Terrazzo vs. Polished Concrete

Terrazzo: consists of natural aggregate stone pieces including marble, quartz, granite, mother-of-pearl and/or recycled glass, porcelain, and mirror chips. The selected aggregate is mixed with cement or epoxy, placed in the field, and polished to produce a smooth, uniformly textured surface. The color of terrazzo can be selected from a wide range of aggregate size and color that produces the final color. Terrazzo commonly requires a sealer but can be finished to a level of smoothness and gloss as desired.

Appearance:

Polished concrete can have an acceptable appearance in locations where the floor is more utilitarian rather than aesthetic. As such, polished concrete is often a flooring choice for big-box retailers, grocers, warehouses, gyms, and other large spaces requiring basic low-maintenance floors. However, for locations where the appearance is of primary importance, such as office buildings, schools, colleges, hospitals, higher end retail, hotels, and residences, terrazzo offers many superior appearance and design advantages compared to polished concrete. The most striking characteristic is that terrazzo is seamless and requires no joints, even when pouring floors on the order of 50,000-square-feet or more (although building expansion joints do have to be retained where required) In terms of color, it is possible to pick virtually any color from a paint color fan offering dramatically more choice compared with polished concrete. Further, the aggregate sizes can range from size zero aggregate, simulating a smooth concrete floor, up to a traditional terrazzo which highlights larger aggregate. Design teams that see the options in appearance very often end up incorporating terrazzo instead of polished concrete.

Maintenance:

Polished concrete is fairly easy to maintain, but it may require waxing and polishing to retain its appearance. Further, if the surface is compromised, it’s relatively easy to restore. Terrazzo is also a very easy to maintain flooring. Conventional cleaning and mopping practices are typically all that are needed with occasional spray buffing. While the durability of terrazzo makes the need for repairs unlikely, it can nonetheless be very easily repaired if damaged.

Cost:

Polished concrete is often seen as a lower-cost substitute for terrazzo but designers and building owners often underestimate the amount of cracking and inconsistency in appearance. While the rough casualness of polished concrete is part of its appeal on the right project, it’s much less acceptable in higher-budget designs. Frank Klemaske is the Executive Vice-President of business development and sales at T.B. Penick and Sons, Inc., in San Diego, CA. His company, founded in 1905, is ranked the number one decorative concrete contractor in the country by Concrete Construction magazine. He notes that the cost of terrazzo is higher than polished concrete, but when the pros and cons of each system are considered, he says that high-end clients are persuaded to switch. “We explain to them that someone who spends a million dollars on a condo doesn’t want to see a 1/8-inch or a 1/4-inch crack in the lobby,” Mr. Klemaske said. “In a warehouse, okay; class A, no way.”

Overall, polished concrete can be an acceptable choice for some buildings. However, for class-A buildings, major institutions, or buildings with high traffic, such as an airport or a lobby where terrazzo could be in the running, Mr. Klemaske concludes that “95 percent of the time, expectations won’t be met with polished concrete. Expectations are too high.” Terrazzo has been repeatedly shown to meet those higher expectations.

Stained concrete