A beautiful Terrazzo floor was uncovered in the hallway of a house in Morningside, Edinburgh. The floor had clearly endured years of wear and tear, but the owners were eager to restore it. Restoring period features like this Terrazzo floor is often a great idea, as they are highly sought after and can significantly increase a property’s value.
The Terrazzo floor had spent many years hidden under carpet, with nails hammered through to hold carpet grippers in place. Substantial amounts of glue and paint also needed to be removed. However, I was confident I could successfully restore the floor. I provided the customer with a quotation, and they were eager to proceed as soon as possible.
Starting the Clean of the Terrazzo Floor:
The first step was to remove as much of the paint, glue, and other contaminants as possible. I used a razor-sharp scraper to manually remove the bulk of the heavy paint and glue. The remaining stubborn contaminants were then removed using Tile Doctors Remove and Go solution, along with a 200-grit coarse 17″ pad. After this initial cleaning, the floor was rinsed with clean water, and the residue was vacuumed up.
Next, I used a set of four diamond burnishing pads of progressively finer grits to cut through the top layers and any remaining grime, gradually polishing the floor to its former glory. Starting with the coarsest 400-grit pad and moving to increasingly fine pads, I added water at each stage and used a wet vacuum to remove the soiling generated by the burnishing process.
As the original Terrazzo floor began to shine through, the vibrant Silver, White and Black shades became more pronounced, revealing a lovely example of this classic material. After a final rinse to remove any remaining debris, I turned my attention to filling the numerous holes left by the previously removed nails.
Sealing the Terrazzo Floor:
The floor was left to dry overnight, and the following morning I returned to seal it with two coats of Tile Doctors X-tra Seal. This oil-based, breathable sealer was chosen to enhance the strong colours in the Terrazzo floor. After leaving each coat on for 5 minutes, I removed any surplus sealer and polished the floor with a clean white cotton cloth. Allowing older floors to “breathe” is an important consideration, as it prevents moisture in the subfloor from causing issues like rising damp.
The end result showcases this lovely original floor. To maintain the floor, I recommended using Tile Doctors PH Neutral Cleaner to protect the sealer while cleaning the floor.
