Terrazzo Workers and Finishers

Apply a mixture of cement, sand, pigment, or marble chips to floors, stairways, and cabinet fixtures to fashion durable and decorative surfaces.

What you'd actually do

• Measure designated amounts of ingredients for terrazzo or grout, according to standard formulas and specifications, using graduated containers and scales, and load ingredients into portable mixer.
• Grind surfaces with a power grinder, or polish surfaces with polishing or surfacing machines.
• Cut metal division strips and press them into the terrazzo base for joints or changes of color to form designs or patterns or to help prevent cracks.
• Blend marble chip mixtures, place into panels, and push a roller over the surface to embed the chips.
• Modify mixing, grouting, grinding, or cleaning procedures, according to type of installation or material used.
• Spread, level, or smooth concrete or terrazzo mixtures to form bases or finished surfaces, using rakes, shovels, hand or power trowels, hand or power screeds, or floats.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the day is spent working solo; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of terrazzo workers and finishers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

Related careers

• Construction and Building Inspectors
• First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
• Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
• Electricians
• Structural Iron and Steel Workers
• Boilermakers

Quick questions

How much does a terrazzo workers and finisher make?

The median pay is $36.62 per hour — roughly $76,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.16/hr (10th percentile) to $60.64/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a terrazzo workers and finisher?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a terrazzo workers and finisher actually do all day?

Measure designated amounts of ingredients for terrazzo or grout, according to standard formulas and specifications, using graduated containers and scales, and load ingredients into portable mixer. Grind surfaces with a power grinder, or polish surfaces with polishing or surfacing machines. Cut metal division strips and press them into the terrazzo base for joints or changes of color to form designs or patterns or to help prevent cracks.