Terrazzo Flooring Options Explained: Off-the-Shelf Tiles, Custom Tiles, and In-Situ
Terrazzo flooring comes in more forms than most people realise, and the differences between them matter a great deal when you're deciding for your home or project. Not all terrazzo tiles are the same, and tiles and in-situ flooring are fundamentally different products that suit different spaces, design intentions, and budgets. Here's a clear breakdown of your options, what each one offers, and how to choose the right approach for your project.
Off-the-Shelf Terrazzo Tiles
Walk into most tile suppliers or stone yards in Australia, and you'll find terrazzo tiles. They're pre-manufactured in fixed patterns and colour combinations, produced in bulk, packaged, and ready to install. You choose from what's in stock, have them cut to fit your space, and lay them with grout. For straightforward applications where the aesthetic works and the design brief isn't particularly specific, off-the-shelf tiles are a practical option. The installation process is familiar, lead times are short, and the cost is lower than bespoke alternatives.
The limitations are the same as with any off-the-shelf product. The aggregate mix is fixed, the colour palette is set by the manufacturer, and you're working within whatever range is available. If the tile you need is out of stock, you wait. If none of the options feel quite right for your space, you compromise. And because the same tiles are available to anyone, there's no exclusivity in what you end up with. Off-the-shelf tiles suit projects where speed, budget, and convenience are the priority, and where the design brief is flexible enough to work with existing options.
Custom Terrazzo Tiles
This is what we do at Mortadello, and it's a meaningfully different product from what you'll find at a tile supplier. Our tiles are designed and made from scratch for each project. The aggregate: the type of stone, glass, or material that creates the speckled surface, is chosen specifically for your brief. The matrix colour, the chip size, the density of the pattern, the tile dimensions, the edge profile, and the finish, all of it is variable. If you have a colour in mind, a material you want to reference, or a design intent that existing tiles can't satisfy, we build the tile around that.
The result is a floor that couldn't exist anywhere else, because it was made for your project. It wasn’t selected from a range; it was designed for a room. Custom tiles are the right choice when the design brief matters, when you're working with a specific colour palette or interior concept, or when you want terrazzo flooring that feels genuinely considered rather than sourced. They're also the right choice for architects and interior designers specifying materials for client projects, where the outcome needs to support a broader design intent rather than simply fit within it.
Lead times are longer than off-the-shelf tiles as everything is made to order, but the process is collaborative, and you'll see samples before production begins.
In-Situ Terrazzo Flooring
In-situ terrazzo, sometimes called poured or monolithic terrazzo, is a different product category entirely. Rather than tiles being made off-site and installed, the terrazzo is mixed and poured directly onto the floor on-site, left to cure, then ground back and polished to reveal the surface.
The defining characteristic of in-situ is that it's seamless. There are no grout lines between tiles, and the floor is one continuous surface that flows through a space without interruption. Divider strips made from brass or aluminium are embedded in the pour before it sets, creating borders, transitions, or pattern fields within the floor. These strips are what give many heritage terrazzo floors their distinctive geometric layouts.
In-situ terrazzo is the most architectural of the three options. It suits large, open spaces where the continuity of the surface is part of the design intention. It allows for a level of in-floor pattern work: borders, motifs, multi-colour zones that simply aren't achievable with tiles of any kind. And in heritage restoration contexts, it's often the only appropriate method for matching what was originally there. It's also the most involved option in terms of installation. The substrate needs to be properly prepared and structurally sound before the pour goes in. The process takes longer than tiling, and the cost reflects the labour involved. For the right project, it's worth every bit of that investment.
How to Choose
Off-the-shelf tiles make sense when your brief is flexible, your timeline is tight, and your budget is the primary consideration. You'll get a terrazzo floor at an accessible price point with a straightforward installation process.
Custom tiles make sense when the design matters and you need a specific outcome. If you have a colour palette to match, a design brief to serve, or simply want a floor that's been made for your space rather than selected from a catalogue, custom tiles are the answer. They give you the look and quality of bespoke terrazzo with the practicality of a tiled installation.
In-situ makes sense when you want the most seamless, architectural result, particularly across large open-plan spaces, in heritage restoration projects, or where an in-floor pattern is part of the design. It's the premium option in terms of both outcome and investment.
At Mortadello, we make both custom tiles and in-situ flooring. When clients come to us with a flooring brief, our first conversation is always about the space and the design intent, and from there we can advise on which approach suits the project before anything is committed to. Get in touch to talk through your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between terrazzo tiles from a supplier and custom terrazzo tiles? Off-the-shelf tiles are pre-manufactured in fixed patterns and colours; you choose from what's available. Custom terrazzo tiles, like those we make at Mortadello, are designed from scratch for your project. The aggregate, colour, size, and finish are all specified to suit your brief. The result is a tile that's exclusive to your project rather than something that could appear in any number of other spaces.
Can custom terrazzo tiles match a specific colour? Yes, that's one of the main reasons people come to us for custom tiles rather than buying off the shelf. We develop the matrix colour and aggregate mix to work with your specific palette, and you'll see samples before production begins to make sure everything is right.
Is in-situ terrazzo more expensive than tiles? Generally yes. The on-site labour involved in the pour, curing, grinding, and polishing process is more intensive than tile installation, and substrate preparation requirements are higher. For large open spaces where the seamless result is the point, it's worth the investment. For smaller areas, custom tiles often deliver a comparable aesthetic at a more practical price point.
Can terrazzo tiles be used outdoors? Yes, with the right mix and finish. Outdoor applications require a terrazzo composition that accounts for weather and temperature variation, and a finish that won't become slippery when wet. We design our outdoor tiles with these considerations built in from the start.
How long do custom terrazzo tiles take to produce? Production timelines vary depending on the complexity of the brief and the volume of tiles required. We'll always give you a clear lead time before production begins. It's worth factoring this into your project schedule; custom tiles aren't something you can order last-minute, but the result is worth planning for.
Mortadello Terrazzo is a Melbourne-based studio making bespoke terrazzo tiles, in-situ flooring, furniture, and surfaces for residential and commercial projects throughout Australia. Everything is designed and made from scratch around your brief. Contact us to discuss your flooring project.