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!