Designing with White Terrazzo
By: Brad Hedges
White has historically been a very important color in architecture. It has the ability to exhibit darks, lights, and shadows. White terrazzo is the perfect way to define a space in a beautiful and sophisticated manner. White is also timeless, so it doesn’t go in and out of style. White terrazzo accepts and embraces anything that you put next to it.
When selecting white terrazzo, designers often want the whitest and purest white. Designers can choose from crushed white marbles and glass. Marbles naturally have variation and veining, whereas white or crystal clear glass will be more consistent. Below is a comparison of some of the most popular white aggregates all cast into a white resin for a side-by-side comparison.
Polar White glass offers the whitest and purest white. Just like diamonds, you pay for this purity. The polar white glass is a premium material and will add a few dollars a square foot; however, you do gain 70% post-consumer recycled content.
A close second is Blanco Mexicano, in my opinion the best all-around choice. It’s the most consistent white marble, has a minimal cost, and also includes post-consumer recycled content.
Some designers may not want a bright white but rather an off white. If that’s the case, we’d encourage you to simply select a color from any paint manufacturer’s color fan deck, and we can match the resin and help you select a complementary aggregate mix.
Another thing to consider when specifying a white terrazzo floor is the floor finish. White floors will show black scuffs more than any other color. Scuff marks come from soft, low-quality sealers. This nominal coating can have a make-or-break effect on your white floor. Make sure to specify and reject any substitute sealers. For a sealed floor we recommend TRx coating. It’s a high-quality, durable, and hard coating that is certified high traction. Alternatively, you may consider specifying a high polish that removes the topical coating, such as Diamond Floor Enhancement. This provides a beautiful and easy-to-maintain floor finish that is also very scuff resistant.
Lastly, in today’s market it’s popular to specify brass divider strips with white terrazzo. It’s a great look! However, note it is possible for the brass strip to have an adverse reaction to water and cause a bluing along the strips. More on this in a separate post, but make sure to consult with your terrazzo rep for details.
Terrazzo & Marble’s White Collection encapsulates popular variations of white terrazzo. If you don’t find what you are looking for, please contact your local rep for custom samples.
Please enjoy some of our other favorite projects featuring white terrazzo.
For additional Terrazzo Installation photos, please check out our Terrazzo Gallery!
