All About Terrazzo and Terrazzo Systems

Terrazzo is a composite material poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of marble, quartz, granite, glass or other suitable chips, sprinkled or unsprinkled, and poured with a binder that is cementitious, chemical or a combination of both. Terrazzo is cured, ground and polished to a smooth surface or otherwise finished to produce a uniformly textured surface.

The following are the generally accepted types of terrazzo which meet the above definition:

Sand Cushion	Bonded	Monolithic
Description: A cement matrix topping underbed with wire reinforcing, isolation sheet, and sand layer system for interior floor use. This is the best cement system. >> More	Description: A cement matrix and underbed system for interior and exterior areas where conditions require 1.25" to 1.75" inches of recessed depth to be filled in addition to the .5" terrazzo topping. >> More	Description: This 1/2" thick cement matrix veneer placed upon a provided concrete slab is dependent on the concrete quality for flatness and crack prevention. On grade or below grade only.Advantages: Fast installation and the most economical price make it ideal where time and budget are critical but where the beauty, low maintenance and the preformance of terrazzo is desired. >> More
Epoxy	Polyacrylate	Rustic
Description: A nominal 1/4" or 3/8" thick resin matrix veneer placed upon a level concrete slab; Also can be specified with glass, synthetic, or granite aggregates in lieu of marble to provide brilliant colors or chemical resistance; The best "thin-set" system. >> More	Description: A nominal 3/8" think polymer modified cement matrix veneer placed upon a provided level concrete slab. Polymer provides strength to allow for thinner applications of cementitious systems. >> More	Description: Terrazzo with a non-ground, textured surface, for exterior use. This system is available with Sand Cushion, Bonded, Structural and Monolithic or any cement system. >> More

• Standard Terrazzo: Most common type of Terrazzo using relatively small chip sizes. (See Chip Size Chart)
• Venetian Terrazzo: Terrazzo in which larger chips are used.
  
• Palladiana: Utilization of thin, random fractured slabs of marble, sometimes with Terrazzo joints
  between each slab.
• Structural Terrazzo: Terrazzo Contractor places 4 inches of 4,000 psi concrete plus cementitious
  Terrazzo topping.
• Rustic Terrazzo: A uniformly textured form of Terrazzo in which the matrix is depressed to expose the chips.
• Resinous Matrices: A Terrazzo system usually applied in a thin cross-section in which small chip sizes are used. The matrix is composed of resinous or chemical materials or, in some cases, resinous additives to Portland cement, which are often highly resistant to acids, alkalis and other normally harmful materials.

Basic Terrazzo Systems information

The following systems information describes different types of Terrazzo systems and how it is applied in variable job conditions:

TERRAZZO SYSTEMS
Sand Cushion Terrazzo	Bonded Terrazzo	Monolithic Terrazzo
Epoxy Thin-set Terrazzo	Polyacrylate Thin-set Terrazzo	Rustic Terrazzo
Structural Terrazzo	Terrazzo Base Poured in Place	Vertical Terrazzo
Terrzzo Base Precast	Terrazzo Stairs Poured in Place	Terrazzo over Permanent Metal Forms
Palladiana	Terrazzo Stairs Precast	Restoration of Terrazzo
Epoxy Terrazzo Accent in Sand Cushion Terrazzo
Crack Details and Joint Treatment for Thin Set Epoxy Terrazzo
Contraction Joint (also called saw cuts/control joints)	Optional Joint Detail for Contraction Joints	Option in Art Work
Isolation Joint	Jointing Over Full Elastomeric Membrane	Random Crack Detail
Construction Joint