Kengate Terrazzo - Processes

Kengate Terrazzo

"Over 50 years of specialist Service"

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Described below is the basic method of how Kengate Terrazzo produce tiles. This should give some insight into the manufacturing process, and how the tiles are produced to the clients chosen specification. This method centres on a nominal 300x300x28mm tile, however Kengate Terrazzo are not limited to producing tiles and have produced many other terrazzo products including stair treads and risers, cills, vanity and kitchen work tops and wall panels all to specific dimensions and colours as specified by the client.
	To the left is marble aggregate chippings, Portland cement and red/orange colour. This is where the process begins. These materials are the essential ingredients of the terrazzo matrix and determine the final look and tone of the finished tile. Achieving the correct colour, amount of aggregate and proportional amount of cement is a very difficult and skilled art, which requires many years of experience. Kengate Terrazzo pride themselves on their specialist abilities to achieve the exact colour and tone that a client may require from their terrazzo.
Course sharp sand and Portland cement is then taken via conveyer belt and dropped into a mould on the Tile Press machine. From there it forms at the bottom of the mould and makes up the base layer of the terrazzo tile. When level in the mould it awaits the top layer of terrazzo comprising the aggregate and colour matrix to be placed on top for the pressing process to begin
	Whilst the sand and cement is being dropped into the Tile Press mould, the colour for the tiles is being mixed in the pan mixer. As can be seen the desired colour for this particular batch of tiles is black chippings in black backing colour. This process is where Kengate Terrazzo apply their specialist experience and technique and enables them to produce the exact colour as required by the client.

The Tile Press machine with moulds ready to be pressed. There are 2 moulds on view, one containing the sand and cement base layer and the other with the black tile matrix scooped on to the base by hand until line and level. Once the colour matrix is placed onto the sand and cement base, the carousel rotates until the mould is in line and level below the hydraulic press. The press then pushes down on the mould exerting 120lb P.S.I, which removes moisture and air from within the mix and base and consolidates both layers together, essentially making the tile. Once compressed the tile can be removed onto the protruding platform as seen and stacked neatly and left to harden.
	A fresh stack of the black tiles literally ‘hot off the press’. These are the finished product of the black mix and sand & cement base layer seen in previous pictures, and are left for approx. 24hrs. Once these tiles have hardened they will have the relevant KT no. engraved into the back of the base to enable them to be differentiated between tiles for all other contracts.
Here can be seen a set of white terrazzo tiles being passed through the ‘Ginny Linn’ polishing machine to achieve a 24 grit first polish. This machine grinds 6mm off the top of the terrazzo tile, and is the final stage of the manufacturing process As the picture shows, the tiles pass through on the conveyer belt, are ground down using diamond tipped polishing stones and come out the other end where they can be stacked neatly and left to dry. From there they are taken to site and given a final grind after fixing to achieve a perfectly uniform and even surface.