Chicago Terrazzo: Reviving a Bucktown Brownstone Floor
By Granite Heroes Team · 2026-09-04
Terrazzo hides under carpet and vinyl in more Chicago buildings than people realize. A recent Bucktown brownstone project shows how a neglected terrazzo floor is ground, filled, polished and sealed.
Chicago was built during terrazzo's golden age. Apartment lobbies, two-flats, schools, storefronts and a surprising number of brownstone entries have terrazzo floors — marble and glass chips set in cement or epoxy, ground flat and polished. Many were carpeted or tiled over in the 1970s and 80s, and owners are rediscovering them during renovations. The Bucktown project A brownstone owner pulled up old flooring in the entry and hall and found original terrazzo underneath: dull, stained, with adhesive residue, a few cracks along the brass divider strips and some small holes where tack strips had been nailed in. The process: 1. Adhesive and coating removal. Old mastic and any remaining finish were removed mechanically. Chemical strippers alone rarely get everything off terrazzo. 2. Grinding. Coarse metal-bond diamonds took the surface down to fresh, even material, removing stains and the wear pattern. 3. Crack and hole repair. Holes were filled with a matched aggregate mix; cracks along the divider strips were stabilized and filled. 4. Progressive honing. Resin-bond diamonds in increasing grits closed the surface and brought out the chips. 5. Polishing. The final steps produced a deep, even reflection across the whole floor. 6. Sealing. A penetrating sealer to protect the cement matrix, which is the part of terrazzo that stains. The result is a floor that is original to the building and looks like it was installed last month. Photos are in the [Project Archive](/project-archive).