DIY House Interior

How Should I Do Terrazzo Repair On My Floor’s Cracks and Holes?

The life of terrazzo floors has had many ups and downs, with it usually ending up needing Terrazzo repair. This floor style was such a fad back in the 1950s, with homes in America (and all over) sporting these durable and practical floors, which are not only pretty, but very easy to maintain. However, as with most fads, it soon became outmoded, and people started covering it with tiles, carpets or even wooden floors. A lot of people have also kept theirs intact, but that may be more because of its near indestructibility rather than their active choice. However, the terrazzo is experiencing resurgence nowadays, with hip people suddenly rediscovering the style and grace that such a floor brings to one’s home.

Cracks are a common damage that terrazzo floors – actually any type of floor- incur. Cracks can be brought about by anything from earthquakes to dropped dumbbells. Some homeowners prefer to retain the cracks, as they say it has a certain charm to it, and can add an aged look to the room. A lot of people would rather have professional terrazzo restorers do the repairs, but if you wish to terrazzo repair your floors’ cracks yourself, there are some things to consider. Is the crack wide enough for small quartz or marble chips to get through? How deep is it?

With these things in mind, take an appropriate amount of grout or Portland cement (whichever is closest to the colour of your floor), and mix to the right consistency. You could mix in the quartz or marble chips with the patch mixture if you wish for a more natural look to it, or you could just implant quartz or marble chips to the surface of the mixture later. After which, stuff the crack with the mixture till it reaches the brim. Wait for the patch mixture to dry, after which you could sand or grind the patched area to match the rest of the floor’s surface.

If your floor was previously subjected to carpeting, then I’m sure you will be able to find carpet tracks along the sides of the room. If the tracks have been removed beforehand, then you’ll either find nails sticking out of the floor, or its holes. If you prefer to pull out the nails, do so very carefully, and just patch it using the same method above. However, if you find that mixing the grout to match the colour of your floor is simply too hard (a lot of “professional” contractors find this hard too, I believe), you could opt to just cut out the part of the nail that juts out, and just grind the nail to your floor level.

After finishing all terrazzo repairs on your floor, grind it down with diamond impregnated disks until you achieve the level of sheen that you want. After that, rinse it until you remove all races of dust, old floor wax and other chemicals, then mop on a terrazzo- specific sealer to seal in the sheen and to protect your floor for a longer period. Remember, when cleaning your floor, that waxing a terrazzo floor is hardly necessary, as it retains its sheen even without it. Wax even runs the risk of being absorbed by your floor permanently, thus ruining its colour. Also, never use vinegar on your terrazzo floor, as it is too acidic and will cause it to lose its shine. It is best to give your floor a mopping with water and a neutral pH cleaner every week or so for it to retain its quality for a long period of time.