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Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County (954) 566-4555
Miami / Dade County(305) 731-2242
Palm Beach County(561) 337-1408
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| History of Terrazzo |
TERRAZZO - The Mid-Century Modern Floor |
| Terrazzo is ‘hot’ again, especially in Florida. You might ask, why is it so popular here? Because there is a treasure trove of original 50’s/60’s terrazzo buried in our homes; under the carpet, under the tile, even under the linoleum.In the 50’s to early 70’s terrazzo became the floor of choice for most Florida homes. When building a new home the contractor would put up the exterior walls, then pour the 5/8 inch thick terrazzo floor in place. The floor would be ground smooth before installing the interior walls on top of the terrazzo. What caused the popularity of these mid-century floors to decline? There was a lack of easy home maintenance; and, professional maintenance workers were lacking, too. So many floors became scratched or stained. When the mid 70’s arrived, carpeting became popular, especially shag carpeting. Shag carpeting lead to the great Florida ‘cover up’. |
o understand terrazzo better, let’s look at it’s developmental history. In the 15th Century Italian workers began using their left over marble chips on their terraces. They mixed the chips with cement, laid the floor, then sanded it. It was a good-looking durable floor. They even began to make designs in the floor that couldn’t be achieved by traditional marble laying.
In the 18th Century, an advanced, smoother, more polished terrazzo was brought to America. It was used mainly in Historic and Monumental architecture. It was durable, seamless, good looking but required modest maintenance. |
Today, Mid-Century Modern Terrazzo floors are making a comeback. Restoration repairs are virtually invisible, polishing produces a very high-shine, and maintenance is easy. “More and more homeowners, lucky enough to have homes with these original floors, are choosing to restore them. It is a very wise choice.”
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| "Advancement in floor care restoration and maintenance allows us to bring back these floors to their original beauty. Even stains can be dealt with. We have a proprietary poultice that helps us to remove the stains. Nail holes from old carpet tack strips, and gouges, discovered from the past, can be chiseled out. Then, we find the matching chips, match the color of the cement, and produce a virtually invisible repair." When the repairs are complete, each is inspected for match. "Now we begin the refinishing process, grinding the floor with a diamond bonded disk. There are a series of finer and finer sanding disks to remove all scratches and complete the process. Then we move to “final polish” the terrazzo. We use a special powder and polisher that gives the floor a hard glass like finish on a bright floor. With today’s advancements, the floor is easy to maintain. Mop as necessary, using warm water and occasionally with a ‘neutral’ floor cleaner. That is all there is to it." |
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| I love reveling in the history and beauty of terrazzo floors. I’ll be happy to explain, in detail, all the stages of restoration and polishing. I am an authority. Reach me at Colonial Floor and Stone Care, (954) 566-4555. Today’s terrazzo floor is beautiful, decorative and seamless with a lasting shine. My company treats your Terrazzo like it is our own and are proud of the Historical Restoration of these timeless,artful and beautiful floors |
| My company treats your Terrazzo like it is our own and are proud of the Historical Restoration of these timeless,artful and beautiful floors. Please enjoy some picture I was proud to be able take while in Venice Italy of century old Terrazzo and the reason Terrazzo and natural stone are a passion of mine |
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