# Terrazzo Flooring: In-Situ Cement, Epoxy and Precast Tile Compared

> Terrazzo is a floor of marble or other chips set in a binder, ground flat and polished. In-situ cement terrazzo is laid wet in bays between divider strips; epoxy terrazzo uses a thin resin binder with more colour freedom and fewer cracks; precast terrazzo tiles are factory-made and laid like other cement tiles. All three are durable, but cracks follow joints in the slab beneath.

## What the terrazzo decision turns on

**Terrazzo** is chips of marble, granite, glass or other aggregate set in a
binder, then ground flat and polished so the aggregate shows through. It is
specified for lobbies, airports, hospitals, schools and transit buildings
because a well-laid terrazzo floor lasts for decades, takes heavy wheel and foot
traffic, and can be reground rather than replaced.

The decision is less "terrazzo or not" than **which kind**: in-situ cement,
epoxy (resin) or precast tile. They look alike in a sample board and behave very
differently on site. The cost of choosing badly is cracks that follow the slab
joints across a feature lobby, a heavy floor on a slab that was not designed for
it, or a resin floor laid on a damp slab that debonds. The common misconception
is that terrazzo cracks because it is "old-fashioned". It usually cracks because
of what is under it.

## The three types compared

| | In-situ cement terrazzo | Epoxy terrazzo | Precast terrazzo tiles |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Binder** | Cement, often with pigment | Epoxy resin | Cement, factory-cured |
| **Thickness and weight** | Thick and heavy, laid over an underlayer | Typically a thin layer, much lighter | Tile plus bed; moderate |
| **Colour and pattern** | Moderate range, pattern set by strips | Wide range, fine detail and inlays | Set by the tile range |
| **Cracking tendency** | Shrinkage and reflective cracks if poorly detailed | Lower, but follows slab movement | Joints between tiles absorb some movement |
| **Slab moisture sensitivity** | Tolerant | Needs a dry, tested slab | Tolerant |
| **Site disruption** | High: wet laying, curing, multiple grinds | Moderate: resin work, grinding | Moderate: laying, then grinding |
| **Reference** | IS 2114 | Manufacturer's system data | IS 1237, IS 1443, EN 13748-1 |

Exact thicknesses depend on the system and are set by the manufacturer's data
and the project engineer, particularly where the added load on an existing slab
matters.

## How in-situ terrazzo is laid

The Indian code of practice for in-situ terrazzo is **IS 2114**. In outline,
the work follows a sequence:

1. **Underlayer** of cement concrete or mortar over the prepared base
2. **Divider strips** of glass, brass, aluminium or plastic set out in bays
3. **Topping** of chips, cement and pigment laid in each bay and compacted
4. **Curing**, kept damp so the topping does not dry and shrink too fast
5. **Grinding** in stages, coarse to fine, with grouting of pinholes between
   grinds
6. **Polishing** and, where specified, sealing

Each step needs time. Terrazzo is one of the few finishes where several
weeks of wet work sit on the critical path of a lobby, so the programme should
show it honestly.

## Divider strips and cracking

Divider strips do two jobs: they form the pattern, and they break the floor into
bays so shrinkage and movement are taken at the strip rather than as random
cracks. They only work if they **line up with the joints in the slab** beneath.
A slab joint that runs across the middle of a bay will crack through the
terrazzo, however good the topping.

Where the building has [movement joints](/glossary/movement-joint), the terrazzo
needs a true movement joint at the same line, not just a decorative strip.
Epoxy terrazzo reduces shrinkage cracking but still reflects cracks and movement
in the slab, which is why its manufacturers usually ask for crack treatment and
joint detailing before the resin goes down.

## Terrazzo tiles

Precast terrazzo tiles are covered by **IS 1237**, the specification for cement
concrete flooring tiles, which includes terrazzo tiles, with laying and
finishing practice in **IS 1443**. The European product standard for internal
terrazzo tiles is **EN 13748-1**. Tiles are often ground and polished after
laying to remove lipping, which gives a near-continuous surface with less wet
work than in-situ terrazzo.

## Terrazzo against other hard floors

Against [epoxy flooring](/materials/epoxy-flooring), terrazzo is decorative and
long-lived while plain epoxy coatings are utilitarian and need recoating.
Against [Kota stone](/materials/kota-stone) and
[vitrified tile](/materials/vitrified-tile), terrazzo gives design freedom with
very few joints, at the cost of more site time. For hospital floors in
particular, see the requirements set out for
[hospital and healthcare buildings](/industries/hospitals-and-healthcare).

## Common mistakes

- **Divider strips that ignore the slab joints.** The crack appears along the
  slab joint, not the strip.
- **Epoxy terrazzo on an untested slab.** Moisture beneath the resin causes
  blisters and debonding.
- **Bays too large or cured too fast.** Cement terrazzo shrinks and cracks.
- **Load not checked.** Heavy cement terrazzo added to an existing floor without
  the engineer confirming the slab can carry it.
- **High polish at entrances.** Slippery when wet; use matting and a suitable
  finish.
- **Acidic cleaners.** Marble chips etch and the surface dulls.

## What to ask your contractor or specialist

- Which type, what total thickness, and what does it weigh per area?
- How do divider strips and movement joints relate to the slab joints?
- How will slab moisture be tested before resin work?
- How many grinding stages, and what curing period, are in the programme?
- What sealer and cleaning regime are proposed?

## Standards referenced

In-situ terrazzo under **IS 2114**; cement concrete flooring tiles including
terrazzo under **IS 1237**, with laying and finishing under **IS 1443**;
internal terrazzo tiles under **EN 13748-1**. Thickness, added load on the
slab, joint layout and slip performance for a specific floor must be confirmed
by the project's structural engineer, designer and the terrazzo specialist.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is better, epoxy terrazzo or cement terrazzo?

Neither is better everywhere. Epoxy terrazzo is thinner and lighter, offers brighter colours and finer detail, and is less prone to shrinkage cracking, but it costs more and needs a dry, well-prepared slab. Cement terrazzo is thicker and heavier, more tolerant of site conditions and cheaper, but it cracks more readily and its colour range is narrower. The choice follows from load on the slab, design intent and how dry the slab will be when the floor goes down.

### Are terrazzo tiles the same as in-situ terrazzo?

They look similar once ground, but they behave differently. Tiles are made and cured in a factory, then laid on a bed and usually ground and polished after laying, so they avoid much of the shrinkage of a large wet-laid bay. In-situ terrazzo is mixed and laid on site in bays, giving larger continuous areas and freer patterns. Tiles are covered by IS 1237 and laid under IS 1443; in-situ work is covered by IS 2114.

### Why does my terrazzo floor have cracks?

Most cracks in terrazzo reflect something below it: a joint or crack in the slab, a change of base material, or a bay that was too large and shrank. Cement terrazzo also cracks if it dries too quickly. Divider strips and movement joints must line up with the joints in the structure, and bay sizes should follow the laying code and the specialist's advice.

### Is terrazzo suitable for hospitals and airports?

It is widely used in both because it is hard-wearing, has few joints, takes trolley and wheel traffic, and can be cleaned with ordinary floor machines. For clinical areas, the cleaning chemicals, the treatment of joints and skirting junctions, and slip resistance should be agreed with the infection-control and facilities teams before specification.

### Is a polished terrazzo floor slippery?

A highly polished terrazzo floor can be slippery when wet or contaminated. Slip resistance depends on the binder, the aggregate, the degree of polish and the sealer, so it is a property of the finished floor, not of terrazzo in general. Entrances need matting and, where water is expected, a less glossy finish or a tested anti-slip treatment.

### Can old terrazzo be restored?

Often yes. Because the chips run through the wearing layer, a worn or dull terrazzo floor can be reground, cracks filled, and the surface repolished and resealed. Whether restoration is worthwhile depends on how much wearing layer remains, the extent of cracking, and whether the base beneath is sound.

## Sources

- [IS 2114](https://standards.bis.gov.in/website/published-standards/department-wise) — Code of practice for laying in-situ terrazzo floor finish
- [IS 1237](https://standards.bis.gov.in/website/published-standards/department-wise) — Cement concrete flooring tiles — specification (includes terrazzo tiles)
- [IS 1443](https://standards.bis.gov.in/website/published-standards/department-wise) — Laying and finishing of cement concrete flooring tiles — code of practice
- [EN 13748-1](https://standards.cencenelec.eu/ords/f?p=CEN:105) — Terrazzo tiles — terrazzo tiles for internal use

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Source: https://hagerstone.com/materials/terrazzo-flooring