A small shallow white tray and two white pendant from a making terrazzo experience

What Happened When I Tried Making Terrazzo For The First Time

Date New Experience Took Place - 23d December 2023 / New Experience Number 40

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I’m always on the look out for kits so that I can have a go at crafts I’ve never tried before, so picked one up to have a go at making terrazzo when I spotted it in a shop. 

Terrazzo had cropped up in my research of new things to do several times, but I wasn’t entirely sure what it involved. Would it be terrific terrazzo, or a terrazz-no-go?

A craft box which says 2 in 1 Terrazzo Crafts on the packaging along with some colourful images of the items that can be made
The craft kit I used to try making terrazzo

What Is Terrazzo?

Terarazzo is a type of composite material. That means it’s a solid material which is made up of multiple different substances. For example, some old pavements were made by combining marble fragments with cement.

Terrazzo is a bit like a mosaic, but rather than the fragments of material being arranged on top of the cement to create a design, they are mixed in with the mortar.  This also means it often needs sanding down afterwards to remove any protruding sharp points.

Where Can You See Terrazzo?

Terrazzo was originally used for flooring, so keep an eye out beneath your feet if you’re visiting any historic sites. 

You might see examples of it from the 1920s when it became widely popular and was used in more ornate items. 

However, one of the most famous examples of the material was created in 1958; the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

What Is Terrazzo Craft?

Terrazzo craft is usually more specific in the materials that it involves. Often combining colourful pieces of marble, coloured glass, quartz or porcelain which is mixed in with plaster, concrete or jesmonite. It’s used to create jewellery, coasters, plant pots and other artistic and decorative pieces. 

Making Terrazzo For The First Time

My very first experience making terrazzo was in the comfort of my own kitchen using the kit I’d bought. It contained everything I needed, although I picked up some additional paper cups for mixing and stirring.

Using the moulds provided, I’d be able to make a small tray and a couple of pendants using the terrazzo technique with the plaster of paris from the kit.

The contents of a kit used for making terrazzo. There are packets of plaster of paris, coloured dyes and moulds.
The kit contained everything to make the terrazzo items

Step 1- Making The Chips

Whilst terrazzo can combine the fragments of many different hard substances, everything for this terrazzo make was going to be made from plaster of paris.

So firstly I needed to make the chips which I would later add to the main mix to form the confetti-like patterns.

Following the instructions to the letter, I mixed the required amount of plaster of Paris with water. This was meant to be pourable, but It was far too clumpy and powdery. Adding just a teaspoon more water at a time, I stirred the mix until it eventually had a more liquid like consistency.

Carefully squeezing the tiny bottle, a drop of deep red dye fell into the white plaster. I swirled them together using the wooden stick until the mix turned a coral shade of pink. I repeated the process to also make a green mix.

Close up of three small bottles of dye in blue, red and yellow. Used for making terrazzo
Tiny but mighty bottles of dye

Pouring the 2 coloured mixes onto a tray I’d lined with baking parchment, I carefully spread them into a thin layer and left them to air dry.

A piece of baking parchment with two thin layers of coloured plaster of paris spread over it. Part of the making terrazzo process.
Preparing the plaster to make the chips

Half an hour later and my thin sheets of plaster had dried nicely. Now was a fun part – breaking it all up to make the terrazzo chips, which was very satisfying!

Close up of green plaster of paris that has been broken up into small pieces for a craft project of making terrazzo
Breaking up the plaster to make the coloured fragments

Making Terrazzo - Step 2

Next up was making the plaster which the chips would be mixed into. Again, I followed the instructions exactly but needed to add more water to the powder to make it fluid enough. I decided to leave this white, thinking the colours might look quite effective against it.

Tipping all of my chips into the mix, I gave it a good stir before pouring the whole lot into the moulds to set.

Making terrazzo by pouring plaster and coloured chips into a mould which is resting on foil.
The terrazzo mix poured into the mould ready to set

Making Terrazzo - Step 3

Once the plaster had set and dried, which took just over an hour, it was time for the big reveal.

The part of the plaster that I could see in the tray mould was very uneven as the chips stuck out unevenly, but as I took it out of the casing, the top was nice and smooth. Smooth and white. Just white. I couldn’t actually see any of the coloured chips!

Tipping out the pendants they were equally disappointingly plain.

The final part of the process was to sand any rough edges and buff up the final article. Well, I was vigorous with the sandpaper but it didn’t seem to help any colour to come through any brighter.

Close up of a small shallow white tray and some pendants that have been made using terrazzo
Squint really tightly and you might just see some of the coloured chips

The End Result From Making Terrazzo

Well, I’d definitely made something. A shallow tray useful for storing small knick knacks, and some pendants – although I’m not sure who I know that would actually wear them!

Squinting my eyes and holding the tray up close, I could just make out the hint of pink and blue beneath the surface, but it wasn’t the brightly patterned effect I’d hoped for, or that the box had lead me to hope I would create.

I’m not quite sure where I went wrong. Perhaps I needed to make sure the chips were well pushed down into the moulds, or maybe I should have added more drops of the dye.

I’m going to have to invest a bit more time to do some further sanding to see if that might make any difference.

Would I Try Making Terrazzo Again?

Definitely! I think terrazzo can look like a really nice effect and it would be brilliant to make something using the technique. However, I might follow an instructor if I do give it a go another time.

Want To Try It Yourself?

  • Don’t be put off that my attempt didn’t quite turn out as I had hoped.

  • There are many kits and workshops available to have a go at making terrazzo, and I’ve only tried one of them.

  • Not On The High Street has several different kits available if you want to have a go at the craft home. 

Cost Of Experience

  • The kit that I used which contained everything that I needed cost £7

Recommendations

  • Wear something old just in case any rogue drops of the colour or plaster get on you.

  • Put newspaper down to protect your work surface

  • You may want to get some additional sandpaper

  • If you think you need to add more water, make sure you only add a little at a time.

  • If I was to do this again, I would use something to push the chips down into the mould.

  • Add the dye a drop at a time. You can always add more but you can’t take any out.

  • The kit I used contained moulds to make specific pieces, you could get more creative and find alternative moulds to use

  • If you enjoy at home craft experiences, have you ever painted your own baubles, or made a fused glass Christmas tree?
  • Don’t forget to take a photo of your creations if you give it a go!

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