Travertine Buying Guide
This type of flooring represents a charming option which is suitable for a number of uses and in a variety of environments. It has been demonstrated that its uniqueness looking comes from the process of extraction and purification. Before buying, be careful that you know what grade tile and color you are receiving and make sure that it’s appropriate for your project. Also consider the cleaning and maintainance required and where you want to use it (some places might be inappropriate or too difficult for installation). If any other doubts, you are more than welcome to ask questions!
Travertine Flooring History
Travertine flooring dates back to the time of the first Dynasty of Egypt and it is found all over the world, from Turkey to Mexico. Still, the largest deposits have their home in Italy. Travertine has been used thanks to its looks and proprieties in the greatest cities around the world: Rome, Hierapolis, Paris or New York.
How travertine is made
Travertine is a natural stone extracted from the earth in quarries that can be found all around the world. The uniqueness of the tiles are guaranteed by the unique geological conditions found in each area from which the stones are extracted. There are four primary methods of extractions: channeling machines, water-jet cutting, wire saw and chain saw. After extraction, the stone is sent to a manufacturarer to be sliced, polished and packaged.
Types and Grades of Travertine
Remember that there are essentially three grades of Travertine tile: premium, standard and commercial. From the almost flawless stone with few pores, passing to one that resembles much to the premium grade only with more pores and a bit more color variation until reaching the commercial one with visible flaws and larger pores. Also there are the two types of cuts from which you can choose that truly make a difference: Vein Cut and the Fleuri cut
Colors Finishes and More
Travertine can be found in a wide variety of colors from beige to chocolate, depending of its geographical location. The four finishes commonly found on travertine tile are: honed, polished, tumbled and brushed. Depending on your preferences you may have a neat, glossy appeareance or a more rugged texture. You can also customize the tile by the edging that is applied. There are a few options that you should check out, from rustic to pillowed appeareance.
Cleaning and Maintenance of Travertine Tile
In order for the flooring to last beautifully, you need to take good care of the Travertine tile. If you will keep maintaing it, it might even last for a lifetime. In case of stains, you can try and remove it with natural poultices. The cleaning process for exterior stone differs as the environment and the expected condition of the stone differ.
Is Travertine Right for Me?
Although it might be tempting to use it in the high traffic areas thanks to its beauty, it is recommended to best use it in places with moderate use.
Travertine: Pro or DIY?
Although the cost of hiring someone to install the flooring will be expensive, there is no guarantee that you will save money if you do it yourself. If you haven’t done this before, make frequent mistakes and you need to buy all the tools that are necessary for the process, you will realize that you actually saved a small amount of money and spent a lot of time doing it. Installing tile flooring is a time consuming process, especially when you are not experienced. Before making a decision, consider all of the costs associated with installing the flooring yourself, and not just the difference in the price of labor.
How to Install Travertine Tile
The installing process resembles with the installing of any other tile. Prepare the surface, lay the tile and then apply grout to keep the tiles in place. Even if you are using the tile for flooring, walls or countertops, the process is basically the same.
How to Repair and Replace Travertine Tile
A loose tile is the most common repair needed. In case of replacement, instead of replacing the entire floor, it is best for you to have spare tiles from the initial installation. Unfortunately, in case you may need at some point to repair a damaged subfloor that is a bit more difficult to handle.
Travertine Buying Checklist
Before deciding, take into consideration your budget, the possibility of financing, the question you will ask about the warranty and the installation process. Have a checklist with all this information before purchasing.
Travertine FAQs
If you have any further questions you should the most frequently asked questions in order to help you making this process easier for you.
Tile Glossary
Check the glossary if there is any word you find during your research and you don’t know about. It is important for you to understand all the key terms and knowing terms will make it easier for you to understand the instructions in case you choose to install the tile yourself
How Much Do You Need?
One of the most important first steps is for you to accurately determine how much tile you need. You will need to make sure you order enough for the whole surface plus a bit more in case some of the tiles are broken or any other problems appear. It is important for you to have a few extra tiles because if you will need to replace a tile in a few years it will be almost impossible for you to find something that actually fits. In order to figure out how many tiles you need you will firstly need to measure the surface you will be working with and multiply the width by the lenght in order to give you the total area. Each square foot is 12”x 12”. If you have selected 12” tiles, you will need one for each square foot. Use the chart below to help determine how many tiles you will need for an assortment of tile sizes:
-4” tiles – Total area / .1089 = Number of 4”tiles required
-6” tiles – Total area / .25 = Number of 6” tiles required
-9” tiles – Total area / .5625 = Number of 9”tiles required
-18” tiles – Total area / 2.25 = Number of 18” tiles required
After you figured out the number of tiles required to complete the work, add an additional 10 percent for the reasons mentioned above. In case you will be completing the project yourself and have little experience, 20 percent will be more than enough with all of the possible mistakes.
Rremember that even the most perfectly crafted travertine tile will have color variations and imperfections. Take this as a positive aspect, not as a negative one, it will be unique. There will be differences between the samples you view and the tiles that are shipped to you, because the look of the tiles between pallets, and even within pallets, will vary. This is not because they are imperfect but because of the crystallization and mineralization process. This is to be expected, and the pattern that emerges in the finished product will be completely different from that of any other floor. This individuality is what made the travertine tine so popular throughout the ages.