Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Polishing, And Restoration

Why Restore a Florida Terrazzo Floor?

St Pete terrazzo floor restoration is gaining popularity. Terrazzo floors started to become common in west coast construction around the 1920s. They are found in several Pinellas County and Hillsborough County homes. When new and clean, these surfaces shined with elegance. Generations have come and gone since your home had its conglomerate slab poured and finished. Over the years, it has probably developed a dull finish as well as suffering its share of stains, dings, chips, cracks, and scratches. A previous owner may have installed carpet over the top of it, and if so, there may be additional damage due to the presence of tack strips. Perhaps you’re ready to decide between repairing and replacing your floor. Here are some reasons why many homeowners have elected to restore Pinellas County terrazzo floors and why St Pete terrazzo floor restoration is becoming more common.

Florida Terrazzo Floor Restoration – A Wise Investment

There’s a major price difference between restoration and replacement. Of course, in some homes, damage may be so severe that repair is not even an option. In any case, if you’re serious about demolishing your current surface or installing another floor on top of the existing, go ahead and crunch some ballpark numbers. You’ll likely find the price of materials and labor for an overhaul to be significantly more than working with what you already have. Because the cost of terrazzo floor restoration and polishing is a less expensive option, more and more homeowners want this option. However, what tends to fully convince those considering terrazzo floor cleaning and restoration in St Pete is the amazing look a freshly restored terrazzo floor has. The end result will depend heavily on the skill of who is doing the work. Next, we will discuss the quality of a restoration versus a new installation when done properly.

Behind the Scenes

The restoration process tends to involve four basic steps, yet each of these primary steps has multiple steps in themselves:

Prep Work – Protecting the surrounding area we are working inappropriately because terrazzo restoration is a very involved process
Damage Repair – Prepping the actual damaged part of the terrazzo (Chip, Crack, Nail Hole, Etc.) to receive the repair material
Diamond Resurfacing and Polishing – Depending upon the level of service requested and what we will be correcting, we might start wet resurfacing with very coarse diamond abrasives to Diamond Grind the surface removing maybe 1/64th of an inch of the terrazzo’s surface (about the thickness of a credit card, cement-based terrazzo runs approximately 3/8 to ¾ of an inch in thickness) and then Diamond Hone and Diamond Polish, each with finer and finer diamond abrasives
Seal and Protection – The restored and polished terrazzo floor should then be sealed with a penetrating breathable sealer to help prevent both water and oil-based staining and reduce acid etching

Generally, it is best to use what is called a planetary head grinder to ensure the most even and consistent resurfacing of the terrazzo floor. You could use the type of machine that you may have seen the janitor use in the hallways of your grade school but there is a big difference in the results you’ll get with that type of machine and the results you will get with a variable speed planetary head grinder and polisher. Each restoration project takes multiple diamond grits, each of those grits takes multiple passes. As a bare minimum example; if you used only 6 different diamond grits, each of those will be run across the terrazzo floor at least 4 times. That means a minimum of at least 24 passes, but between each of those grits, you must clean, dry, and inspect the floor if your job is going to come outright. As you can see, this is a very involved process but it’s worth every step when it’s done correctly.

Before you get to the resurfacing of the terrazzo you first need to make your repairs. Repairs are exactly that, repairs. Terrazzo has lots of natural variations in it that make repairs a real challenge but if the following are done, then the repairs will come out to a reasonable degree (all this takes an experienced hand and a trained eye):

The holes are prepped properly
The filling material has been custom matched to the color of the terrazzo as closely as possible
The marble chip aggregate matches (some of those marble chips are no longer available)

Another big advantage to cement based terrazzo is that it is breathable and keeps the house cooler. What that means is it will not grow mold, no matter how humid the surrounding air is. When the terrazzo is sealed with a penetrating sealer naturally occurring moisture under the slab can evaporate and is not trapped inside the terrazzo because of some type of topical coating or sealer. This is especially beneficial for Florida homes with terrazzo floors.

Ongoing maintenance of terrazzo floors when they have been restored with the right way is very affordable. The cost to maintain a terrazzo floor can be less than carpet, tile or wood. And, possibly the most important thing is, it is so easy to take care of on a day to day basis. Just dust or dry mop and damp mop with a microfiber mop and water – no more chemicals – and your floor can look great for years to come.

No Chemicals / No Acids
No Grout
Just damp mop with water

Terrazzo Floor Restoration in St Pete – Results Rivaling New

When the job is done, you’ll have lots to be proud of. For one, you’ll have made the floors of your classic Florida home as gorgeous as ever. Next, you’ll have saved a substantial amount of money by using existing material. Further, by being resourceful, you’ll have done your part to reduce your environmental footprint.

Decades may have passed since your house was built, and some of its original elements may not look or function as they used to. A full terrazzo floor restoration, however, is sure to bring back the bright, reflective look that has made the material popular on several continents. Call us today to schedule your St Pete terrazzo floor restoration! 727-328-1400