Terrazzo floor restoration and refinishing
We restore terrazzo floors to a shine you can see your reflection in. Our ten-step diamond process takes the floor back to fresh stone and polishes it without wax or coatings, so it stays that way for years to come.
Why we start by grinding
Most dull terrazzo isn't worn out. It's buried under years of mop-on wax, acrylic floor finish and old topical sealer that has yellowed and scratched. No amount of cleaning gets through that. So we start fresh: the floor is ground down past everything that's been put on it, and past the stains that have soaked into the top of the surface.
That's when the real work starts. From there, the floor goes through our diamond polishing sequence until it looks better than the original installer could have dreamed.
The process, step by step
Most floors take ten to eleven diamond steps. The stages below are the same on every job, in this order.
Protect the house and set up dust collection
We grind dry, and oversized HEPA dust collection pulls the dust off the floor as we go, so it doesn't drift through the house.
Grind
Wax, sealers, adhesive and surface stains come off, and the floor is back to clean marble and cement.
Fill and match
Chips, holes and trenches are filled with matching marble and color-matched resin. See terrazzo floor repair.
Hone and densify
Each pass swaps the scratches from the last one for finer ones, and this stage decides how clear the finished reflection will be. Partway through honing, a densifier goes on to harden the cement between the chips.
Polish
The finest diamonds bring the marble up to a high gloss, with no chemicals or coating on top.
Seal and burnish
A penetrating sealer guards against oil and water stains and acid etching, and a final burnish finishes the floor.
No wax, no topical sealers
A polished terrazzo floor shines because the stone itself is polished. No coating or finish is anywhere near as hard as your terrazzo, so putting one on top only gives you something softer to scratch. Topical sealers show widespread scratches within about six months. A diamond-polished floor lasts about ten years in normal home use, and when it does need attention, a repolish brings it back in fewer steps than the first restoration.
Before we leave, we'll explain how to care for the floor and which terrazzo cleaners are safe to use.
Tile, carpet and vinyl removal
We remove thousands of square feet of tile every year and restore the terrazzo underneath. If another company told you the tile was a dealbreaker, give us a call. Tile laid over terrazzo rarely bonds well, and it usually comes up cleaner than people expect.
Carpet is easy. The tack strip is not. It's nailed into your terrazzo, and prying it up chips the floor at every nail. We cut the nails instead, which can save an average house a few hundred repairs. If you're pulling the carpet yourself, leave the tack strip to us.
Homes and businesses
Residential. Most people in Sarasota know that a properly restored terrazzo floor becomes the focal point of the whole house. Put in tile or wood and guests might say they like your floors. Restore the terrazzo and they'll tell you they love them.
Commercial. Terrazzo went into Sarasota businesses long before it reached the homes. Many of the storefronts along Main Street downtown have terrazzo under carpet, tile or vinyl, and some owners are now uncovering it. We take your schedule into account and plan the work to minimize disruption to your business.
Concrete polishing
We also polish concrete slabs for garages, patios, workshops and living areas where the flooring has been pulled up. It uses the same machines and diamonds as terrazzo work. Terrazzo is still what we do most, but if you have a slab in mind, ask when you call.
Want to learn more first?
Our terrazzo restoration blog(opens in a new tab) covers the history of terrazzo and much more of the how and why. It's a good read before any restoration project.
What customers say about the work
Our restorations are done by Terrazzo Artisans, which is why you'll see that name on these Google reviews.
James Martin is truly an artist!! He is calm and very patient. Right before he was scheduled to restore my old terrazzo, I had plumbing issues which resulted in large cuts in my floors. James repaired with as perfect a match as you can get! […] I had used him many years ago at another house I had. At the time he was working with his dad. So he has at least 20 years experience ; I can call him an expert. I Highly recommend without reservation! he will not disappoint!!
Terrazzo Artisans exceed expectations every time! 3 jobs over the course of a couple years at different houses and each time the workmanship is excellent!
Floors look fantastic! My floors were a mess carpet tacks, holes, stains from linoleum, James and his crew made them look new. If they can fix my floors, they can fix anything! They were reliable, polite, and answered all my questions. Did everything they promised. No games, just results!
Common questions
Do you use a topical sealer or wax?
No. The shine is the polished marble itself. Topical coatings scratch within months and yellow over time, and they eventually have to be ground off. We use a penetrating sealer that protects from inside the stone.
Will lemon juice, wine or vinegar etch my floor?
Acids etch marble, which is why we use a sealer that was tested rigorously to resist etching. Since we switched to it, calls about etching have fallen to very few. No sealer makes a floor immune, so wipe up acidic spills when you see them and the floor will stay looking the way we left it.
Why ten steps? Can't it be done faster?
Each diamond step replaces the scratches left by the one before with finer ones. Skip steps and the floor looks bright but cloudy, with a hazy reflection. Most floors take ten steps. Floors with heavy damage need an eleventh.
My floor was polished before. Does it need the full process?
It depends on how it has been maintained. If wax or a topical sealer has been put on it, that has to come off with a full grind. A floor that was diamond polished and simply cleaned since may only need a repolish, which is a shorter, less expensive job.
Do I need to move out while you work?
Usually, yes. Plan on being out of the house while we work. Unless you have a seperate space that is not being done the house will not be a good place to be while we are working. Many of our customers are in the middle of a renovation, so the house is often empty anyway. Your estimate includes a day count so you can plan around it.
Ready to see what your floor can look like?
Call for a free in-home estimate. If we can't answer, leave a message or text a photo and we'll call you back the next business morning.