Effective Treatments for Terracotta Floors in Porto Rotondo


In addition to the various services it offers, Houses Services has been a leading company in the treatment of terracotta floors for many years.


It provides protection, thorough cleaning, restoration, and ongoing maintenance to ensure the floors remain as perfect as they were on day one.


Terracotta floors are extremely porous and therefore require specific treatments to ensure they are water- and oil-repellent.


Houses Services delivers high-quality results quickly and professionally, offering effective and long-lasting maintenance.


Our products are certified, and the equipment we use is state-of-the-art. If you choose to cover your floors with terracotta—or if your home already features it—opt for specialised terracotta treatments and you’ll never have to worry again, as your surfaces will remain timeless!

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Oil-Repellent Treatments

Our treatments are specifically designed for floors located in high-risk areas, such as kitchens and dining rooms. Say goodbye to oil stains!

Terracotta flooring has a charm that brings warmth and cosiness to any environment. In recent years, this natural material has been rediscovered and reappraised, becoming the ideal surface for furnishing both indoor and outdoor spaces.


Choosing terracotta flooring means creating a rustic yet subtly refined atmosphere, full of character and welcoming appeal.


The main feature of terracotta is its porosity, which makes it highly absorbent and prone to staining. For this reason, an anti-stain treatment is essential to preserve its beauty.

That’s why it’s important to carry out an oil-repellent treatment for terracotta, which will help keep the floor clean while protecting the surface from white marks caused by moisture or dirt that settles into its porous texture.

Terracotta is highly appreciated for its natural colour, which ranges across a wide spectrum of shades from ochre yellow to amaranth red. It must undergo an oil-repellent treatment to be effectively protected from wear and stains, thus preserving its colour tones unchanged.


To carry out an oil-repellent treatment for terracotta, DIY methods are not recommended, as this is not an easy process and it's best to rely on a serious and qualified company. House Service has been handling oil-repellent treatments for years and offers its long-standing experience in the field to its clients.


The company in Porto Rotondo is equipped with a highly trained staff and cutting-edge machinery. To perform a protective treatment for terracotta flooring, it uses only innovative products with low environmental impact. The company operates with respect for the environment, using only solvent-free, biodegradable, and non-toxic products.


Hydro-oil-repellent treatments


With our hydro-repellent treatments, you can rest assured that your outdoor floors will be protected from stains caused by moisture.

It is very important to apply a hydro-oil-repellent treatment to terracotta flooring in order to preserve its colour and beauty over time. The hydro-oil-repellent treatment for terracotta is carried out in several stages. In the first stage, any previous treatments are removed manually and mechanically using specific products.

In the second stage, the floor is left to dry before applying a stain-resistant product for terracotta. The hydro-oil-repellent treatment is applied to porous floors, as it penetrates deep into the material, forming a protective and invisible film on the surface. This allows the terracotta to remain breathable while preventing rising damp and the formation of mould.

Protective Hydro-Repellent Treatments


Our protective treatments are designed to create a film that coats your surfaces, safeguarding them from any unpleasant incidents.

In the third phase, a special protective wax will be applied to facilitate daily cleaning, prevent the formation of stains, and reduce the build-up of dirt.

Since hydro-repellent treatment for terracotta is not a task to be underestimated, it is essential to rely on a professional company with qualified staff capable of conducting a thorough inspection and determining the appropriate intervention for the flooring.

Our technicians will prepare a free quotation to present to the client.

After the hydro-repellent treatment, the floor should not be walked on or wetted for one or two days to ensure the desired result is achieved.

Why treat terracotta surfaces?

Terracotta, like all materials, is generally subject to natural wear and tear, caused by multiple factors such as foot traffic, the formation of mould, or both acting in combination.
Sometimes, however, terracotta treatment is carried out purely for aesthetic reasons — to give the material a different look or simply to enhance its appearance.
Treating terracotta makes it possible to improve both the functionality and aesthetics of the material by removing dirt and residues, slowing down the ageing and deterioration of surfaces, protecting them from potential stains, and making maintenance and routine cleaning much easier. 

What are the critical factors that require a specific treatment for terracotta?

Depending on the type chosen and the location in which it is laid, this material may require attention to a number of factors considered critical for terracotta surfaces.
The first and foremost is the issue of absorption. Terracotta is a very porous and highly absorbent material, and this characteristic can lead to the appearance of stains.
The recommended treatment is an anti-stain protective one.

The problem of absorption is also significant in the case of moisture, whether from rising damp or infiltration. To prevent this, it is necessary to apply water-based treatments, which can also be used after washing, even when the terracotta is not completely dry.
A common issue also arises during the grouting process, which can compromise the terracotta. In this case, it is advisable to treat the tiles before installation with a water-repellent and anti-stain product to avoid irreversible problems.

In addition to the type of terracotta used, it is essential to consider the colouring of the tiles. Light-coloured terracotta (usually of Mediterranean origin), for example, while not more absorbent than other types, makes stains and imperfections more visible. For this reason, it is crucial to pay maximum attention to the treatments chosen and the cleaning products used.

One of the critical factors to assess both when choosing and treating terracotta is its resistance to wear. Industrial terracotta is known for greater hardness compared to handmade terracotta. If enhanced wear resistance is desired, it is advisable to treat the surface with aqueous emulsions, which are generally more effective.









What are the main protective treatments for terracotta?

The choice of treatment type to be applied to terracotta surfaces is made based on the critical factors outlined previously, as well as the intended purposes, which may include:
  • protection;
  • finishing.
Terracotta treatments can also be divided into solvent-based and water-based treatments. Although the former are not considered hazardous to humans, they are gradually being replaced by the latter, which are increasingly preferred by manufacturing companies.

The table below provides a list of the main treatments that can be applied to terracotta surfaces.
Protective Treatments for Terracotta Finishing treatments for terracotta
Anti-damp and stain-resistant treatments Aesthetic modifications to terracotta, tailored to specific needs and preferences
Wear- and degradation-resistant protection for excellent ease of cleaning and maintenance

How is newly laid terracotta treated?

The treatment of newly laid terracotta involves two distinct phases: cleaning and waterproofing (or waxing) of the surface. The first step is to carry out a thorough and complete cleaning of the terracotta surface, which is usually done around 20 days before the actual treatment. Specific solvents and specialised machines are used to clean the surface, which also allow for the extraction of liquids, thus preventing the formation of streaks on the surface.

The purpose of this initial phase is to remove all residues left over from the installation process, such as mortar, salt efflorescence (caused by soluble salts rising to the surface due to moisture being drawn from the ground), and to clean out the pores of the terracotta. This prepares the surface to become waterproof and ready for the second phase.
The second phase is the actual treatment, also referred to as waxing or waterproofing, which is carried out using different substances depending on the type of terracotta, its location, and the desired outcome.

Specific Cases: Outdoor Terracotta and Terracotta for Indoor Spaces

In the specific case of treating an indoor surface, vegetable oils or water-repellent products are used to ensure better absorption, followed by anti-wear impregnating treatments. In this way, terracotta surfaces gain a high level of protection against scratches and stains, as well as resistance to rising damp issues.
In the latter case, we refer to the hydrophobisation of the terracotta, carried out using a solvent that makes the surface completely water-repellent, thus preventing water from penetrating the terracotta and causing stains or mould.

Terracotta surfaces laid in outdoor environments, on the other hand, must be treated to protect them from the effects of weather conditions such as frost, rain, and sun. In this case, in addition to laying the material with proper slope and joint expansion in mind, it is essential to treat the terracotta surface to allow for expansion without causing cracks or breakage.
Additional treatments, suitable for both indoor and outdoor terracotta surfaces, are oil-repellent ones, which help protect terracotta from oil and food stains.

Call the specialists now to book one of the effective treatments for terracotta flooring.

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