Qualified Flooring is necessary for a home and what is says about the age of the home. Though there are many types of flooring, it is your responsbility to choose the consistent one for your home. Travertine flooring is there to help you acheive your goal.
Travertine flooring is not limited as it includes tile and mosaic. If you want to increase the durability of your flooring, then travertine mosaic is your only solution.
Travertine is basically a type of stone flooring which will give both durability and also beauty to your home. It is a natural sedminetary rock that belongs to the category of limestone family. Its beauty is calssified into onyx marble, Mexican onyx, Egyptian alabaster and oriental alabaster.
You may ask what is the special purpose of this flooring for various locations like home and office?
Pros & Cons Of Installing Travertine Flooring
Pros
- Various Style Options
- Easy to Install
- Long Lasting
- Beautiful Flooring Choice
Cons
- This stone may react with acidic products
- It may be slippery in wet conditions
Creation Of Travertine
Travertine stone is made when minerals are disintegrated in ground water. They are supposed to be brought to the surface by geysers, rivers and springs. It is also obtained if limestone is placed under pressure for long periods of time.
If travertine is placed under pressure for a long time, it will become marble. Travertine is better quality than limestone and marble is better than travertine.
When this travertine is supposed to udnergo the manufacturing process of travertine tile, it follows a cutting operation. The stones are getting converted into thin tiles. These tiles undergo further finishing touches to give them a smooth look.
Under the finishing are four kinds of Tile
- Polished
- Honed
- Brushed
- Tumbled
Polished tiles have a a brighter shine, since it undergoes polishing untill it is flattened and smoothed enough to catch and reflect light.
Honed tiles have a matte finish and also look flat and smooth. Brushed and tumbled tiles are textured.
The consistency of travertine is equal to other tile stone floors. It is equal to marble in that it may break and crack. In order to make it last for a long time, it has sealant added. The unsealed travertine should not be used in food preparation areas, since it will absorb any straing quickly and is very difficult to remove.
If the place is a more populated area, then travertine mosaic would be a more suitable choice. Mosaic is able to carry heavy loads in comparison with travertine tile. Travertine tile with most often come with a hardness rating of about 4 in manufacturing which is similar to marble strength.
Application In Residential Buildings
Travertine has been used for thousands of years for residential buildings. If you compare marble with travertine, travertine is easy to see and so its vast application can be seen in higher trafficked areas. Today, it is used not only for flooring but also in wall coverings.
If it is unsealed and unpolished, it may react with acids. Even a simple orange can leave a stain on the floor. For this cause it is more important to avoid unsealed flooring particularly in food preparation areas.
If you want to add flooring to your home in a timley manner, you can opt for travertine flooring, since installation of travertine flooring seems to be very easy. On the other hand, if it is polished and sealed, it will become durable and reliable. It may not be a suitable choice for bathroom flooring.
If you want to add bauty to your home, you can install this travertine. It comes in various colors like ivory, beige, walnut and gold.
Travertine Is Easy To Clean
Travertine stone flooring is very easy to clean and is said to be eco-friendly. It will be more prominent for your home as it does not absorb odors or gases. Since it is sealed, the dirt will remain in an upper layer of stone instead of staying in the ground. Therefore, it can be easily removed.
There are both pros and cons of travertine flooring and you should adjust the lifetysle and needs according to the technology. Travertine tile flooring will help you create a new look for your home. If you want to increase the durability of your flooring, then you can opt for travertine mosaic flooring. The consistency can be observed with travertine flooring. Therefore, if you think that flooring is also associated with the responsibility of adding beaty to you home, then you can choose this flooring. It has various advantages:
- It is an eco-friendly stone
- It is a very decorative stone
- It adds quality to your home
Sealed travertine flooring is more prominent for the kitchen, since it will help in removing staind easily. If you add beauty to your home, then you can choose for travertine mosaic flooring which will not only serve to beautify but also add quality to your home.
Granite, ceramic and porcelain are all very durable – granite being the most durable I would think. Certainly a toss up! Any would be wonderful though. ;~)
I have completed installation of a Travestine honed tiled floor in powder room. Am confused as the best way to proceed with grouting and sealing. Some say seal tile before grouting, others say grout and then seal both tile and grout, and yet others say don’t seal, just grout. What is best process to follow? Can you help?
Hi Jack,
Definitely seal before grouting – makes cleaning grout/haze so much easier. Travertine is porous, so grout can actually get into it’s pores and when that happens it takes a lot of cleaning to try to get it all. Seal again after you grout and get the tiles cleaned up. Good luck!
We’re building a house, I love the porous look of the tumbled travertine tiles and definitely want to use it on the walls around the tub & wonder about using it on the floor & in the shower area (the travertine with the unique holes in it), can that be done or do you need to fill all those character giving holes to gain water proofing for the shower? What about dirt filling in the holes if used on the floor, is that anything others concern themselves with (or just me)?
Hi Glen,
Nope, you don’t need to fill in the holes. You DO need to make sure they’re sealed well (before and after grouting!). They would be sealed with a clear sealer, the texture would still be present. Yes, dirt will lodge itself more in the depressions, but if you don’t mind keeping it clean then it’s not a problem, right? ;~)
I have a honed travertine. I sealed it with a penetrating stone sealer from HD (TileLab), 2 coats. Now I would like to put a gloss coat on it. I tried the TileLab gloss which said it could be put over the penetrating sealer. But, the gloss sealer has brush strokes that don’t go away when it dries. On some tiles it soaks in partially and so it ends up spotted. Should I use an oil based sealer, and can I use something like polyurethane? Basically, I want a shiny surface that is smooth and doesn’t have brush strokes or other patterns in it when it dries. Any suggestions? I know to achieve this on wood I apply polyurethane, then sand and apply again for a total of 3 times to achieve a nice smooth finish. Do I have to do the same for a tile floor?
Hi Diane,
Ooh, what a dilemma. Perhaps there is something that can be used to thin the sealer. I would suggest calling the manufacturer and ask. It may be that you need multiple coats. I don’t know much about TileLab sealers. I presume it’s a water based sealer? If so, you cannot apply an oil based sealer without stripping the other sealer first – otherwise you’ll have a tacky, gooey mess.
I usually recommend AquaMix products (aquamix.com) – they have wonderful products for travertine.
When finding someone to install travertine flooring that I have purchased a)how do I go about conducting the search(how do I find an individual that will install already purchased travertine) and b)what should I look for in an installer? Secondly, what is a decent price per sq ft for an installer to charge for the installation?
Hi Thomas,
You need to simply search your local yellow pages to find contractors, home improvement contractors, tile installers, etc. Ask them questions – have they ever installed travertine? Ask for references as well from past travertine projects. Obviously, you would want to look for an installer who has done this before and can give you good references.
Price per sq ft will vary according where you live – it’s usually higher in metropolitan areas and somewhat cheaper in a more rural area. Certain states just seem to cost more and goes hand-in-hand with the cost of living in the area. ie: Florida, California, New York City are going to be more expensive than say, Indiana. Some contractors won’t charge per sq ft, but just give you a price for the whole job.
I would like to use travertine honed and filled (with a matte sealer) in my high-traffic (5 kids, 2 dogs)kitchen. I do plan to re-seal it yearly. Is the stone so soft that kitchen chairs, stools, normal family activity will make it a scratchy, ugly mess? Currently we have hardwood floors from which the finish is now completely gone. What I love about the travertine is the variations and natural look and feel. I have not been able to find any porcelain that I like nearly as well. Am I going to be sorry?
I have honed travertine tile on my bathroom floor. I have about 6-7 tiles that have some major and minor cracks and chips. The floor is 14 years old and I don’t want to replace it right now. I am pretty good at fixing thinks and I am also good with matching color. I was trying to figure out a way to do a make-shift repair. I thought maybe bondo would work to fill in the cracks and then lightly paint/stain the area and seal it. Do you think this will work? Any other ideas?
I just installed travertine throughout my house. I had the tiles sealed by the contractor who installed my tiles. I then re-sealed the tiles again with Dupont Advanced Stone Sealer. My dog urinated on the travertine tiles, and I immediately cleaned it up. However, it left a stain on my travertine. Why did this happen, and is there anything I can coat it with to prevent this from happening again? Thanks
Hi Kathy,
It’s really going to depend on the sealer – the sealer really helps to protect the floor and give it a harder, more durable surface. Check out http://www.aquamix.com – they have really good products. The first time you seal it – don’t be stingy – apply a couple of coats extra. ;o)
Hi Claudia,
I don’t know if bondo would work or not – isn’t that usually used for body work on vehicles? I would suggest some sort of grout material (which is also used for fillers). Some you can add colors too before, some are are made to take stain afterwards. Sounds like you’re creative and know how to think ouside of the box! I’d suggest looking at the products for travertine at http://www.aquamix.com – they have really good sealers.
Hi Rakesh,
The acid from the urine eats at the sealer – a chemical reaction. Urine is a big no-no on any kind of floor. You’re just going to have to make sure that the dog doesn’t urinate on the floor.
I have just installed a travertine floor in my kitchen, sealed it and it looked great with a nice shhen to it. However my husband decided to hoover it and now it has small scratches from the hoover wheels all over it – help! what can i do to remove the scratches
Hi Carole,
Yeah, tell the hubby not to do that any more, though I’m sure you already have! ;o) You can either buff it out or apply another coat of sealer to get it back to where it should be.
Hi, what is the best solution to use when cleaning the floor? Thanks, Debbie
Hi Debbie,
I use a vinegar & water solution – read through the thread please (link right below my reply). I’ve covered this many times. This is of course, assuming
that your floors are well sealed.
I just had travertine installed (700 sq. ft) They put Miracle Seal & enhancer on it- It seems to have a film on the floor-I feel like I need to go and wash my feet after walking on it. The floor seems to need washing- what is wrong?