Monday, September 3, 2007

By Alan Mayr

Chief Operating Officer

MARBLELIFE, Inc.

If your home was built between 1920 and 1950 there is a good chance that you have a terrazzo treasure underneath that carpet or tile in the foyer or basement.

Terrazzo floors are intricate colored concrete with broken marble chips. Often multi-colored these floors were colorful architectural decoration of the times. Today terrazzo has all but disappeared in residential homes, relegated to use in new schools or large commercial buildings where its concrete like durability accompanied with its architectural flexibility make it an architectural favorite.

The ability to restore terrazzo and marble floors is a fairly new development. In fact prior to the late 1970’s restoration or maintenance services were not readily available. As such, as foot traffic dulled the original finish floors were covered by carpet or vinyl tile. Today, techniques exist to remove dull areas, restore the original gloss finish, repair cracks and chips. In effect, the reason many of these surfaces were originally covered no longer exists. Further, it is less expensive to remove the carpet or tile and restore the floor than to retile. This means that if you are living in a 1920 to 1950 historical home, you may have a terrazzo floor hidden away you did not know about. A restored terrazzo floor adds substantial value, and historic charm. Take a peak under that carpet or tile.

When carpet is installed over a terrazzo floor carpet grips are nailed into the terrazzo floor, creating a one inch hole when removed. Today, technology exists to determine the stone type, stone size, distribution of stone sizes and color of the cement used in the original terrazzo construction, and to re-mix and color match with sufficient accuracy that the repairs blend into the floor. If you did not know they were there you would not be able to find them.

Marrying modern stone restoration techniques with a historic artistry companies like MARBLELIFE can assist you in restoring the historic character of your home. With more than 45 locations across the country, MARBLELIFE is the largest supplier of such services. Interested in getting an estimate or learning more information of this forgotten art you can locate the nearest restoration expert, and request a free estimate at www.marblelife.com. While you are at it, they will be happy to provide you information on how to maintain your terrazzo treasure so that it looks like it has just been installed, forever. Using the appropriate cleaners, sealers and care you can maintain your terrazzo’s original appearance indefinitely.

So take a peek under the carpet and see if you aren’t walking across a terrazzo treasure in your basement, foyer, kitchen or bathroom.

For a FREE onsite estimate visit us at www.marblelife.com, enter your zip code and find your local MARBLELIFE trained office.