Terrazzo is one of the common flooring materials used in India, and it is both useful and beautiful. It is a composite construction material made using recycled materials and gives a high-end design aesthetic. It gives cementitious surfaces a naturally aesthetic and affordable finish, using the qualities of coarse aggregates.
Read today’s blog to understand more about terrazzo flooring.
What is Terrazzo Flooring?
You can understand terrazzo as a construction material that is made of marble, granite, quartz, or glass chips ingrained in a cementitious or epoxy matrix, which is then polished to give a fine finish. This is often used for flooring.
Commonly, terrazzo is made by applying two layers of cement mortar:
Base layer (or “body layer”): This is the foundational layer made entirely of Portland
cement mortar.
Top layer (or “visible layer”): This layer consists of a mix of Portland cement and decorative aggregates such as crushed marble, granite, quartz, or glass chips in various sizes (fine, medium, or coarse grain).
In the modern era, terrazzo’s composition has experienced various alterations, including pigments, epoxy resins, latex, polyester resins and acrylics that have also been included to improve its final seal.
Terrazzo flooring is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Types of Terrazzo Flooring
There are mainly two types of terrazzo flooring: cementitious terrazzo and epoxy-based terrazzo.
Cementitious Terrazzo Flooring
Cementitious terrazzo is a durable composite flooring material ideal for exterior applications and renovation projects. It consists of a cement-based binder mixed with marble or other aggregates. This type of terrazzo encompasses several installation methods, including sand cushion, bonded, monolithic, rustic, and polyacrylate systems.
Cementitious terrazzo is known for its ability to withstand heavy foot traffic, point loading, and impact, making it suitable for both commercial and institutional settings. It can be cleaned using appropriate methods, including steam cleaning under controlled conditions. While it generally offers fewer colour and design options compared to epoxy terrazzo, it provides a more traditional appearance with natural, earthy tones that age gracefully over time.
Epoxy Terrazzo Flooring
Epoxy-based terrazzo is often used to achieve a smooth and luxurious floor finish. They can be quickly applied with epoxy matrix binding aggregates. This system can dry overnight and be polished the next day, making it a good choice for projects that need to be finished quickly, like in busy shopping centres.
Benefits of Terrazzo Flooring for Indian Homes
By including terrazzo flooring for your home development, you can experience the following benefits:
Durability: Terrazzo flooring is resistant to cracks, stains, abrasion, shock, wear, and heavy foot traffic. Therefore, these floors often last as long as the building itself, making it a good choice for eco-friendly construction.
Heat Resistance: Terrazzo flooring is a staple flooring in Indian hot climates as it stays cool. Its composition makes you feel nice on your feet even when it’s hot.
Low maintenance: Terrazzo floors don’t require scouring, polishing, or scrubbing, making them easy to clean.
Eco-friendly: Uses recycled materials, supporting sustainable construction. It is also VOC compliant.
Aesthetic versatility: These floors have limitless customization options to suit almost all types of home decor. Its speckled texture and strong base make it difficult to stain. It offers better colour consistency and performance. This flooring presents long-lasting elegance with endless design possibilities.
Hygienic: Non-porous surface prevents bacteria and mould growth. They offer excellent chemical resistance and the lowest maintenance cost among hard surface flooring.
Terrazzo Flooring Cost in India
The cost of terrazzo flooring installation depends on the quality of materials (the type of chips (marble, quartz, or granite) and the binder (cement or epoxy), labour charges, and design complexity. The precast terrazzo tiles can be 30 × 30, 40 × 40 and 60 × 60 cm.
General price range per sq. ft.:
Cement terrazzo: Typically ranges from ₹250 to ₹450 per sq. ft., based on quality and location.
Epoxy terrazzo: Generally falls within ₹400 to ₹800 per sq. ft. for premium installations, though some basic epoxy terrazzo options may start around ₹95 per sq. ft. but can go much higher for custom or intricate work.
Premium customized designs: Highly intricate or bespoke terrazzo flooring can exceed ₹1000 per sq. ft., especially when using rare aggregates or complex patterns.
Installation Process of Terrazzo Flooring
You can install terrazzo floors professionally or consider a DIY project, but you must know the basics and technicalities to avoid costly and difficult repairs. Traditionally, terrazzo chips were added to a cement mixture, either precast concrete or poured-in-place concrete. Precast concrete was made and cured off-site, then brought to a location for installation, while pour-in-place concrete is made directly on-site. These methods, though durable, were labour-intensive and required significant curing time. In recent years, however, polymer-based terrazzos-such as epoxy or polyacrylate systems-have become the industry standard. These modern systems are much more efficient to install, offering faster curing times, greater design flexibility, and thinner, lighter applications compared to traditional cement-based terrazzo.
The following are the common installation steps:
Surface Preparation
This step is essential to ensure a stable and long-lasting installation. The surface is roughened using a method called shot blasting, which helps the terrazzo stick properly. At this stage, the floor is also levelled and cleaned thoroughly to get it ready for installation.
Crack Detailing
This step helps stop cracks in the base floor from spreading into the terrazzo layer. A flexible epoxy is used to fill and cover any cracks found after the surface is prepared.
Strip Layout
This procedure is essential when you are personalising terrazzo installation with your favourite logos, artwork or any other pattern. This will support the installation of artwork without pricey mistakes.
Substrate Priming
This ensures a strong and durable bond between the terrazzo topping and the underlying concrete or subfloor. Priming helps to create a suitable surface profile, improve adhesion, and prevent issues like cracking and delamination.
Grinding
After the floor has cured for at least 24 hours, it is ground to create a smooth and even surface. This helps make the floor look bright and uniform. After grinding, grouting is done to fill any small holes and make sure the surface is non-porous and even.
Polishing and Sealing
Next, the floor is polished and sealed. There are different finishes to choose from, like a shiny sealed polish, a softer machine polish for areas with less foot traffic, or a honed anti-slip finish for safer surfaces.
This complete terrazzo floor installation process can take around 7–14 days, depending on complexity. When terrazzo is installed correctly, the floor looks flawless and can last for many years. With proper care, terrazzo flooring is a smart investment compared to other flooring types.
Best Uses of Terrazzo in Indian Homes
In modern house construction, terrazzo has been applied in all spaces, including flooring, walls, countertops, slabs, step tiles, and even decorative elements. Some of the common areas are:
Living Rooms: Terrazzo offers sleek, seamless flooring with a variety of colours and patterns, making it ideal for living spaces that need both style and durability. Its ability to pair well with wood finishes and other materials enhances the aesthetic appeal of living rooms.
Kitchens: You can include terrazzo or terrazzo tiles as a backsplash or for kitchen countertops and cabinets! You can pick the most appropriate colour or shape based on the interior colour.
Bathrooms: The attractive combination of colours in terrazzo tiles makes the bathroom floor and walls look soft, silky and smooth. Along with the floor, you can use terrazzo for the countertop, shower and more.
Outdoors: Cement-based terrazzo works best for a variety of outdoor areas, including patios, courtyards, garden pathways, and pool decks. Its durability, customizable designs, and waterproof properties (with proper sealing) make it a good choice for these spaces.
Bedroom: Terrazzo can be poured into moulds to create furniture and homeware. You can decorate your bedroom with terrazzo furniture, walls and floors in a cohesive colour combination.
Terrazzo vs. Other Popular Flooring Options in India
| Feature | Terrazzo | Marble | Vitrified Tiles | Granite |
| Cost | Medium (₹250–₹800/sq. ft.)More expensive than vitrified tiles but generally less than premium marble or granite. | High (₹250–₹1000+/sq. ft.)Installation and maintenance add to the cost. | Low-Medium (₹200–₹300/sq. ft.)Most cost-effective for quality flooring. | High (₹200–₹500+/sq. ft.)Expensive flooring types. |
| Durability | Exceptionally strong, resists stains, scratches, and heavy traffic. | Durable but prone to scratches, stains, and yellowing over time. | Scratch-resistant and durable, but can crack if mishandled. | Granite is extremely durable and long-lasting, though lower-grade varieties may contain natural flaws that make them more prone to chipping or cracking. |
| Maintenance | Requires occasional sealing, is easy to clean, and resists stains. | Needs regular polishing and sealing; stains and scratches easily. | Require minimal maintenance and easy routine cleaning. | Requires periodic sealing and polishing to maintain shine. |
| Aesthetic | Highly customizable with endless colors, patterns, and designs possible. | Luxurious with a natural stone look, classic and elegant. | Wide range of colors, textures, and patterns (can mimic marble/wood). | Offer a natural look with unique organic patterns and a luxurious feel. |
Challenges & Considerations of Terrazzo Floors
- Terrazzo flooring has a high initial cost compared to tiles due to the use of premium materials and complex installation steps.
- Installation requires skilled labour, which can be challenging, especially in smaller cities with limited experienced contractors.
- Terrazzo floors may feel cold underfoot during winter, but this can be mitigated with the use of rugs or carpets.
All in all, terrazzo tiles can give your home a stylish and flexible look—whether it’s in the kitchen, bedroom, hallway, or any other space. You can hire a professional construction company or expert labour to install the terrazzo flooring properly.
Mithali Konety