Daltile snuck these in on me: Authentic terrazzo tiles. Terrazzo is a wonderful authentic retro product for mid-century renovations — and this is the first product of its kind that I have seen. To be sure, buying terrazzo tiles is gonna be a lot easier than trying to find someone to lay a complete (albeit seamless) terrazzo floor. These terrazzo tiles are available in 19 color ways, as either 12″-, 16″-, or 24″-squares. The 24″ squares are almost an inch thick.
It looks like Daltile is specifying these for living area floors — not bathrooms or kitchens or places where water would likely spill and the terrazzo could get slippery. And, you can put them on walls. Remember, this is essentially polished marble — the terrazzo are ‘marble chips’. In my mind, terrazzo always has been a floor most appropropriate for warm climates … it’s a cold surface. In fact, get yourself a 24″ square of this tile – and you could use it to roll out pie crusts, I bet! Many thanks to reader Kimberly — a new homeowner (woo hoo!) for spotting these tiles first, I saw them in her flickr photostream. Can’t wait to see your house, K! Here’s the link to the Daltile page.
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Great find Pam! This should be easier for folks to get than the other manufacturer out there, Fritztile. Fritz has many more colors, and is generally sold as commercial flooring. I wanted this in the worst way for my bathrooms, but after talking with a flooring contractor out here (CA) who said this stuff is gorgeous, but runs about $18-$25 per square foot installed.
For anyone interested, here is the Fritztile website, checkout each link on the left side menu to see all their colors/patterns.
http://fritztile.com/tile/CL-200/
While it’s certainly true that terrazzo floors are idea for warmer climes (my aunt had one installed when they built their new Florida home in the ’50s), do remember that there are those among us with just enough dumb luck to have bought a li’l ole post-modest house with radiant-heated floors. A-h-h-h…And if I had my way,’druthers, the Vermont Blue slate dining room and the steps up from the DR up to the stone floor front vestibule would be yanked done, too. I’ve had repeated estimates in the $$$$$$$$-range to restore these badly decomposed things,, which would be awfully nice. But since we already have toasty floors, the beauty of terrazzo beckons like the sirens..
When I was in college my family’s house had a beautiful terazzo floor in the kitchen. It had one seam between the kitchen area and the breakfast area.
I have to say, I did not appreciate that house like I should have. It was a beauty.
Sarah, do you know if you can use terrazzo as the flooring when you have radiant heat? Thanks, Rebecca
Oh swoon! I was just looking at a house that has gorgeous original terazzo floors (under terrible 80′s carpet). They were pitched to me as a maintenance headache. On closer investigation, they don’t seem any worse than wood on a day to day basis, and they seem to last quite a bit longer with proper care. Anyone have any feedback about care to share?
Hi Virginia,
I have a 50s built home in south FL with off-white terrazzo floors throughout. Until I had them professionally refinished a couple of years ago I hated terrazzo. Now that the floors have been PROFESSIONALLY refinished they are a dream and like glass, in sheen only. So easy to clean with a T-Mop and a bucket of water with a few drops of Joy dish detergent and a few drops of bleach, if needed. With the Joy there is no rinsing or towel drying necessary. The refinishing was well worth the expenditure because that’s what finally sealed and permanently shined the terrazzo making them so easy to care for and clean. A Swiffer for intermittent cleaning is also a wonder. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Also, when the central heat is on the floor is warm.
There is a 1958-built community center here in Sacramento with a two-sided grand fireplace that uses a terrazzo ledge. They used a terrazzo that is *exactly* like the middle bottom row in the swatch set above and it is stunning!
My store in Florida is a complete poured slab of terrazzo- a whole city block long! All the storefronts are built on top of the slab.
Houses have them in abundance here in Miami, and in all colors. I was thinking about the Vermont Slate flooring for my breezeway in Michigan where I have a great MCM ranch. Floor’s just concrete in there now, house has hardwood.
Any ideas? Slate or terrazzo. It does get cold in winter!
Daltile also has recycled glass terrazzo that comes in a beautiful blue. We’re looking at using Daltile’s terrazzo in our entire house here in Las Vegas. Can’t wait!
http://daltileproducts.com/series.cfm?series=291&rm=4
In case anyone is looking for it, in 2007 I got my 12′ recycled glass terrazzo tiles from Wausau Tile. I think it was $8/sf + shipping, 500 sf minimum.
Cold feet? Wear slippers! An anecdote: my grandparents had terrazzo in their Florida room and I used to rollerskate there because the room was so big and unfurnished. Crashed into the piano… broke my wrist. Terrazzo can be dangerous, folks (both for your pocket book and your body!) I love the “pink champagne” one
My entire house is original solid slab terrazzo and we absolutely love it. Very easy maintainance, however, if you spill something you should not let it sit on the floor for long. Nothing different really than wood floors. It can be slippery, so be careful! Put some great rugs on the floor and you are good to go!
we are considering making an offer on a really swell 1963 house, terrazo and maple wood floors throughout. no one has has played with her original bones, she just needs sme body to love her again…one thing that has me stumped, what to do with the original barbque pit in the kitchen? When one steps in you feel out of place without a Martini or two…thoughts on that barbq? anyone? many thanks,ck
ck-why can’t you leave the bbq? sounds fab! did you buy the house?
Has anyone recently installed Terazzo floors? If so, where and which company’s tiles did you get?
I have now put two terrazzo kitchen counters in two different mid-cent ranch homes! The terrazzo came in a “slab” from Italy – “Bisazza” is the maker – the slab (or tile) is very thin – it’s almost like shards of glass in a resin that’s been polished. I’ve never had any stains occur – red wine, oils, food coloring, etc.
I had a really difficult time finding a contractor to lay the slabs and “finish” them – but they look stunning.
It was pricey – like granite – but really gives the home that 1950s-60 feel – that’s what I was going for – I wanted a counter without grout lines, and that wouldn’t stain, but looked as though it might have come with the house. With the terrazzo, the look was achieved.
Wow, for the counters? Sounds great. What do you have for flooring in these kitchens?
Piping in LATE here, but man oh man, do I ever love that spearmint colour of terrazzo!!! I would love a whole house done in that. As for, better suited for southern climates, my cousin who, like me, lives in the city affectionately known as ‘Winterpeg’ put in tile in her amazing renovated (but not, alas, retro) kitchen. She first had floor radiant heating put in, as part of her reno. And wow, it is so toasty warm you don’t want to leave the kitchen.
Pam, I know and fully understand that you don’t want prices put in this part of the blog. But what I would really appreciate seeing is some kind of general price comparison of various surfaces or materials. So, a list from cheapest to most expensive for various options for retro flooring or countertops. It would be great to know where on the scale terrazzo is. Of course, more $ than vinyl sheeting or marmoleum/linoleum. And terrazzo tile is less $ than poured terrazzo. But… is terrazzo tile comparable to wood flooring, for instance? I would love to see a list, showing what might be comparable in price from cheapest to most expensive, and all the retro-friendly options. My two cents.