Category Archives: Terrazzo Floor Repair

Terrazzo Repair Tips Palm Beach

Stains, scratches, dullness, and other damages are common damages from old or neglected terrazzo. A professional terrazzo restoration company will often produce better and safer results, but there are things you can do to repair the terrazzo yourself. This is only recommended to people who know what they’re doing and have experience working with terrazzo before. It is almost always worth it to repair and restore terrazzo if it is damaged because it is very expensive, unique, and will hold its shine and appeal for many years. The processes explained below are usually performed by restoration companies but can be done on your own if you choose to go that route. Keep in mind that if you want reliable results, professionals are usually the best option. If you choose to repair the terrazzo yourself, the first thing to do before starting any anything is to prepare the area and move all furniture to make sure nothing covers the terrazzo such as mats or carpets.

From there, the terrazzo should be cleaned with a pH neutral cleaner thoroughly so no dirt or dust mixes and interferes with the later process. If your terrazzo has a coating such as wax, a stripper is needed to remove it. Strippers are commercially available but can be very dangerous if misused, so read instructions carefully and utilize all the safety equipment suggested. Once the stripper has been applied successfully, use more pH neutral cleaner with a clean mop to get rid of the dissolved wax and dry. If damages such as stains and scratches were superficial, then it would have been removed with the coating. If the stain persists, try to identify what type of substance caused the stain such as oil and match it with the correspondent poultice. A poultice is simply a mixture of substances such as hydrogen peroxide and baking soda that is used to remove stains. You can look up how to make these mixtures online are buy some that are already pre-made. Applying this properly should get rid of the stain, but note that not all stains are guaranteed to come out completely. For scratches, grab a sponge and with baking soda gently but consistently buff the affected area until the scratches disappear. If the scratch marks are even deeper, you may have to use polishing powder and with an electronic grinder grind and buff they are until the scratches are gone.

If you want to polish the terrazzo, the next step would be to wet the floor and use an electric grinder with diamond grit disks. It is recommended for the machine to be weight down to apply pressure and pass over the terrazzo in rows about five times at about 30 grit. Place more water and grind the floor again but this time with finer 40 grit. After this is done, fill any holes your terrazzo may have with the proper epoxy or cementitious base and corresponding aggregate chips. Once the mixture hardens, use a grinder to smooth out the patch until it is thoroughly blended in. Continue to grind the floor and with each pass using finer and finer grits until you get to the finest one. All that’s left is to add polishing powder graded for terrazzo and use a wet polisher around ten times per row. Apply a sealer or wax as instructed by the product label buff it out with an electronic buffer and you should have a beautifully restored and sparkling terrazzo that looks several years younger and will continue to do so for many years to come. Keep in mind that repairing terrazzo yourself is not recommended unless you know what you’re doing. Professionals are recommended for bigger jobs and they usually have equipment that yields better results.

Terrazzo Repair Palm Beach