Textured grey microcement wall running the length of a room beside a doorway

LIXIO · Yorkshire

LIXIO Exposed-AggregateFlooring in Leeds,Bradford & Harrogate

A seamless, cement-based floor with marble or stone aggregate mixed through it, ground and polished back on site until the stone shows through, giving the look of terrazzo without slabs, tiles or grout lines.

Request a Free Quote 07722 927058

Rated 5.0 on Google · Manufacturer-certified with IDEAL WORK UK · One-year workmanship guarantee

IDEAL WORK UK & OX RESIN certified
Three years specialising in seamless surfaces
£10m public liability cover
Free, fixed-price quotes
Rated 5.0 on Google

The system

What LIXIO is, and why people choose it over terrazzo tile

LIXIO is IDEAL WORK's exposed-aggregate floor system: a cement-based topping loaded with marble or stone aggregate, trowelled down over the existing floor, then ground back and polished on site to reveal the stone within the surface. The result reads as terrazzo, flecks and fragments of stone suspended in a matrix, but it is laid as one continuous floor rather than pieced together from precast slabs.

That difference matters most in the joints. Terrazzo tile still has grout lines running through it, however tightly the tiles are set, and those lines collect dirt and dictate the pattern of the room. LIXIO is poured and ground in place, so a hallway, kitchen or open-plan living space reads as a single unbroken plane of stone, with the aggregate pattern flowing under thresholds and around fittings rather than stopping at a tile edge.

It suits interiors where the brief is a polished, characterful floor rather than a plain one: entrance halls and hallways that set the tone for a house, kitchens and open-plan living areas, and retail or showroom floors where a genuinely distinctive surface is part of the brand. Because the aggregate and the binder colour are both chosen before we start, the finished floor can lean pale and quiet or dark and busy, depending on the stone selected.

We are certified with IDEAL WORK UK for the microcement and decorative topping range that LIXIO belongs to, and we install it as a floor system. LIXIO is compatible with underfloor heating, which is worth knowing early if the room is being replanned, but it does not remove the need for a sound base. Subfloor preparation, screeding, levelling and any damp-proof membrane or tanking are carried out by other trades before we arrive; we work on a floor that is ready to receive the topping.

What it costs to get wrong

The grinding stage is where a LIXIO floor is won or lost

LIXIO is not a coating you simply spread and leave; the character of the floor is created by grinding it back afterwards, and how that stage is planned decides how the finished surface looks and how disruptive the job is to live around. Rushed grinding leaves an uneven reveal, patches where more aggregate shows than others, and a floor that looks inconsistent from one end of the room to the other.

The grinding and polishing stage also produces dust and noise, and it needs the space cleared and, in a live home, sealed off from the rest of the house. A job planned without that reality in mind turns into a domestic upheaval that nobody warned you about, dust finding its way past doors, machinery running for longer than the household expected, and finishing that trails on because the space could not be worked in one continuous run.

The other recurring problem is people treating an aggregate floor like a plain microcement one at the design stage. Aggregate size, density and colour all change how the floor reads once it is ground and polished, and a sample chosen under showroom lighting can look completely different once it is laid across an entire kitchen floor under real daylight. Getting the selection and the sequencing right before anyone picks up a grinder is what actually protects the result.

The mistakes we are called in to correct

Choosing an aggregate and binder colour from a small sample without seeing how it reads across a full floor area.
Underestimating how much of the job is grinding and polishing rather than laying the topping, and planning the programme around the wrong stage.
Not sealing off the rest of a live home from dust before grinding starts.
Assuming LIXIO can go straight over a subfloor that has not been properly levelled or dried.
Treating LIXIO as interchangeable with a plain microcement floor when the aggregate content is the whole point of choosing it.

Our process

How a LIXIO floor is installed

Survey

We look at the existing floor, check what condition it is in, discuss how the room is used and how much daylight it gets, since that affects how an aggregate floor will actually read once polished.

Fixed written quote

One fixed price for the whole job, not a day rate, covering the areas discussed and any preparation other trades need to complete first. Quotes are free.

Colour, aggregate and finish selection

We agree the binder colour and the marble or stone aggregate together, looking at samples large enough to judge properly. A 45% deposit secures materials and your installation dates.

Application

The LIXIO topping is applied over the prepared floor and left to develop before the grinding and polishing stage begins.

Grinding, polish, cure, checks and handover

The floor is ground back to reveal the aggregate, polished and finished, then checked with you before handover. Workmanship is guaranteed for one year.

What you get

What LIXIO delivers that tiled terrazzo cannot

One continuous floor, no grout lines

The aggregate pattern runs unbroken across the whole room, under thresholds and around fittings, instead of stopping at a tile edge every few hundred millimetres.

Genuine stone character

Real marble or stone aggregate is ground and polished back on site, so the floor shows actual mineral fragments rather than a printed or moulded imitation.

Works with underfloor heating

LIXIO is compatible with underfloor heating, which matters if the floor is being replanned as part of a wider renovation.

Colour and aggregate chosen to suit the room

Binder colour and stone selection are agreed together before we start, so the floor can sit pale and calm or dark and characterful depending on the space.

Suited to hard-used interiors

Hallways, kitchens, open-plan living areas and retail floors all take a polished seamless surface well, since it presents one continuous plane with nowhere for dirt to sit and gather.

Certified, insured, guaranteed

IDEAL WORK UK-certified installation, £10 million public liability cover and a one-year workmanship guarantee, confirmed in writing with your fixed-price quote.

In detail

Aggregate selection, grinding and where LIXIO belongs

LIXIO rewards planning more than most decorative floors, because the finished look only appears once the topping is ground back. This is what goes into getting that stage right.

Choosing the aggregate and the binder colour

The stone or marble aggregate and the coloured binder around it are chosen together, because it is the contrast and density between the two that gives a LIXIO floor its character. A pale binder with sparse, larger fragments reads as quiet and understated; a darker binder with dense, varied aggregate reads busier and closer to classic terrazzo. Neither is right or wrong, it depends on the room and how much visual weight you want the floor to carry.

We always push for a sample large enough to judge properly rather than a swatch, because aggregate floors change character with scale. A fleck that looks generous on a small board can look sparse across an entire kitchen floor, and the opposite happens too. Daylight, artificial lighting and the colour of surrounding joinery and walls all shift how the finished floor reads, so we talk that through at the survey stage before anything is ordered.

What grinding and polishing actually involves

Once the LIXIO topping has been applied and has developed, it is mechanically ground back to expose the aggregate, then progressively polished to the finish agreed at selection stage. This is the stage that turns a plain-looking topping into a terrazzo-like floor, and it is also the noisiest and dustiest part of the job. We plan for that in advance, sealing off the work area and agreeing with you how the rest of a live home or unit will be kept usable while it happens.

Because the exposed pattern only becomes visible during grinding, this stage needs to be worked through properly rather than rushed. An evenly ground, consistently polished floor is what makes a LIXIO installation look considered rather than patchy, and it is the part of the job where experience with the system, rather than general decorative flooring skill, actually shows.

Where LIXIO is the right floor, and where it is not

LIXIO earns its place in hallways and entrance areas that set the tone for a whole house, in kitchens and open-plan living spaces where a genuinely distinctive floor is wanted, and in retail and showroom interiors where a terrazzo-style finish supports the brand without the joints of tiled terrazzo. It is a floor-only system, so it is not the answer for a wall or a piece of furniture; for those, other IDEAL WORK microcement systems are the right fit and we can talk through which one suits.

It is also not the system to choose if the floor needs to go in quickly with minimal disruption, since the grinding and polishing stage takes real time and real space to do properly. Where a fast, low-fuss seamless floor is the priority and the terrazzo look is not essential, a plain microcement floor finish is usually the better call, and we will say so rather than push LIXIO where it does not fit the brief.

Living with a LIXIO floor across Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate

We install LIXIO in homes and commercial units across Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate and the surrounding area, most often in period hallways being brought up to date, kitchen extensions where the floor needs to carry a large open space visually, and retail units wanting a floor finish that photographs and wears well. The subfloor conditions vary house to house and unit to unit, stone flags, old screed, chipboard, tiled floors, which is exactly why the survey and any necessary levelling by other trades happens before we quote.

Day to day, a finished LIXIO floor is looked after much like other polished cement-based floors: routine cleaning and sensible protection from grit and heavy impact. We cover the specifics with you at handover, once the floor has been checked and the areas discussed at survey have been walked through together.

Common questions

Answers before
you commit

Anything not covered here, ask us directly on 07722 927058. Monday to Friday, 8am–6pm.

How much does a LIXIO floor cost?+

We give one fixed written price for the whole job rather than a square-metre rate, because aggregate selection and the amount of grinding involved both affect the work. Quotes are free, and a 45% deposit secures materials and your dates once you go ahead.

How long does a LIXIO installation take?+

It runs across survey, application and then grinding and polishing, which is the stage that takes the most care. We agree a programme with you at quote stage so you know how long the space will be out of use.

What actually happens during installation?+

The LIXIO topping is applied over your prepared floor, left to develop, then mechanically ground back to expose the aggregate and polished to the agreed finish. We check the floor with you at handover.

What guarantee do you offer?+

Our workmanship is guaranteed for one year, confirmed in writing with your fixed-price quote.

How long does a LIXIO floor last?+

Correctly prepared and installed, it is a long-term floor finish rather than something refreshed each year. As with any hard floor, routine cleaning and reasonable care around grit and heavy impact keep it looking its best.

How do I clean and maintain a LIXIO floor?+

Routine sweeping or vacuuming and a normal damp mop are usually all that is needed. We talk through cleaning and any specific care points with you at handover, once the floor has been finished.

Is LIXIO suitable for underfloor heating?+

Yes, LIXIO is compatible with underfloor heating, which is worth flagging early if the room is being replanned as part of a wider renovation.

Where can LIXIO be installed?+

LIXIO is a floor system, installed in hallways, kitchens, open-plan living spaces and retail or showroom floors. It is not used on walls or furniture; other IDEAL WORK microcement systems cover those.

Do you handle levelling and damp-proofing before installation?+

No. Subfloor preparation, screeding, levelling and any damp-proof membrane or tanking are carried out by other trades before we arrive. We set out exactly what your floor needs at survey stage.

Which areas do you cover, and are you insured?+

Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, York, Ripon, Sheffield, Manchester, Windermere and Kendal, from our base in Menston near Ilkley. We hold £10 million public liability cover and are certified with IDEAL WORK UK for microcement systems including LIXIO.

Other certified systems

Not sure which finish suits the room? Start with our seamless surface services or see completed microcement projects.

Where we install it

Applied by us as microcement flooring, wet rooms & bathrooms and resin flooring, from our base in Menston near Ilkley. See all service areas.

Get a fixed price for your LIXIO floor

Tell us the room, the look you have in mind and roughly how much floor area is involved. We will survey it, talk through aggregate and colour options, and give you one fixed price in writing.