Restroom Terrazzo

In today's post we are going to discuss the use of epoxy terrazzo in a restroom application.

Terrazzo commonly comes to mind for use in a restroom application because it's seamless, there are no grout joints to keep clean. Furthermore, the epoxy terrazzo binder is impervious and has excellent chemical resistance to withstand the harsh bathroom environment.

Keep in mind that the epoxy binder only accounts for about %30 of the material by weight. The remaining 70% is aggregate. It is common for natural stone such marble to be used in the terrazzo mix. For optimal performance in restroom application, I recommend specifying 100% granite, glass or porcelain so you end up with a seamless and impervious terrazzo surface. Ultimately, this will hold up the best in the long run.

We also recommend restroom terrazzo floors be sealed with a high quality chemical resistant sealer such as Trx Coating or a Water Based Urethane. Urine is a harsh substance and we need a durable chemically resistant sealer to properly perform. While terrazzo is a low maintenance product, restrooms are a high maintenance area and need regular attention, particularly in the drip zone.

I do like using porcelain tile in the drip zone and then pouring the terrazzo up to it, such as shown below.

Many of our designers opt to specify a sanitary cove base to complement the terrazzo flooring. This eliminates the ninety degree angle that can catch dirt and keeps a consistent radius from the floor up the wall, allowing for easy cleaning.

While terrazzo is an easy floor to maintain and typically requires low maintenance, be mindful that a restroom is a heavy use environment and will require more frequent cleaning than other public areas of the building.

We recommend the janitorial staff to daily clean the floors routinely, particularly around urinals and toilets to get the urine off the floor surface. This will keep your floor looking good.

We hope you found this post helpful and as always we are here to help if you have any questions. Thanks!