What is Terrazzo?
{{Refimprove|date=September 2015}} [[File:Rettenbach 8.jpg|thumb|Plain terazzo floor in a German church]] '''Terrazzo''' is a building material that has the cross-section of polished rock chips decorating its appearance. It is a [[composite material]] made up of chips surrounded by a [[binder]]. It is poured in place or precast. It is used for floors or walls. It consists of [[marble]], [[quartz]], [[granite]], [[glass]] or other suitable chips, sprinkled or unsprinkled, and poured with a binder that is cement-like, chemical or a combination of both. Terrazzo is cured, ground and polished to a smooth surface. Sometimes, it is finished to produce a uniformly textured surface that is not flat. == Production == [[File:Post Office-55401-c.jpg|thumb|A modern terrazzo floor]] Terrazzo artisans create walkways, floors, [[patio]]s, and panels by exposing marble chips and other fine aggregates on the surface of finished [[concrete]] or [[epoxy]]-resin. Much of the preliminary work of terrazzo workers is similar to that of [[cement masons]]. Marble-chip, cementitious terrazzo requires three layers of materials. First, cement masons or terrazzo workers build a solid, level concrete foundation that is 3 to 4 inches (7.6 cm to 10&nbsp;cm) deep. After the forms are removed from the foundation, workers add a 1-inch (2.54 cm) layer of sandy concrete. Before this layer sets, terrazzo workers partially embed metal divider strips in the concrete wherever there is to be a joint or change of color in the terrazzo. For the final layer, terrazzo workers blend and place into each of the panels a fine marble chip mixture that may be color-pigmented. While the mixture is still wet, workers toss additional marble chips of various colors into each panel and roll a lightweight roller over the entire surface. In the 1970s, [[polymer]]-based terrazzo was introduced and is called thin-set terrazzo. Initially polyester and [[vinyl ester]] resins were used as the binder resin. Today, most of the terrazzo installed is epoxy terrazzo. The adv