Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
Construction and Extraction
Ingredients for terrazzo or grout are measured to a formula, loaded into a portable mixer, then spread and leveled as a base or finished surface. Metal division strips are cut and pressed in to form joints, color changes, or patterns and to help prevent cracks. Marble-chip mixes are rolled in, then the surface is ground and polished, by machine on open floors and with a hand grinder on stairs, cabinet tops, and other tight spots. After washing, sealer and a curing agent are applied. It suits people who like following mix formulas and grinding a surface until it is even and polished.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$76'170
Median Wage Market Position
$76'170
What you might do
- Spread and level terrazzo on floors and stairs
- Measure ingredients and load them into the mixer
- Grind and polish surfaces with power machines
- Cut and set metal strips to form patterns
- Embed marble chips by rolling them into the mix
- Wash polished terrazzo and brush on sealer
Skills that matter
- Batching of cement, sand, and chips
- Power grinding of floors and stairs
- Finish checks after polish and wash
- Metal division strips for joints and color
- Mix and grind methods by material
- Crew timing on pours and polish
AI & the future of this role
Much of this trade depends on mixing materials and finishing decorative surfaces by hand on active job sites. AI may help with design previews, but physical placement, leveling, and craft judgment under changing site conditions are likely to remain human work.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details