracks or imperfections should be filled before starting your installation process.

Grout Cracking and Shrinking

Another common issue with tile flooring installation is grout cracking and shrinking over time. This happens when the grout isn't applied correctly or if it doesn't have enough time to cure before it's walked on or exposed to moisture. To avoid this problem, make sure that your grout lines are filled evenly and deep enough so they don't crack as they dry out over time. Additionally, you should wait for at least 24 hours after applying grout before allowing anyone to walk on it.

Tile Cracking and Chipping

Lastly, one of the most frustrating issues with tile flooring installation is cracking and chipping due to poor adhesion between tiles and their substrate. This often occurs when installers fail to use enough adhesive or if they don't wait long enough for the adhesive to set before continuing their work. To avoid this issue, always make sure you use an appropriate amount of adhesive when laying tiles—and give it plenty of time to set before adding more tiles or walking on them too soon.

Avoid All of These Problems (& More!) with Terrazzio

Terrazzio tiles are a game-changer in the commercial flooring industry. They have been specifically designed to address these common challenges. One of the major benefits of Terrazzio tiles is their ease of installation. Unlike traditional tile flooring, which can require a lengthy and complicated installation process, Terrazzio tiles can be installed quickly and easily. This is because they come pre-polished and calibrated, meaning they don't require any grinding or polishing on-site. As a result, the installation process is significantly faster, reducing downtime and minimizing disruption to your business operations.

Another key advantage of Terrazzio tiles is their ability to withstand heavy foot traffic and other types of wear and tear. These tiles are incredibly durable and designed to last for years without cracking or breaking down (unlike traditional tile floors, which can crack and chip over time). This means businesses can avoid expensive repairs down the road and enjoy a durable and long-lasting flooring solution. In addition, Terrazzio tiles are slip-resistant, making them a safe option for businesses where safety is a top priority.

Terrazzio tiles are an excellent flooring option for businesses looking for a durable, easy-to-install, and quick turnaround solution. With their superior strength, resistance to wear and tear, and minimal need for repairs, Terrazzio tiles provide a reliable and long-lasting flooring solution for commercial settings. Get a sample to see it for yourself!

From Chemicals to Cost: Why Terrazzio Tiles Outperform Other Commercial Flooring Solutions

When it comes to commercial flooring options, there are many to choose from. However, not all of them are created equal, and some of the most commonly used materials have significant drawbacks that can lead to health problems, safety concerns, and increased costs. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the negatives of these commonly used commercial flooring options and show how Terrazzio Tiles is the winning option.

The Dirty Truth About Carpet

Carpet is one of the most popular flooring options in commercial settings for its comfort and noise-reducing properties. While it can be comfortable, it also has significant drawbacks. For one, carpet fibers can trap allergens and other harmful particles, leading to poor indoor air quality. Additionally, carpet can be difficult to clean, leading to the accumulation of dirt, dust, and bacteria. Furthermore, carpet can easily stain and wear down over time, leading to costly replacements.

Is Wood Worth It?

Wood flooring is another popular choice for commercial spaces due to its natural look, but it also has its own set of negatives. One of the primary problems of wood flooring is that it is susceptible to water damage, making it a poor choice for areas that are prone to moisture or spills. Additionally, wood floors can be difficult to maintain, requiring regular sanding and refinishing to keep them looking their best. Finally, wood flooring can be expensive to install and maintain, especially if you choose a high-quality hardwood.

Laminate Flooring Considerations

Laminate flooring is popular due to its low cost, but what many businesses don’t consider is that it comes with a higher cost then you’d think. Laminate floors are made of synthetic materials (so it is not biodegradable) and can emit harmful VOCs, which can cause respiratory problems and other health issues. Additionally, laminate floors can be slippery when wet, posing a safety hazard, and are easily damaged. It all results in frequent removal and replacement, adding to what was originally considered to be a low-cost option.

Vinyl Isn’t Very Healthy

Vinyl flooring is often used in commercial spaces because it is inexpensive and easy to install. However, vinyl flooring contains harmful chemicals such as phthalates that have been linked to a range of health problems, including asthma, allergies, and even cancer. Additionally, vinyl flooring can emit VOCs that can cause headaches, nausea, and respiratory issues. Plus, it’s not very durable and has a short life span—again, making it a more costly choice than originally perceived.

Terrazzio is the Solution

Terrazzio Tiles are the superior choice for commercial flooring. Made from a blend of aggregates (that can include stone, sand, recycled materials, and other natural materials), Terrazzio Tiles are non-toxic and free from harmful chemicals such as phthalates and VOCs. They are also incredibly durable, making them a long-term, cost-effective choice for commercial spaces.

In addition to being safe and durable, Terrazzio Tiles are also easy to install and maintain. They can be installed over a variety of surfaces, including concrete, wood, and even existing tile. Once installed, Terrazzio Tiles are easy to clean and maintain, ensuring a healthy and safe environment for employees and customers alike. Plus, they are highly customizable, come in a variety of colors with the ability to add logos and artwork if desired.

In conclusion, the negatives of commonly used commercial flooring options cannot be ignored. From harmful chemicals to safety hazards, these flooring options have serious drawbacks that can negatively impact the health and safety of those who use them. Terrazzio Tiles offer a superior choice for commercial flooring, providing a safe, durable, and cost-effective solution that is easy to install and maintain. If you're looking for a better flooring option for your commercial space, look no further than Terrazzio Tiles.

 Why Terrazzio Tiles Are the Perfect Flooring Solution

Flooring can make or break the look and feel of any space. That's why it's essential to choose the right material for your construction project. Look no further than Terrazzio tiles! Our tiles offer numerous benefits that make them stand out from the crowd.

Aesthetic Appeal

When it comes to flooring, the appearance is probably one of the most important factors. Luckily, Terrazzio tiles replicate the stylish appearance of poured-in-place terrazzo. Plus, they offer the convenience of large format tiles that seamlessly fit together, creating a smooth and uniform look. In the USA, we customize these tiles to your preferences, including color, rock material, and design. You can even recreate your logo on our tiles to achieve the exact aesthetic you desire.

Effortless Installation

Traditional terrazzo installation is a long and arduous process, but not with Terrazzio tiles. Our tiles require no post-installation work, and you can walk on them just 24-48 hours after installation. This saves time and labor costs, making it the perfect solution for any project with tight deadlines.

Durability Guaranteed

Unlike other tiles, Terrazzio is designed to last. It's resistant to scratches, breakage, and wear and tear from high traffic. Plus, the smooth natural polish applied to the hard stone surface provides excellent resistance to staining and abrasion. This means no need for regular maintenance or replacement. It's a product that lasts for the lifetime of your building.

Versatile and Low-Maintenance

Aside from being visually appealing as we’ve earlier discussed, Terrazzio is also versatile in terms of where it can be placed. They can be installed on floors, stairs, and walls. Plus, our tiles require surprisingly minimal upkeep—simple sweeping and mopping is all that's needed after our proper sealant application during installation. 

Eco-Friendly Choice

Terrazzio tiles are an excellent choice for builders and designers who value environmentally sustainable practices. The tiles are made with a resin matrix, which includes recycled materials like marble, granite, quartz, and repurposed commercial materials. By installing these long-lasting tiles, you can reduce the need for further material and energy consumption in your flooring project. Plus, choosing Terrazzio tiles can contribute to your building's formal certification as a sustainable structure, earning credit for sustainable construction under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Rating System.

So What Are You Waiting For?

Terrazzio tiles offer a unique flooring solution ideal for both commercial and residential spaces, providing a luxurious and durable finish that is easy to maintain, versatile, customizable, eco-friendly, and long-lasting. Bringing any ordinary space to life, Terrazzio tiles can give a high-end look that is sure to be a winning solution for builders, contractors, and home or business owners alike. Request a free sample and see for yourself why Terrazzio is the ideal flooring solution.

Level Up Your Retail Store: Ways Flooring Can Improve Customer Experience

Providing an exceptional customer experience is paramount in today's competitive retail landscape. Gone are the days when consumers solely focus on products; now, they seek immersive and enjoyable shopping environments. This is where the power of flooring comes into play.

Flooring serves as more than just a functional aspect of a retail store; it has the ability to shape customer perception and elevate the overall experience. From the moment shoppers step through the door, the choice of flooring materials can evoke emotions and influence behavior. It can shape their perception of your company and make them feel welcome and comfortable. Curious how? Discover how the right flooring choices can level up your retail store and leave a lasting impression on your customers.

Enhancing Store Layout with Flooring Design

By leveraging the power of flooring design, retailers can create an organized and visually appealing store layout that engages customers and enhances their overall shopping experience.

• Guiding Customer Flow: The choice of flooring materials can influence the natural flow of customers through your store, guiding them from one section to another and ultimately increasing sales. By using variations in flooring textures, colors, or patterns, you can subtly guide customers from one section to another, leading them through a well-thought-out shopping journey.

• Creating Zones and Focal Points: Flooring patterns can visually separate areas and highlight special displays or promotions, making it easier for customers to navigate and find what they're looking for and creating a sense of order and harmony in the store.

• Using Color Psychology: Incorporating colors that evoke desired emotions and behaviors can create a more enjoyable shopping experience, such as warm tones for a cozy atmosphere or vibrant colors to create excitement and drive impulse purchases.

Incorporating Brand Identity in Flooring

Another way to make your retail space memorable and strengthen customer loyalty is by incorporating your brand identity into your flooring choices. Consider choosing flooring materials that align with your brand's personality. For example, natural colors could convey an organic and eco-friendly image, while polished grey could give a modern and industrial vibe. Incorporating logos and graphics where appropriate can also help reinforce your brand message. However, it is important to strike a harmonious balance between your brand look and customer preferences to create a welcoming environment that resonates with your target audience.

The Role of Flooring in Visual Merchandising

Flooring can also play a crucial role in visual merchandising that will capture your customers’ attention and enhance their shopping experience:

• Highlighting Product Displays: Use flooring materials that enhance and complement your product displays, creating a visually appealing presentation.

• Contrasting Flooring for Emphasis: Utilize contrasting flooring to draw attention to specific areas, guiding customers towards key displays or promotions.

• Showcasing Products with Specialized Flooring Techniques: Incorporate specialized flooring techniques, such as raised platforms, to elevate the presentation of specific product categories.

Choosing the Right Flooring Materials to Elevate Your Retail Space

Selecting the appropriate flooring materials for your retail store is crucial for creating a visually appealing and functional space. Common choices include carpeting, hardwood, laminate, and vinyl. While each option has its advantages, Terrazzio Tiles stand out as the superior choice. They are not only durable and easy to install (ready to walk on in 24 hours!), but offer endless design possibilities, customizable colors, and patterns, allowing you to create unique and visually striking flooring—that can also coincide with your brand look. They are easy to maintain and highly resistant to stains and abrasions.

In the end, the choice of flooring in a retail store has a significant impact on the customer experience. Terrazzio Tiles offer the ideal solution, combining durability, customization, low maintenance, and stunning aesthetics. With Terrazzio Tiles, retailers can elevate their store's atmosphere and leave a lasting impression on customers, ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience.

Top Flooring Solutions for Easy Installation

When it comes to commercial flooring options, ease of installation is a major consideration. If you’re a retailer, you may want to update your flooring before a major shopping season. Education facilities often only have a summer break to make updates. Whatever your reason, finding a flooring solution that is quick and affordable to install without compromising on style or durability can be a challenge. To help you in your decision-making process, here are the top flooring contenders to consider when looking for quick-and-easy installation.

Terrazzio to the Rescue!

Luckily, there's one flooring option that stands out above the rest - Terrazzio flooring. It is a high-quality, flooring system that is easy to install and offers a luxurious and durable finish. It's a composite material that delivers the timeless look of terrazzo without the complicated installation process. Terrazzio flooring can be installed over existing surfaces such as concrete, wood, or tile, so there is no need for extensive subfloor preparation or demo work.

Luxury Vinyl Flooring and Laminate Flooring 

Luxury vinyl flooring and laminate flooring are both excellent options for those seeking quick and easy installation, but vinyl flooring can be extremely hard to remove. Both offer a click-and-lock installation system that is simple to master and doesn't require any specialized tools or skills. Additionally, these two flooring options are often budget-friendly, making them an attractive choice for businesses looking for affordability.

Carpet Tiles

Another option for commercial flooring is carpet tiles. These tiles come in a variety of colors and patterns and are easy to install, even for those with little experience. Carpet tiles are also great for businesses that want to change up their flooring regularly, as they are easy to remove and replace. However, carpeting can be bulky and hold dirt and grime.

Rubber Flooring

Rubber flooring is another easy-to-install option for commercial spaces. It's durable, slip-resistant, and can withstand heavy foot traffic and wear and tear. Most rubber flooring comes in interlocking tiles or rolls, making installation a breeze. Additionally, rubber flooring is available in a wide range of colors and patterns, so businesses can find a style that fits their aesthetic.

Easy to Install… and Easy on the Eyes

While there are many commercial flooring options available, Terrazzio is the clear leader in terms of ease of installation, durability, and style. Whether you're looking for a new flooring solution for your office, retail space, or restaurant, Terrazzio flooring is an excellent choice that delivers on all fronts. Contact Terrazzio floors today to request a free sample.

 The Ultimate Guide: How to Clean and Maintain Your Terrazzio Floor

Terrazzio floors are known for their timeless beauty and durability. Whether you have a Terrazzio floor installed in your home or commercial space, proper cleaning and maintenance are essential to keep it looking its best for years to come. In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of cleaning and maintaining your Terrazzio floor.

Step 1: Regular Sweeping or Vacuuming

To prevent dirt and debris from scratching the surface of your Terrazzio floor, it's important to sweep or vacuum it regularly. Use a soft-bristle broom or a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to gently remove loose dirt and dust. Be sure to pay attention to corners and hard-to-reach areas.

Step 2: Mopping with Gentle Cleaner

For routine cleaning, a mild detergent or neutral pH cleaner diluted with warm water is recommended. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners as they can damage the surface of your Terrazzio floor. Dip a mop or soft cloth into the cleaning solution and wring out any excess moisture. Gently mop the floor, making sure not to saturate it. Rinse the mop or cloth frequently and change the water as needed. Once you have finished mopping, use a clean, dry cloth or mop to remove any remaining moisture.

Step 3: Stain Removal and Spot Cleaning

Accidents happen, and sometimes spills or stains may occur on your Terrazzio floor. To tackle these, it's important to act quickly. Blot the spill with a clean cloth or paper towel to absorb as much liquid as possible. Avoid rubbing, as it can spread the stain. For stubborn stains, use a mild detergent or specialized Terrazzio floor cleaner. Apply the cleaner to a soft cloth and gently rub the stain in a circular motion. Rinse the area thoroughly with clean water and dry it completely.

Step 4: Protection and Maintenance

To maintain the luster and protect your Terrazzio floor, there are a few additional steps you can take. First, consider placing mats or rugs at entryways to trap dirt and prevent it from being tracked onto the floor. Use felt pads or furniture coasters under heavy furniture to prevent scratches. Avoid dragging heavy objects across the floor. Additionally, periodic resealing of your Terrazzio floor can help protect against stains and wear. Consult with a professional for guidance on when and how to reseal your specific type of Terrazzio floor.

Preserve the Beauty and Longevity of Your Terrazzio Floor with These Easy Steps

By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your Terrazzio floor remains beautiful and long-lasting. Regular cleaning and maintenance will not only preserve its appearance, but also contribute to a healthier and more inviting living or working environment.

Remember, when in doubt, consult the manufacturer's guidelines or seek professional advice for any specific cleaning concerns or products recommended for your Terrazzio floor.

 Why Terrazzo is Back in Style (And How to Bring it to Your Home)

Terrazzo is back in style—not that it ever fully went away. But these days, it’s experiencing something of a resurgence. A big reason is that the world is becoming more and more focused on using environmentally friendly materials—and terrazzo is known for using recycled materials. It’s also become such a trendy choice because it’s just such a beautiful and versatile material. Since it’s available in any number of colors, it’s easy to work into your home’s design.

Want to learn more about this flooring and how you can bring it into your home? Read below, and we’ll show you what you need to know, and we'll also show you why flooring from Terrazzio is the ideal method for bringing this on-trend style to your residence.

A Quick History of Terrazzo Flooring

You can trace the roots of terrazzo flooring all the way back to ancient times and the mosaics that the ancient Egyptians created. However, true terrazzo is a more modern invention that stems from pavimento alla Veneziana (Venetian pavement), which was developed in Italy during the 18th century.

The process for making pavimento alla Veniziana evolved over the years to create the terrazzo that we’re familiar with today. Namely, rather than manually placing marble chips next to each other in a mortar base, the world’s first terrazzo makers started simply mixing marble chips into mortar, then spreading the mixture out to cure so that it could be polished.

By the late 1800s, terrazzo was a popular flooring option in a lot of places—and in the 1890s, it made its way to the United States. However, it didn’t really take off here until the 1920s, when it was used frequently with Art Deco and Moderne building styles.

From there, terrazzo’s popularity grew until the 1960s, when it exploded into the limelight with the construction of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. The first Walk of Fame tiles were laid in 1958, and each features a terrazzo star.

Since then, terrazzo has waxed and waned in popularity. While it’s never fully fallen out of favor, always remaining a solid choice for a beautiful floor, these days, it’s trending back to the forefront.

Terrazzo's history highlights one of the key advantages of Terrazzio's line of tile products. Laying a traditional terrazzo floor is a laborious process that requires pouring the mixture onsite, then grinding it down into a flat, smooth flooring. With Terrazzio's products, you get to skip these steps. Terrazzio's flooring comes in large format tiles that give you the same look as poured terrazzo—without the pouring and grinding.

How to Use Terrazzo in Your Home

The sky is virtually the limit when it comes to ways you can use terrazzo in your home. It’s a popular material not just for flooring, but for tiled walls and backsplashes. With Terrazzio tiles and products, commercial installers have been known to create beautiful logos and designs—and that's something you can consider for your home, too. Why not leverage Terrazzio's custom design services to create a patterned backsplash or centerpiece for your floor?

Another advantage to terrazzo is that it's available in any number of colors and color variations. When you’re picking a color palette, think about the color scheme found throughout your home, and use those to match your terrazzo. You can choose between dark or light bases flecked with marble in virtually any color. When you're working with Terrazzio, choose paint chips and samples in your desired colors, and Terrazzio can help you find matrix and background colors to match.

Don’t forget to factor in the size of the markings in the terrazzo you choose. Most commonly, you’ll see terrazzo with smaller flecking, made with finely crushed chunks of marble. However, it is possible to create a really bold look with specialty terrazzo that has a much bigger and bolder pattern due to manufacturers using huge chunks of marble to create a big, bold look.

Don’t Wait! Incorporate Terrazzo Into Your Home Today with Terrazzio Tiles

Terrazzo tiles are a timeless option—one that never fully goes out of style. These days, it’s a trend that is come back in a big way, and that’s in large part because there is so much that you can do with virtually limitless terrazzo colors and patterns. When you choose Terrazzio's products for your project, you'll enjoy not only the timeless look and incredible durability of traditional terrazzo flooring, but also an easy installation process that lets you enjoy your new floors the day after they've been installed.

Which Flooring is the Right Choice for Your Bathroom Remodel?

Spending on bathroom remodels is growing—up 38% in 2021 over 2020 costs—and there’s a good reason why. Not only are people trying to create more beautiful, functional spaces for their own purposes, but also because a bathroom upgrade is one of few in which you can expect to recoup most of your costs should you choose to sell the home. On average, homeowners can expect to recoup 71% of their investment into a bathroom upgrade.

New flooring will likely be a big part of your next bathroom renovation. Which flooring should you choose? Terrazzio tiles are a great choice—and we’ll compare them to several other popular types of flooring to show you why.

Terrazzio Versus Vinyl and Linoleum

Vinyl and linoleum are cost-effective choices, and they can work quite well in a bathroom because they’re also moisture resistant products. However, compared to Terrazzio, they have some drawbacks.

• Neither linoleum nor vinyl (including luxury vinyl tile) is as durable as Terrazzio tile.

• Both linoleum and vinyl can be slippery when wet whereas Terrazzio is slip resistant.

• Vinyl tile, specifically, will feature seams between tiles where moisture can seep through to the subfloor whereas Terrazzio is sealed by grout and comes in a large tile format, so there are less grout lines and creates a more spacious look.

Terrazzio Versus Wood Floors

Wood flooring is gaining traction as an option for bathrooms—but it does come with concerns. Traditionally, builders viewed wood flooring as a poor choice for bathrooms and kitchens because it doesn’t hold up well against moisture. Not only can it become stained or mildewed, but seams between planks, no matter how small, are spaces for moisture to seep into the subfloor.

These days, you can install wood in the bathroom, but you’ll need to take extra measures to ensure that it has been fully sealed with polyurethane or another moisture-resistant finish. All in all, even with a moisture-resistant finish, it still won’t be as durable as Terrazzio—and it’ll be higher maintenance, too, since you’ll need to refinish and reseal it every few years to keep it looking good as new.

This includes not only traditional lumber species, but also bamboo and cork, which are two newer wood flooring options that are somewhat more moisture resistant than hardwoods—but can still stain or mildew if not properly sealed.

Terrazzio Versus Concrete

Concrete is also gaining in popularity because there’s a lot you can do with concrete stains and finishes to create a variety of colors and textures. It’s also among the most durable flooring materials, too. Like Terrazzio, it’ll stand up to moisture, including extreme moisture—if a toilet backs up, for instance.

However, the drawbacks are big. Concrete is prone to cracking—and you can only install it on a basement floor or slab foundation. So long as you have a stable base, you can install Terrazzio flooring on any level of your home. The other big drawback is that most poured concrete has a rough surface that needs to be ground to create a smooth finish that will feel good beneath bare feet. The grinding process is not only time-consuming but will create a huge mess with dust. Terrazzio gives you a beautiful, smooth floor that you can walk on in hours—without the mess.

Terrazzio Versus Tile

There are several reasons why tile is one of the most popular options out there for bathroom flooring. You can use the same tile for the floor plus a shower or tub surround to create a cohesive look. It comes in lots of colors and styles, and its moisture resistant, which is crucial in a bathroom.

And how does Terrazzio compare to tile? You’ll enjoy the same moisture resistance—and it’s just as durable, maybe even more so depending on the tiles you’re comparing it against. Additionally, while some types of tile can be slick when wet, Terrazzio is a slip-resistant product.

Learn More about Terrazzio for Your Next Bathroom Renovation

Ready to try Terrazzio for your next bathroom project? It’s a great choice not only because it is durable and moisture resistant, but also because it offers a timeless beauty that no other flooring option can replicate.

If you’d like learn more or see it for yourself, contact us or request a sample today!

 Terrazzo Tile Flooring: A Perfect Blend of Form and Function

Choosing the right flooring for your home is a decision that goes beyond aesthetics. It’s a choice with a big impact on the design, feel, and functionality of your living space.

Still, you can’t forget about aesthetics entirely. The right choice in this area is crucial because the flooring’s look and feel will influence the mood in each room. Think of your flooring choices the same as you might a canvas: It’s the backdrop for the rest of your furniture and decor, and it needs to be just right to create a look that you love.

So how do you balance form and function in your flooring? We’ll show you—and we’ll also show you how Terrazzio tiles can make achieving this balance easy.

Making the Right Design Decision

As noted, choosing flooring according to aesthetics is important for creating a look and feel that makes you love your living space—but there’s another element to design decisions that you should consider. Even if you’re not planning on selling your home, it’s still an investment, and as an investment, it’s smart to do whatever you can to help it maintain or increase in value.

Aesthetically appealing flooring will increase your home’s value. Even better, the more durable the floor, the more value you’ll get from it since you won’t need to spend money on maintenance or future replacements. Timeless style—floors that never go out of fashion—are also a great investment because you’ll never need to replace them simply because fads have changed.

The Practical Side of Flooring

So you want a beautiful floor, one that won’t go out of style, with looks that will increase your home’s value—but the decision-making doesn’t stop there. Practicality in flooring cannot be overstated. Practical flooring choices not only save you money in the long run with fewer repairs and replacements, but also provide a better look and feel, too.

How does practicality contribute to the floor’s aesthetics? Consider some flooring choices that most would consider poor. For example:

• Carpeting in the kitchen or bathroom where food, spills, moisture, and high traffic will all contribute to a number of stains plus a mold or mildew problem.

• Hardwood floors in moisture-prone areas, where water, mold, and mildew can stain them, and where the moisture can cause warping or deterioration over time.

• White tiles in high-traffic areas, which become a never-ending source of frustration since, no matter how often you mop them, they’ll always show little bits of dirt and grime—especially in busy areas where kids and pets like to play.

As you can see, the flooring choices listed above may look amazing immediately after installation—but it won’t take long for them to start deteriorating or becoming a source of constant maintenance and frustration. Aesthetics and value decline as the floor deteriorates, and that’s what makes practical flooring choices important. Choose a floor that you love—and one that will last without a lot of hassle.

Why Terrazzo Flooring is the Perfect Balance of Form and Function

When you look at all the different kinds of flooring options out there, terrazzo—and in particular, Terrazzio tiles—emerge as a great option in terms of style and practicality. This flooring seamlessly combines both form and function. Here’s how:

• Terrazzio is incredible durable, which makes it an ideal choice for high-traffic areas like entryways, kitchens, and living rooms.

• It’s also moisture-resistant, which means it won’t stain or degrade in moisture-prone areas like kitchens and bathrooms.

• Terrazzio gives you a smooth surface that is easy to clean. No need to drag out the vacuum or carpet scrubber—just a quick sweep or mop will work just fine.

• Unlike carpets, Terrazzio contributes to a healthier living environment since the solid surface doesn’t allow this kind of flooring to build up dust and allergens.

• The colors and patterns in terrazzo tiles help it to look great even when you don’t have time for daily sweeping and mopping. Whereas white floors and solid color floors tend to show bits of dirt sometimes even just minutes after cleaning, terrazzo helps you hide some of that, which leads to less frustration in the long run.

Get a Beautiful, Durable Look with Terrazzio Tiles

Terrazzio tile flooring stands out as the perfect marriage of form and function for homeowners. It’s durable, easy to clean and maintain, and perfectly adaptable to different spaces within your home. Even better is the fact that this is a beautiful flooring choice that you can use to create the perfect canvas for your decor. With different base shades and stone colors, it’s easy to find a tile that suits your home’s color palette. All of that put together means that you’ll love these floors throughout the lifetime of your home—and they’ll help increase your home’s value since future owners will love them, too.

 Terrazzo Tile Color Trends for 2024: What’s Hot in Residential Design

The always-trendy colors of the year for 2024 are here—and they are beautiful! This year, manufacturers have gone with a mixture of blue shades plus a selection of warm, peachy golden tones. On top of that, for people who want to create a deep, moody feeling, there are a couple of dark shades added to the mix, too.

So what are this year’s colors to watch? And how can you mix and match them with Terrazzio floor tiles? Let’s find out.

2024’s Warm Tones

Pantone always leads the way with their official Color of the Year—and for 2024, that color is Peach Fuzz. As the name suggests, this is a beautiful warm, peachy shade that will be perfect in spaces where you want to create a soft, welcoming look.

Not to be left out, Glidden and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams have also announced their Colors for the year, both of which offer a similar soft, warm look. Glidden’s shade is Limitless, with is a warm golden-yellow pastel that is being hailed as a “modern neutral” shade while the HGTV color is Persimmon, a somewhat darker peach shade that looks like it could pair nicely with Pantone’s Peach Fuzz.

All three of these shades are great choices for walls and cabinetry—but what kind of flooring should you pair them with? We recommend Terrazzio tiles with light, warm colors for both Peach Fuzz and Persimmon. Though you can customize the colors to your exact liking, if you’re looking for a suggestion, our Parchment White is light enough to provide contrast while adhering to a warm color palette, for example. For a darker contrast to match Glidden’s Limitless, consider Nougat Red, which pulls in warm and golden tones that will set off this pale yellow.

Shades of Blue for 2024

Blue is going to be big in 2024. Fans of darker tones will love Benjamin Moore’s Blue Nova, which pairs as well with muted earth tones as it does with gray. Those who want a bright and bold look will love the look of Bluebird from Krylon, which is a turquoise shade that meshes well with other bright shades. Bay Blue by Minwax is another midtone, this one with a greenish tint that makes it perfect for ocean-inspired themes.

Then there are the pastel shades. Thermal by C2 is a calming gray-blue that will look great with gray tones while Skipping Stones from Dunn-Edwards features a warm tint that lends itself well to palettes with beiges and warm whites. Last comes Upward by Sherwin-Williams, which is an ultra-pale neutral blue that pairs beautifully with other neutral shades.

Working with these shades will be all about creating contrasts. As you’re choosing terrazzo tile, think about pairing lighter floors with darker shades of blue or darker floors with lighter shades of blue. For example, Terrazzio’s French Gray is a great choice for Blue Nova. If you’re going with pale shades of blue, try Greyhound, which mixes dark greys with splashes of blue and warm tones in a light matrix, or try Moss Black, which gives you blues and greens in a dark matrix.

2024’s Dark and Moody Colors

While blues and peachy colors dominate 2024’s color lineup, there are also a couple of dark, moody shades to choose from, too. First comes Cracked Pepper by Behr. This one is a dark, almost-black gray tone—and it’s best used with lighter floors so that you can get that moody look without creating an overly heavy atmosphere. Terrazzio tile in Steel Gray or lighter will be perfect with this shade.

Last, we have Ironside by Dutch Boy. As a deep olive green, this shade is the biggest departure from the rest of 2024’s Colors of the Year—and as a neutral green, it works best with sandy beiges and grays. Consider Terrazzio’s Navajo Beige to pair with this color.

Choosing Terrazzio Tiles to Match On-Trend Colors

One of the best things about terrazzo flooring—and one of the reasons why it’s known for its timelessness—is because terrazzo gives you the ability to blend multiple shades into a single floor. That’s because terrazzo tile features two primary components: The aggregates, and the matrix in which the aggregates are set.

Aggregates can be anything from crushed stone to concrete, sand, or even recycled materials. With them, you can introduce a variety of colors to get the perfect match for your color palette. Choose a matrix in a light, dark, or mid-tone to create varying contrasts with your aggregate and with the rest of the room’s color palette.

And remember—no matter what colors you choose, most Terrazzio floor tiles feature a blend of shades that enable them to work well with a variety of color palettes. You can pick the exact color blend you want—they are totally custom! That’s what makes them timeless. Choose the right shade for 2024’s Colors of the Year, and rest assured that as color trends shift, your floor will still be as stylish as ever. But there is more to Terrazzio tiles than just custom colors. Click below to learn more!

 When it Comes to Flooring, What Exactly Does “Ease of Installation” Mean? 

It can mean a lot of things—and the answers all depend on the types of flooring that you’re considering. Here at Terrazzio, we hear this question a lot. Sometimes, there is confusion when customers assume that our “easy to install” Terrazzo tile is as easy to install as, for example, peel-and-stick vinyl tile. 

So, let’s explore Terrazzio tile and what it means to be easy to install. 

Is Terrazzio Easier to Install than Peel-and-Stick Vinyl Tile? 

Definitely not. In fact, there probably are no flooring options that are easier to install than peel-and-stick vinyl. This is a quick installation flooring option that the average homeowner can do by themselves in a weekend—and they can walk on it immediately. 

It also comes with a huge list of disadvantages. Peel and stick vinyl is not at all durable—especially outside of luxury vinyl tile options—and the colors and patterns can be severely limited, too. It can be a good choice for when you need a fast, inexpensive flooring solution in an out-of-the-way space, but it’s not something that is going to hold up over time or add a unique aesthetic. 

Is Terrazzio Easier to Install than Porcelain or Ceramic Tile? 

It’s similar—but there are differences. Overall, the process for installing Terrazzio tile is roughly the same as the process for installing porcelain or ceramic—although there are some nuances. Keep in mind that porcelain and ceramic tiles are mass-produced products whereas Terrazzio tiles are entirely handmade. Extra care is needed when laying them out across the subfloor—especially when it comes to larger format tiles that are more difficult to maneuver. 

Is Terrazzio Easier to Install than Wood Flooring? 

It depends! If you’re looking at installing a pre-fab floating wood floor that doesn’t need to be finished, and that only needs to be cut and fit into place, then the floating wood floor will be easier to install, and you’ll be able to walk on it immediately. 

But what if you’re installing brand new hardwoods that need to be fastened or glued into place, then stained and finished after installation? That can be a long, arduous process—particularly if you’re trying to create a floor with a mirror shine. You’ll need to wait between each coat of finish before you can walk on it, and often, creating a shiny floor means applying multiple layers of topcoat, plus sanding in between each coat to remove bubbles and imperfections. 

Is Terrazzio Easier to Install than Poured-in-Place Terrazzo? 

Absolutely! Poured-in-place terrazzo flooring requires onsite mixing and pouring. Once poured, workers must wait for the mixture to cure, then grind it down and polish it to get that smooth, shiny look. Not only is it a messy process that creates a lot of dust, but it’s a long, labor-intensive process. 

By contrast, Terrazzio tiles give you the same look and feel—they are made from terrazzo, after all. But since they come as pre-poured, pre-polished tiles, workers can place them much like they would with ceramic or porcelain tiles. Using a rapid adhesive, it’s possible to walk on Terrazzio floors within 24 hours of installation. 

And there you have it. If you need a really quick, prefabricated floor that you can do yourself over a weekend, Terrazzio tile—or any type of solid tile, for that matter—may not be the option you’re looking for. But if you are looking for a beautiful, enduring flooring option designed to last a lifetime, Terrazzio is a wonderful choice—especially if you love the look of hand-poured terrazzo but not the difficult and time-consuming installation. 

Click below to get a sample!