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Terrazzo comes from the Italian word terrazza, meaning terrace, and refers to the 15th century Venetian workers who discovered how to recycle bits of used marble from upscale jobs to surface their terraces at home. Archaeologists also use the word terrazzo to the describe the burnt lime and clay floors colored with red ochre of ancient Neolithic buildings found in Western Asia from 9,000 BC [Wikipedia].
With the advent of electric industrial grinders and other power equipment by the 1920s, the production and use of terrazzo became widespread.
What is terrazzo? Terrazzo is composite flooring material made of recycled pieces of marble, granite, glass or other materials set in cement or epoxy-resin that can be used indoors or out. Available in a variety of colors and finishes, terrazzo can appear highly polished or richly textured and rustic. Most terrazzo installed today is epoxy terrazzo.
Thin-set, or polyacrylate terrazzo made with a mixture of cement and latex was developed in the 1970s, offering not only increased strength but also allowing terrazzo to be spread as thinly as a ¼ to ⅜ of an inch. Another advantage of thin-set terrazzo is that it accepts a wider range of colors. However, epoxy resin terrazzo can only be used for interior applications.
What are some of the cool properties of terrazzo? Terrazzo is one of the world’s first green flooring materials.
What is terrazzo used for? From Hollywood’s Walk of Fame to staircses, columns and fountains, terrazzo is a beautiful, high strength, nearly impermeable material with the versatility to complement many styles of decor.
What can you use terrazzo for? Consider replacing an old vanity top with a stylish new terrazzo top. Refinish an old table with a terrazzo top. Or, make some great little terrazzo coasters. Terrazzo offers you the ability to make creations of virtually any design.
Here’s a look at some other ideas people have come up with for using terrazzo.
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Color and infinite variation are two of the most appealing qualities of terrazzo, inspiring everything from textiles to the cool belt buckle above.
Image via Terrazzo Project
Looking at the TP Suspended Lamp 06 certainly gives you an idea of the material versatility of terrazzo. Initiated in 2011 by two Switzerland-based Canadian designers, the TP Project, with the help of craftsmen from northern Italy, explore ever-inventive ways to use terrazzo for furniture and object design.
Image via eHow
Terrazzo blocks can add a touch of the unexpected to the design of a floor, patio or even a garden path. Learn how to create your own intricate terrazzo designs using cement and a mixture of marble, glass or whatever bits of suitable material you’d like to sprinkle in.
Bonus Fact! Goat’s milk was originally used as a sealer for newly set terrazzo to preserve its wet and marble-like look.
Meet the Material is a series designed to introduce you to some of the everyday goods sold at The Home Depot. Is there a material you’d like to know more about? Just let us know in the comments!
