| Terrazzo is one of the most time-tested of building | | | | S.C. T.B. Penick & Sons, Inc., the San Diego-based |
| materials. It was used in palaces, courtyards, | | | | general contractor with a specialty in the installation |
| assembly halls, villas and bathhouses during the height | | | | of high-end terrazzo projects, was involved in this |
| of the Roman Empire. Many of those ancient | | | | creative flooring project, which included a food court |
| structures are still intact. When the ruins of Pompeii | | | | with a multi-colored, highly focal terrazzo floor |
| were unearthed, the forgotten terrazzo floors were | | | | design.This food court had beautiful shapes which |
| virtually undamaged. Terrazzo is an historic and very | | | | were achieved by pouring the terrazzo into |
| strong, enduring -- and endearing flooring product.The | | | | waterjet-cut aluminum forms. This was a project that |
| National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association defines | | | | included intricate images that had to be re-created in |
| terrazzo as "a material consisting of marble, granite, | | | | terrazzo to exactly replicate the artist's original |
| onyx or glass chips in Portland cement, modified | | | | drawings.Retail construction executives should know |
| Portland cement or resinous matrix. The terrazzo is | | | | about waterjet technology. The process is a |
| poured, cured, ground and polished. Typically used as | | | | computerized, cold cutting technology that can cut |
| a finish for floors, stairs or walls, Terrazzo can be | | | | most materials into any two-dimensional shape. |
| poured in place or precast."There has been a | | | | Marble, granite, porcelain, ceramic, linoleum, sports |
| renaissance in the usage of terrazzo over the last | | | | flooring, vinyl, and all metals are excellent materials |
| decade. According to Jim Belilove, president and CEO | | | | for the waterjet process. Waterjet cutting does not |
| of Fairfield, Iowa's, Creative Edge Corp., "Terrazzo is | | | | heat, harden or distort metals. Those are some other |
| now offered with an epoxy matrix. This is stronger | | | | reasons why the aluminum forms into which terrazzo |
| than the cementitious material which was the | | | | was to be poured at Coastal Grand Mall's food court |
| traditional binder. Epoxy doesn't crack, can be offered | | | | were best cut by waterjet.Anything that can be |
| in many more and much brighter colors, the color | | | | drawn on a computer can be cut by waterjet. Many |
| does not fade, and curing time is much less. Terrazzo | | | | materials like stone, porcelain, and stainless steel |
| with an epoxy matrix can also accommodate larger | | | | cannot economically be cut into complex shapes in |
| chips ... and the thickness of the material, even for a | | | | any other way. Terrazzo is more versatile than most |
| major industrial application, can be just 3/8 inches | | | | developers or designers can imagine. For example, it |
| thick."Additionally, with computerized waterjet | | | | can be poured onto many different substrates, or |
| technology, shapes into which the terrazzo are | | | | right over existing floor materials such as concrete, |
| poured can be cut perfectly over and over again," | | | | vinyl tile, ceramic/porcelain tile or even wood.It is still |
| Belilove says. "As a result, designs for stores or malls | | | | ideal for any retail construction project, particularly |
| can be duplicated quickly and without worrying about | | | | those that have heavy foot traffic.Harri Aalto is |
| the visual differentiation from one hand-formed | | | | cofounder and Creative Director of Creative Edge |
| shape to another."A good example of a major retail | | | | Master Shop, a leader in the architectural design |
| installation which featured waterjet technology can | | | | community. He designs many of the company's |
| be found at the Grand Coastal Mall in Myrtle Beach, | | | | projects, including Terrazzo Floors. |