Divider Strips in Terrazzo Flooring

Transforming a Practical Requirement into an Aesthetic Quality

Divider strips serve both aesthetic and functional purposes in terrazzo design. They not only provide a smooth transition between different surfaces but also separate various terrazzo mixes. Since its inception, the terrazzo industry has used divider strips, transforming a functional necessity into a design element.

Traditional cement-based terrazzo often requires divider strips on the surface to accommodate movement and shrinkage, which can lead to cracking. In contrast, the use of divider strips in epoxy terrazzo is more flexible. Depending on the specific project, epoxy terrazzo can even be poured without divider strips, allowing for a seamless, free-form floor, provided the area is no larger than 100 square meters.

Today, divider strips play a crucial role in epoxy terrazzo flooring by helping architects and designers create complex patterns, logos, and custom designs. Their use corresponds more to the desired design rather than a strict functional requirement. In epoxy terrazzo installations, divider strips are used to separate areas larger than 100 square meters, distinguish different colors within a specific pattern, or creatively enhance the flooring design. All divider strips are ground and polished together with the flooring system, ensuring a cohesive final appearance.

Divider Strip Options

Aluminum

Most epoxy terrazzo floors use aluminum divider strips. We recommend aluminum strips for several reasons: they are affordable, provide a good source of recycled content if LEED points are relevant to your project, and are easy to work with when creating patterns.

Brass

Brass strips can also be used as a strong design element in cement and epoxy terrazzo floors. However, the drawback is that brass is a high-end material, so it tends to be more expensive than other options.

Zinc

Zinc strips were commonly used in cement terrazzo installations but are less frequently utilized in epoxy terrazzo installations today. This is mainly because zinc is more expensive than aluminum and is also harder to grind over during installation.

Plastic

Plastic strips are another option worth considering, as they can be custom-matched to the epoxy colors, allowing them to blend seamlessly with the floor design.

In our epoxy terrazzo installations, we typically use aluminum or brass divider strips. Due to their recycled content, we find these materials easier to grind during installation, more durable, and beneficial for achieving LEED points. Today, various divider strips are available, ranging from standard sizes to deeper strips designed for large-aggregate terrazzo, control joints, and other applications.

In our projects, we utilized a variety of aluminum and brass divider strips with visible surface widths of 2.5 mm and 5 mm.