Tiles
Terrazzo in the bathroom: tiles and cladding
Terrazzo is a material made from fragments of marble, stone, or glass embedded in a cement or resin binder and polished to a smooth finish. In bathrooms today, porcelain stoneware with a terrazzo appearance is most commonly used – it looks like real terrazzo, but does not require sealing and is laid like regular floor tiles. It looks best on the floor or on one wall in combination with a solid-coloured wall tile.
Illustrative image: bathroom with floor tiles in terrazzo appearance and solid-coloured walls
Terrazzo is playful yet timeless. Small stones in a solid-coloured background give the bathroom character without making it feel cluttered. You may also know it by the older name "teraco" from staircases and hallways of older homes. We will explain what terrazzo is, whether to opt for real or porcelain stoneware, and how to combine it in the bathroom.
What is terrazzo
Terrazzo originates from Italy, where floors were made from marble scraps centuries ago. Fragments of marble, stone, glass, or ceramics are mixed with a binder, allowed to harden, and the surface is ground and polished to a smooth finish. The binder is usually cement or resin (epoxy).
- Poured terrazzo is made on-site as a continuous floor without joints.
- Terrazzo tiles are pre-manufactured and laid like tiles.
- Porcelain stoneware with terrazzo appearance is ceramic floor tiles with a print that closely mimics terrazzo.
Real terrazzo or porcelain stoneware with imitation
| Real terrazzo | Porcelain stoneware with terrazzo appearance | |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation | poured and ground on-site or tiles, professional company | laid like regular floor tiles |
| Joints | poured is joint-free | joints like with tiles, with large formats only a few |
| Maintenance | cement needs sealing, sensitive to acids | without sealing, regular cleaning |
| For showers | according to the manufacturer and implementation | yes, with slip-resistant surface |
| Walls | rather no, heavy | yes, also large formats |
Types of terrazzo appearance
- Small grain – fine dots, calm impression, suitable for large areas and small bathrooms.
- Large grain – striking fragments, better for the floor of a larger bathroom or an accent wall.
- Tone on tone – grains in the shade of the background, for example grey on grey, appear elegant and discreet.
- Colourful – pastel or contrasting grains, for example terracotta, green or black on white.
Where to use terrazzo in the bathroom
- Floor – the most common place. Keep the walls solid-coloured and the terrazzo will stand out.
- Accent wall – behind the sink, behind the bath or behind the WC.
- Shower – large format with slip resistance R10 to R11.
- Niche and sink countertop – a small detail that connects the floor with the furniture.
Colour combinations
| Terrazzo | Walls | Accessories |
|---|---|---|
| white with black and grey grains | white, light grey | matte black, chrome |
| grey, tone on tone | grey, concrete look | light wood, black |
| with terracotta and pink grains | beige, cream | brass, light wood |
| with green grains | sage, white | brass, oak |
Proven trick: choose the wall colour based on one of the grains in the terrazzo. The bathroom will then appear coordinated. More about colours in the article Bathroom wall tile colours.
Terrazzo in a small bathroom
For a small bathroom, choose fine grain on a light background and lay it on the floor, possibly also on the walls. Large and contrasting grains would visually shrink the small space, so use them only on one wall or on the shower floor.
Laying and grout joints
Porcelain stoneware with a terrazzo look is produced in sizes 60 × 60, 60 × 120 and 120 × 120 cm. Quality series have more patterns, so the same tile does not repeat next to each other – before laying, spread and mix the tiles from several packages. Choose the grout in a shade of the background, not the grains. On rectified tiles, a grout joint of about 2 mm is sufficient.
Collections with terrazzo can be found in the terrazzo style, other looks in the article Imitations of travertine, marble, wood and concrete. All articles about tiles are on the Wall and floor tiles page.
Related: Travertine in the bathroom · Concrete look · Porcelain stoneware tiles · Wall tile colours · Sizes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is terrazzo?
A material made from fragments of marble, stone, glass or ceramics in a cement or resin binder, which is ground and polished after hardening. It is produced as a poured floor or as tiles.
Is terrazzo suitable for bathrooms?
Yes. The most practical is porcelain stoneware with a terrazzo look, which does not need to be impregnated and can be used on floors, walls and in the shower.
What is the difference between terrazzo and porcelain stoneware with a terrazzo look?
True terrazzo is a mixture of aggregate and binder, cement-based needs to be impregnated and is installed by a professional company. Porcelain stoneware with a terrazzo look is ceramic with a print, laid like regular floor tiles and requires no maintenance.
What terrazzo to use in a small bathroom?
With fine grain on a light background. Use large and contrasting grain more as an accent on one wall or on the shower floor.
What to combine terrazzo with?
With monochrome walls in the shade of one of the grains. White terrazzo with grey grains goes well with white and matte black, while terracotta grains suit beige, brass and light wood.
What grout to choose for terrazzo?
In the shade of the tile background, not the grains. The surface then appears uniform.
AI Advisor
Have a question on the topic? Ask the advisor – they will respond based on TGB Kúpeľne articles.
AI advisor – answers are generated by artificial intelligence from TGB Kúpeľne articles and may contain errors.
Bathroom design
These are tips. We will draw your bathroom for you.
In the 3D bathroom planner, you can design your bathroom yourself – for free and without registration. If you want assurance, we will prepare a photorealistic custom visualisation based on actual dimensions and specific tiles in the studio. It's free with a purchase.
Online design for free Custom visualisation
TGB Kúpeľne Studio · Bratislavská 71, Senec · Mon–Fri 8:00–12:00 and 12:30–17:00, Sat 9:00–12:00 · Map
