Mosaic floors: variety of materials and technologies

Marble chips are one of the most interesting finishing materials. It is used in facade decoration, steps, tabletops and window sills are made from it, and it also makes elegant mosaic floors. Let's figure out what features this flooring has, what technologies are used to make it, and what characteristics it has.

Mosaic terrazzo floors in the interior of the living room Source tilebar.com

What is a concrete mosaic floor called?

The classic mosaic floor made from marble chips contains only natural ingredients: lime or its derivatives (cement mixtures), as well as crushed marble of different shades. Mosaic concrete coverings can be seen in educational and medical institutions, in hotel lobbies and corridors, in shopping areas and industrial premises.

Mosaic concrete, like any natural material, has an ancient history. The first prototypes of decorative coverings existed in Ancient Rome. The technology was developed in the Venetian Republic, where it became known as “terrazzo”. Since the 16th century, screed-based terrazzo floors have spread throughout Europe; in Russia they were designed for the palaces of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

A mixture of concrete and crushed marble of different shades allows you to obtain a mosaic surface, which, unlike the marble itself, has a characteristic speckled texture. Modern mixtures include polymer compositions and various additives.

Characteristic texture of terrazzo Source poly-msk.ru

How is terrazzo used in interiors today?

The products are used not only for floor coverings. Sometimes they are used to make accents on the kitchen apron and bathroom walls. Items made of terrazzo in the form of furniture sets, lamps and other household items are surprising. The color and texture of concrete briquettes allow you to imitate the colors of animals and textiles. The stone has always been distinguished by its special style, richness and effectiveness. Designers very often use finishing to implement the loft and hi-tech style. The tiles highlight the industrial motifs of the big city well. For this, gray, brown and brick shades are chosen. Great opportunities open up for specialists when creating a bathroom in an oriental style. Products with patterns reminiscent of the baths of Ancient Rome are placed here. The seamless nature of the tiles visually expands the space of the room.

Advantages and disadvantages

Mosaic floors are considered an attractive solution. They give any room an elegant look; You can choose their colors based on your own tastes and design goals. The popularity of terrazzo is explained by the following set of performance characteristics:

• Increased compressive strength of the mosaic floor. Compared to standard concrete pavement, it increases by 70-120%.
• Increased resistance to impact loads (for example, an accidentally dropped cup will not damage such a floor).
• Wear resistance. Due to its low abrasion, the coating is suitable for high-traffic areas.
• Water resistance. A floor with a mosaic texture is suitable for rooms with high humidity, such as a bathroom or kitchen.
• The coating is not afraid of elevated temperatures; suitable for a room with heated floors.
• The material does not fade under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and does not emit harmful substances. It is easy to clean and inert to household chemicals.

Owners choose a self-leveling floor with marble chips, focusing on the following properties:

• High production speed using pouring technology. The terrazzo imitation coating is completely ready for use within 6-8 days.

Terrazzo is a practical coating with low abrasion Source radugakeramiki.ru

• If necessary, you can make a thin (from 15 mm) and ultra-thin (from 6-8 mm) layer; in this case, the filler is also selected as fine. By reducing the thickness, the cost of terrazzo flooring is significantly reduced.

The following features of the self-leveling floor are considered disadvantages:

• The coverage can hardly be called budget.
• Making a floor with a complex pattern or design takes a lot of time.
• The use of a low-quality composition and violation of technology can result in a decrease in the decorative quality of the surface (it may turn yellow).
• At home, the floor must be supplemented with a heating system, and this results in additional costs.

Types of mosaic floors by type of binder

Thanks to modern technologies, mosaic floors made of marble chips have become more diverse in composition. In addition to cement and marble chips, they contain crushed quartz and granite, and various polymer additives. Modern floor coverings are divided into three types based on the type of binder.

Cement

Classic coating has the following features:

• The binder is Portland cement.
• The laying technology is standard, as for a concrete mixture.

Terrazzo with large texture Source importers.co.il

• The thickness of the coating starts from 5 cm, the thickness of the filler is up to 2 cm.
• It is possible to use reinforcement (depending on the installation location).
• If it is necessary to reduce the price of the material, use a ready-made concrete mixture (produced at a mortar-concrete unit).
• The finished terrazzo mosaic floor is sanded and then impregnated with a polyurethane impregnation. This allows the pattern (filler) to appear well on the surface. The treated surface becomes sealed and dust free, making it easier to keep in order.

Polymer-cement

The composition is characterized by the following features:

• The binder consists of a mixture of Portland cement and special polymer modifiers.
• When laying, the technology of thin-layer concrete screed is used.
• The composition allows you to form a thin (from 1.5 cm) screed, which can be useful in rooms with a low ceiling.
• The thickness of the filler is limited by the thickness of the finished coating; with a minimum of 1.5 cm it does not exceed 1 cm.
• To obtain purer, brighter colors, regular cement can be replaced with white. A mosaic floor will be more expensive, but will have improved decorative qualities.

Using mixtures of different shades Source beton-house.com

• The polymer-cement mixture is prepared directly on site; You can use a forced or inertial type concrete mixer.
• Before starting work, the base is primed without contact, which helps increase its adhesion. It is important that the surface is clean and dry when applying primer.
• The finished polymer-cement coating is polished or impregnated with polyurethane impregnation.

Polymer concrete

The polymer concrete mosaic floor meets the following parameters:

• The binding component is a polymer composition (polyurethane or epoxy).
• The technology of quartz-filled self-leveling floors is used for the arrangement.
• The thickness of polymer concrete coatings varies from 20 to 50 mm.
• The filler is quartz sand, possibly with pigment; size starts from 0.5 mm.
• For decorative purposes, a variety of flocks, sparkles, glitters (acrylic, metallized, reflective) are added; particles can have different shapes, sizes and colors.

Seamless texture of mosaic floor Source stroyka-gid.ru

• To create the front layer, transparent polymer compounds are used that increase the moisture resistance of the surface.

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in finishing materials and related work

On the principles of creating a decorative effect

The decorative properties of floors made of marble chips are formed in the following ways:

• If you need a light floor, use white Portland cement; for a dark coating, prepare a solution based on Portland cement grades M400 and higher.
• For laying colored coatings, colored Portland cement is chosen, the use of which is regulated by the technical standards of GOST 15825.
• Mineral pigments can be used to color the composition. The more there are, the more intense the shade will be, the maximum possible amount in the composition is 15% (by weight).
• Alkali- and ultraviolet-resistant substances (for example, manganese peroxide, chromium oxide) are used as pigments. Mineral additives are ground in a paint grinder and added to the mixture in the form of a suspension.

Mosaic floor with a mirror surface Source yandex.net

• General rule: the size of marble chips granules should not exceed 60% (0.6) of the thickness of the floor itself.

As a rule, mixtures with the following proportions are used for terrazzo mosaic concrete floors: crumbs occupy 75-80%, and cement 20-25%. Only in this case will the surface have the correct mosaic texture. It is important to carefully ensure that no foreign inclusions get into the composition, and that the filler is distributed evenly and does not form lumps.

Decorative mixtures

There are many recipes for obtaining mosaic floors in the required palette; The following mixtures are often used (dry ingredients are indicated in parts, pigment - in% of the total weight):

• Black mosaic floor. 3 parts black stone chips, 1 part cement (grade M400 and higher), 5% manganese peroxide.
• Light. 1 part cement of the same quality, 0.3 parts white stone flour, 2 parts crumbs of choice.

Color palette of popular terrazzo shades Source elitsmesi.ru

• Red and white. 1 part Portland cement (M400 and above), 3 parts white chips, 3% red lead (powder, rich brown-red iron oxide).
• Black and white. 1 part Portland cement of the same quality, 3 parts crumbs of any light-colored mineral, 12.5% ​​manganese peroxide.
• Yellow. 1 part white Portland cement, 3 parts yellow stone chips (for example, zlatolite), 10% dry ocher (pigment).
• With granite surface effect. 1 part Portland cement, 1 part white marble, 2 parts granite chips.

Variety of fillers

In the Middle Ages, crushed terracotta served as floor filler in Venice, then it was replaced everywhere by marble chips. Today, the appearance of mosaic floors has become much more diverse thanks to the use of the following materials:

• Minerals. Crumbs of natural origin are used; In addition to marble, slate, granite or, for example, semi-precious serpentine or jasper are allowed. Preference is given to traditional marble chips; it can have different shades, sizes and textures.

Mixture with natural and polymer fillers Source dekorator-s.ru

• Sand. Sand additives are used in the form of fractions no larger than 1-2 mm. The sand is pre-sifted and washed.
• Metals. Particles of metallized foil made of aluminum, bronze or copper are used.

A universal decorative material is chips (flocks) - particles of paint or polymers (for example, vinyl), or glitter - polymer sparkles. The flock palette is more diverse, containing matte, neon and mirror varieties. The palette of vinyl chips is close to natural colors; they are suitable for simulating natural minerals.

Flocks are applied to the newly applied coating; if it is poured, then after rolling with a needle roller. There are three application methods:

• The chips are tossed up so that they are more evenly distributed over the surface. With this method, the material consumption is 20-80 g per square meter.

Composition with contrasting color selection Source wallsandfloors.co.uk

• The surface is covered with a continuous layer, the consumption increases to 80-100 g per square.
• Use a pneumatic spray gun. The air jet blows particles into the coating, creating a more complex, three-dimensional effect. Material consumption will be maximum, 200-700 g per square.

After backfilling, the mixture is allowed to dry, then the floor is cleaned in different ways: with a brush, sandpaper or spatula. Then the surface is dusted and covered with one or two layers of varnish.

Terrazzo tiles (photo): types, production technology, pros and cons, installation

Modern high-quality tiles are durable, aesthetically pleasing and accessible to almost all segments of the population. In the old days, only wealthy people could afford to buy such a product. Now, thanks to innovative technologies, it is easy to purchase samples identical in appearance to products made from natural products.

About the intricacies of making a seamless concrete mosaic floor

There are SNiP standards (2.03.13-88 “Floors”) related to mosaic floors made of marble chips; the technology is based on the following restrictions:

• The traditional thickness for seamless terrazzo floors does not exceed 30 mm.
• Parameters of marble chips: size no more than 15 mm, and it should not exceed 0.6 of the thickness of the floor.

Installation of mosaic floors with dividers Source ppt-online.org
The rules apply to cement and polymer-cement mixtures; The thickness of polymer varieties when applied does not exceed 5-10 mm.

To obtain a durable coating, the microclimate of the room is important. The higher the quality of the terrazza screed, the more humid the air. At low humidity, additional moistening of the coating is carried out. To do this, the fresh mosaic-concrete surface is covered with sand (or sawdust) and moistened using a hose with a watering nozzle.

You also need to remember about the characteristics of concrete. This material gains 70% strength within the first 24 hours; It will take about a month to achieve design strength (depending on humidity and temperature). The first week after installation is considered critical; during this time it is better not to load the floor at all. If it is necessary to speed up the hardening process, additives are added to the mixture to increase strength.

Seamless concrete floor in the interior of an apartment Source hsmedia.ru

Making cement and polymer-cement concrete terrazzo mosaic floors

The installation of terrazzo mosaic floors using classical technology is considered a creative task, and therefore requires attention and accuracy from the performer at all stages of the work. The quality of the future coating also depends on the preparation of the rough surface, which has the following requirements:

• The surface must be so level that the average deviation from the plane does not exceed 5 mm. Smaller defects (scratches or bumps) are allowed.
• The surface should be dense and uniform, without dirt, peeling, or efflorescence.

Therefore, the rough layer is leveled, significant defects are sealed with a cement-sand mixture, and thoroughly cleaned (it is better to use a construction vacuum cleaner). It is useful to strengthen the material with a specialized primer, and before applying terrazzo, be sure to moisten it with water.

Metal or glass strands are used to separate colors Source yandex.net

Before making a marble floor, markings are made: using a level, marks are placed around the perimeter, setting the height of the finished floor. Guide beacons are installed along the clean level (in increments of 1.5-2 m). They will help in pouring a solid one-color floor, and especially in pouring sections (spruce design includes various shades, shapes or patterns). It is also convenient to apply marking lines for sectional floors using a tapping cord.

Let's get started - the first steps are simple

We clean the place where we plan to install the bathtub. At this stage, you need to clear the site down to bare concrete - the structure under construction will become an integral part of your bathroom. After such careful preparation, apply a couple of layers of primer to the site to ensure high-quality and reliable adhesion of the walls of the room and the floor base to the font being built.

The next step is the formation of the frame of the future structure. For this purpose, metal rods with a cross section of about 7 mm are used. They should be used to create a single structure for the outer wall and floor. The frame, in addition, must be attached to the load-bearing walls.

Pro tip! In bathrooms with small areas, it is advisable to place a concrete bath between opposite wall surfaces so that the existing load-bearing walls become part of the bathing structure. Then you will need to build only one wall (external). This means you can save a lot of building materials and complete all construction activities as quickly as possible.

Video description

About making a mosaic floor in the following video:
To create patterns, special separating cores with a thickness of 4-5 mm are used. They can be glass or metal (copper, brass); To fix the cores, use special fasteners or place them on a solution. After installing the cores, perform the following operations:

• Pour the composition between the guides, with a slight influx on the beacons (this is necessary for proper compaction).
• The lighthouses are dismantled, their traces are filled with solution.
• The fresh solution is tamped, manually (tamper and trowel) or using equipment (for example, a vibrating screed). The operation smoothes and compacts the concrete layer and compacts the protruding edges of the filler.

Sanding a mosaic floor Source pol-exp.com

Brick font - do you need such a design?

Brick baths are built quite rarely. They are usually built in the following cases:

1. If you are planning to turn a standard bathroom into a combined bathroom.
2. If the swimming room in your home is large (you can make not just a bathroom, but your own brick pool).
3. If you want to create an exquisite and very original bathroom according to an exclusive design project.

Brick bath

Before you start building a brick bathtub, think carefully about whether you need it. This type of font has several serious disadvantages. Its construction requires knowledge of the rules for laying bricks. The operation itself takes quite a long time (especially when a structure of complex shape is being built). And caring for a brick bathtub is significantly more difficult than caring for a concrete, cast iron or acrylic product.

But a brick bath has many advantages. It is very durable and easy to use (usually the depth of such bathtubs is greater in acrylic or cast iron bathtubs). And the cost of its construction, with a competent approach to the work, will be quite affordable.

Making a polymer self-leveling floor with imitation terrazzo

Since the technology involves the creation of a very thin polymer coating, the preparation of the rough surface must be especially careful. The plane is leveled with a maximum deviation of 2 mm per meter (no more than 5 mm for the entire size), then cleaned and a special primer is applied to create a rough layer.

Self-leveling floor with imitation of natural texture Source promdekorpol.com.ua

A self-leveling floor that imitates terrazzo (like other varieties) practically does not require finishing level markings or beacons. The mixture itself is distributed in an even layer under the influence of gravity, and the difference between the finished and subfloor is a couple of millimeters. At this stage, the floor is marked for installation of veins.

When the veins are installed, the solution is poured onto the surface; Excess air is removed using a needle roller. If it is necessary for the coating to be uniform, there should be enough mixture to fill the entire area. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to avoid color difference.

When the floor is ready, special wax is applied to it and processed using a polishing machine. The procedure not only polishes, but also compacts the decorative layer, which has a beneficial effect on its strength.

Seamless mosaic covering in a modern interior Source homespure.com

Bringing a concrete bath to condition - instructions

After 3 days, dismantle the formwork (the procedure should be performed as carefully as possible, remember that the concrete has not yet become completely monolithic) and plaster the font. At this stage of work, you level all the surfaces of the bathtub and give it the planned configuration. Activities are carried out using the rule of small geometric dimensions and a construction trowel.

After plastering, creating rounded or right angles and leveling the structure, treat it with a primer. Now you need to wait about 10 days. They are needed for final drying and hardening of the solution.

Plastering a concrete bath

There are mere little things left. It is necessary to properly tile the bathtub. Before doing this, apply a primer to all its parts (preferably in two layers). The mosaic gives the bath an attractive appearance. It is used for bathtubs with rounded corners. The mosaic is first mounted on a fiberglass reinforcing mesh, then the adhesive is applied to the concrete bath with a notched trowel and part of the mosaic is installed. It needs to be lightly pressed into the surface.

Then place the next piece of mosaic trim. The whole procedure will be quite long and painstaking. But you will have a font with an impeccable appearance. After installing the entire mosaic, grout the tiles (the seams between the finishing elements) with special compounds. You were able to make a bath with your own hands!

Briefly about the main thing

Terrazzo mosaic floors have remained in demand since the time of the Venetian Republic, and today they can be found in a wide variety of spaces. The mosaic-concrete floor performs two functions: decorative and leveling, and is suitable for use in a country house.

There are three types of terrazzo floors, differing in the type of binder. To impart decorative qualities, fillers of natural and artificial origin are used, as well as pigments to enhance color.

The technology for making cement and polymer-cement mosaic floors differs from making polymer self-leveling floors. It requires careful marking of both the floor level and the location of the dividing conductors. The self-leveling installation takes less time, but also includes a final polish.