

This invention made terrazzo a durable and reliable material in addition to allowing for further design work within the floor. in 1924 contained the cracking of terrazzo by allowing the material greater space to expand and shrink after installation. Two inventions resulted in its rise in popularity: divider strips and the electric grinding machine. Due to its likelihood of cracking, terrazzo was used at a small scale in comparison to the large expanses we see today. Until then it was hand polished with a long handled tool called a galera. Terrazzo was first introduced in the United States in the late 1890s, but did not achieve popularity until the 1920s. Together, these methods create the generic form of terrazzo that involves pieces of stone that are bonded to a cement bed. Terrazzo is also related to the technique seminato for which workers tossed larger marble chips into the cement that was then ground and polished. Pavimento alla Veneziana had workers place marble fragments next to each other in a mortar base. The form of terrazzo used today derives partly from the 18th century pavimento alla Veneziana ( Venetian pavement) and the cheaper seminato. History Terrazzo proper Īlthough the history of terrazzo can be traced back to the ancient mosaics of Egypt, its more recent predecessors come from Italy. "Terrazzo" is also often used to describe any pattern similar to the original terrazzo floors. After it is cured it is ground and polished smooth or otherwise finished to produce a uniformly textured surface. Additional chips may be sprinkled atop the mix before it sets. Metal strips often divide sections, or changes in color or material in a pattern.

It consists of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, or other suitable material, poured with a cementitious binder (for chemical binding), polymeric (for physical binding), or a combination of both. Terrazzo is a composite material, poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. One of the most well known examples of terrazzo flooring is the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
