Terrazzo tiles
User manual and technical info
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Cleaning and care
The terrazzo tiles from Focus Plus are made with marble grains and cement in different colours. For cleaning, protection and care, we recommend using products with a neutral pH (7 to 10) because terrazzo materials are an acid-sensitive product.
The first cleaning
The first cleaning after installation is very important to ensure a lasting beauty and to maintain the high value of the material over many years. After installation, we recommend removing cement residues and dirt as soon as possible. An inadequate or late cleaning after installation may change the appearance of the surface.
After the mortar is completely dry, it is recommended to clean the surfaces with a stone care agent suitable for natural stone. Before proceeding to use stone care products, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Here you can use “Basic cleaning” from Stonetreatment, for example.
Treatment/impregnation
After the initial cleaning, it is recommended to provide a protective treatment with a waterproofing sealer to increase stain resistance and to make future cleaning easy.
Before grouting and impregnation/sealing, the terrazzo must be dry. To speed up the drying process, you can separate the tiles when you receive them so that they can air and dry. This is done after delivery and before installation.
The impregnation is applied on top of both tiles and grout – preferably two rounds of impregnation in the shower area.
IMPORTANT: It is important that it is untreated terrazzo materials that are laid. It is not recommended to impregnate terrazzo materials BEFORE they are laid, as this means that the terrazzo materials and mortar will not be able to dry optimally. Sealing the terrazzo materials means that moisture can only escape through the open joints.
The possible consequences of a suboptimal drying process can be color differences and unevenness with cracks.
In addition, the joints remain untreated when the impregnation takes place before installation, and therefore an extra treatment is still necessary.
Regular cleaning
For a regular cleaning, we recommend using only warm water with a neutral pH cleaner (pH value 7 to 10) – without additives.
What you need to know
Avoid acidic products (pH < 7), such as vinegar, wine, lemon juice and some cleaning agents, etc., as they can damage the surface of the terrazzo materials. Alkaline products (pH > 10), solvents or abrasives can also damage the surfaces.
Cleaning products
For cleaning, protecting and maintaining terrazzo materials from Focus Plus, Stonetreatment is recommended. Stonetreatment’s products are PH-neutral and are specially developed for exactly this type of natural stone.
Technical Specifications (Terrazzo)
When planning to renovate, it is important to choose materials that are appropriate for the technical circumstances. Therefore, it is particularly important to pay attention to whether the chosen materials are suitable for the specific project – including whether the material is suitable for the intended purpose.
To better understand whether you are choosing the right material, pay attention to conditions such as bending resistance, abrasion resistance, water absorption and anti-slip class.
Bending resistance
The flexural resistance is the limit value of load performed at three points that a product sample can bear without breakage. This limit value is expressed as N/mm2=MPa.
In accordance with standard EN 13748-1, a test of four product samples must have an average value of ≥ 5.00 MPa. In addition, each product sample test must not have a value of < 4.00 MPa. Terrazzo materials from Focus Plus have a value between 7.9 – 12.1 MPa.
Durability
Abrasion resistance refers to the ability of materials to withstand wear and tear caused by high foot traffic and mechanical equipment (pallet trucks, forklifts or similar).
The value is expressed as cm³/50cm².
According to the EN 13748-1 standard, the value must be ≤ 30 cm³/50 cm² when the test has been carried out in accordance with Bohemia.
For terrazzo materials that are designed to be exposed to an abrasive environment, these materials are required to be of class III or II (see table). For terrazzo materials that are designed to be exposed to a specific abrasive environment, class I may be required.
The wear resistance of materials is classified into these 3 classes (see table below):
| Klasse | Maksimal værdi af hver test Tab af volumen (DIN 52108) |
|---|---|
| I | 18 cm³ / 50cm² |
| II | 20 cm³ / 50cm² |
| III | 26 cm³ / 50cm² |
Water absorption
Water absorption is the amount of water a material can absorb based on the material’s degree of porosity.
According to the EN 13748-1 standard, the test must not exceed 8%.
Terrazzo materials from Focus Plus that are untreated and materials that are not impregnated have a value between 4.2 – 5.2%. After impregnation (which is only recommended after installation and only on completely dry surfaces), the value can be between 2 – 2.5%.
Anti slip
When planning to install a new floor, it is important to know how smooth a material is in order to choose the most suitable material for the purpose.
The smoothness of the terrazzo materials from Focus Plus is tested according to DIN 51130 standards.
The German “German Ramp Test” describes the procedures for the test and defines a classification “R”, where the degree of smoothness varies between R9 and R13 (see table below).
| Klassificering | Hældningsvinkel | Overflade | Placering* |
|---|---|---|---|
| R9 | fra 6° til 10° | Finpudset R9 | Entré, trapper og fliser i offentlige bygninger |
| Børstet R9 | |||
| R10 | fra 10° til 19° | Finpudset R10 | Køkken, badeværelser, omklædningsrum, vaskerier |
| R11 | fra 19° til 27° | Sandet R11 | Varehuse og parkering |
| R12 | fra 27° til 35° | ||
| R13 | > 35° |
* The examples of location should be considered indicative and should always be assessed on the basis of each individual project.
Fire resistance
The terrazzo materials from Focus Plus are not flammable and in the event of a fire, no smoke or toxic substances are released. According to EN 13748-1, the terrazzo materials from Focus Plus are classified without the need for testing in class A1
etc
.
Weight
| Tykkelse | kg / m² |
|---|---|
| 2cm | 52 kg / m² |
| 3cm | 78 kg / m² |
| 4cm | 104 kg / m² |
| 5cm | 130 kg / m² |
This is a general user guide, so it must be taken into account that different conditions may occur. You are always welcome to contact us if in doubt.
Version 1.0
Last updated December 18, 2022