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Terrazzo flooring

Terrazzo flooring rough-in inspection checklist

Terrazzo flooring rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against NTMA guidance, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Items
5
Photos required
9

Who runs it

The terrazzo mechanic setting strips ahead of placement, with the GC's superintendent releasing the slab.

When in the schedule

After the slab is placed and cured and before the underbed goes down, early enough that a high spot or a live crack can still be dealt with under the system rather than through it.

The checklist

Every item, and the photo that proves it

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.

01

Substrate

  • Slab flatness and soundness checked

    Slab straightedged for high and low spots, surface sound and free of curing compounds or bond breakers, moisture within the system's limit.

    2 photos
  • Isolation or crack-suppression membrane over joints

    Membrane continuous over control and construction joints where specified, lapped and turned up at edges, no gaps left over an active crack.

    2 photos
02

Strip layout

  • Divider and control strips set to the layout

    Strip pattern matches the approved shop layout, dividers placed over slab joints, lines straight and heights consistent.

    2 photos
  • Strips anchored true to line and grade

    Strips solidly bedded, not leaning or floating, top edge set to the finished grind height so aggregate exposes evenly.

    1 photo
03

Underbed depth

  • Underbed and matrix depth confirmed before placement

    Depth from strip top to substrate measured at several points, enough matrix over the underbed to grind and expose aggregate without hitting the bed.

    2 photos

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

  • Divider strips laid to a convenient line instead of the control and construction joints, so slab movement cracks the field.
  • Crack-suppression membrane skipped or stopped short over an active joint the terrazzo then telegraphs.
  • Underbed depth pinched thin at a high spot in the slab, leaving too little matrix to grind flat.

Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 9 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.

Submission state

Mandatory items answered5 of 5
Photos attached6 of 9
Submit locked, 3 photos missing

The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.

Verified against

Common questions

What does this terrazzo flooring rough-in checklist cover?
5 items across 3 sections, covering substrate, strip layout, underbed depth. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?
The terrazzo mechanic setting strips ahead of placement, with the GC's superintendent releasing the slab.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?
After the slab is placed and cured and before the underbed goes down, early enough that a high spot or a live crack can still be dealt with under the system rather than through it.
Why does every item ask for a photo?
9 of the 5 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails a terrazzo flooring rough-in inspection?
Divider strips laid to a convenient line instead of the control and construction joints, so slab movement cracks the field. Crack-suppression membrane skipped or stopped short over an active joint the terrazzo then telegraphs. Underbed depth pinched thin at a high spot in the slab, leaving too little matrix to grind flat.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?
Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.