Heritage mosaic floor restoration in Melbourne

Mosaic Republic provides heritage mosaic floor restoration across Melbourne and Victoria. Led by Italian-trained mosaicista Fabian Scaunich, our Moorabbin studio restores original floors by hand, saving as many original pieces as possible and matching the rest. Our headline example is the 1929 foyer floor of Melbourne's Forum Theatre, restored by Mosaic Republic in 2017.

Melbourne's grand mosaic floors, such as those at the Block Arcade and the Former Stock Exchange, were laid by Italian mosaicisti. Mosaic Republic restores floors of that kind the way they were made: by hand, keeping original material wherever we can.

What heritage mosaic restoration involves

Heritage mosaic restoration means assessing the floor, saving the original pieces, matching what's missing and setting it all back by hand.

Assessing the floor

We start by looking at the whole floor. We check for loose and "drumming" tiles, cracks, missing areas, subfloor damage, old repairs, and any carpet or adhesive residue.

Saving original pieces

Original pieces are lifted, cleaned and relaid wherever possible. We blend old and new pieces so colour differences don't show.

Matching what's missing

Where pieces are missing, we match their size and colour. At the Forum Theatre the originals were imperial 3/4-inch pieces, so we water-jet cut new tiles to 19 mm squares to match.

Setting by hand

We use the reverse-on-paper method. Pieces are laid face down on paper in our Moorabbin studio, set on site, and the paper is soaked off. New pieces are set in deliberately imperfect lines so they sit naturally beside 1920s work.

Cleaning, regrouting and sealing

Once the pieces are back in place, the whole floor is cleaned and regrouted. We seal it where required.

Case study: Forum Theatre foyer, Melbourne (2017)

Mosaic Republic restored the mosaic floor in the foyer of Melbourne's Forum Theatre, including the 100 sqm foyer floor and two marble staircases, and added a new mosaic griffin.

Forum Theatre foyer restoration | project page

Hidden under cinema carpet

The floor was laid for the Forum's opening in 1929. It was carpeted in about 1963, when Greater Union ran two cinemas in the building, and was uncovered during the theatre's renovation.

What we did

• The floor has about 200,000 pieces.

• Mosaic Republic hand-washed more than 40,000 original pieces and replaced more than 20,000.

• Original pieces were lifted, cleaned and relaid, and blended with new Winckelmans (France) vitrified tiles water-jet cut into 19 mm squares.

• New pieces were set on paper sheets of up to 400 pieces each, in deliberately imperfect lines to match the original work.

• The whole floor was acid-cleaned twice and regrouted.

• We uncovered the floor clock, which is lit from the basement, and recreated its missing Roman numerals.

• We also cleaned and repaired the stair risers.

Heritage architect on the project: Trethowan Architecture.

The Forum Griffin

When the old ticket booth was removed, it left a square gap in the floor. Fabian designed the Forum Griffin to fill it, as a nod to the griffin gargoyles on the theatre's exterior. The griffin is made in split-face antiqued marble in 17 marble tones, with brass trim, and measures 170 x 125 cm. The design was approved by Marriner Group.

Press

• The Age, 23 March 2017: read The Age story on the Forum Theatre mosaic restoration

• Beat, 26 March 2017: read the Beat story on the Forum Theatre mosaic restoration

Case study: Maribyrnong Council foyer, Footscray (2024)

Mosaic Republic restored the heritage foyer mosaic in the original Maribyrnong Council building in Footscray, working with Heritage Alliance architects.

Maribyrnong Council foyer restoration

The damage

A revolving door had caused major subfloor damage and drumming, and areas of the mosaic had come loose.

The repair

We removed the loose tiles, recovered them and reinstalled them. The entire mosaic was then cleaned and regrouted, leaving as much of the original as possible untouched.

More restoration and heritage-setting work

Fabian trained in restoration in Italy, and the studio also makes new mosaics for heritage buildings.

Where Fabian learned restoration

Fabian Scaunich trained at the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in Spilimbergo, Italy. Near the end of his second year there, in 2008, he restored the mosaic floor at the school's original entrance as part of his studies. This was Fabian's student work, not a Mosaic Republic project. He founded Mosaic Republic in 2010 after graduating.

SMF floor restoration

St Jude's, Randwick: new work in a heritage setting

In 2015 Mosaic Republic set a new floor mosaic into the foyer of St Jude's, Randwick, an 1860s Victorian Gothic church in Sydney. This was new work in a heritage building, not a restoration.

St Jude's Randwick

Working with heritage architects, councils and owners

We work alongside the heritage architects, councils and owners responsible for each building.

Who we've worked alongside

• Trethowan Architecture: heritage architect on the Forum Theatre restoration.

• Marriner Group: approved the Forum Griffin design.

• Heritage Alliance: architects on the Maribyrnong Council foyer restoration.

What to send us

To help us understand your floor, please send:

• photos of the whole floor, plus close-ups of damaged areas

• the location (suburb)

• what the building is used for

• whether there's a heritage overlay or listing

• any architect's report

Frequently asked questions

Can a damaged heritage mosaic floor be saved?

In the floors we have restored, yes. At the Forum Theatre, Mosaic Republic saved the 1929 foyer floor after decades under carpet, relaying original pieces and matching the rest. At the Maribyrnong Council building in Footscray, we recovered and reinstalled loose tiles after subfloor damage, leaving as much of the original as possible untouched.

Do you reuse the original tiles?

Yes. We lift, clean and relay as many original pieces as possible. At the Forum Theatre, Mosaic Republic hand-washed more than 40,000 original pieces and blended them with new ones. At the Maribyrnong Council foyer, loose tiles were removed, recovered and reinstalled.

What if the original tiles aren't made any more?

We cut and colour-match new pieces. At the Forum Theatre the originals were imperial 3/4-inch pieces. Mosaic Republic matched them with Winckelmans (France) vitrified tiles, water-jet cut into 19 mm squares, and set the new pieces in deliberately imperfect lines so they sit naturally beside the originals.

What damages old mosaic floors?

On our own jobs we have seen two main causes. At the Forum Theatre, the floor spent decades hidden under cinema carpet. At the Maribyrnong Council building, a revolving door caused major subfloor damage and drumming, and areas of the mosaic came loose.

Do you work with heritage architects and councils?

Yes. On the Forum Theatre restoration, Mosaic Republic worked with heritage architect Trethowan Architecture, and the Forum Griffin design was approved by Marriner Group. On the Maribyrnong Council foyer in Footscray, we worked with Heritage Alliance architects. When you get in touch, let us know who else is involved in your building.

Do I need heritage approval before restoring a mosaic floor?

Approvals sit with the owner and their heritage architect or council. Mosaic Republic works alongside them. We don't give heritage-approval advice ourselves.

How much does it cost?

We don't publish prices. Scope and price are confirmed once we have seen the floor. To get started, send us photos of the whole floor and close-ups, your suburb, the building type, and any heritage listing or architect's report.

Do you work outside Melbourne?

Yes. Most of our work is in Melbourne, and we also work across Victoria and interstate. For example, Mosaic Republic made the foyer floor mosaic at St Jude's, Randwick in Sydney. Send us photos of your floor and tell us where it is, and we can talk it through.

How do I care for a restored mosaic floor?

Care depends on the materials, the location and the situation of each floor. We advise on maintenance at handover rather than publishing a one-size-fits-all guide.

Tell us about your floor

Send us photos of the whole floor plus close-ups, your suburb, the building type, and any heritage listing or architect's report.