Travertine : can/should it be laid flat?

[AllyCa]

I've had a travertine floor fitted in my new kitchen. Many of the tiles are flat and level against each other with nice light grouting between. But several have a significant difference between the levels, so you can see and feel the side of the tile. When you stand at the kitchen door and look over the whole floor you don't only see the grouting between the tiles - there are several spots where it's dark because you're looking at the side of the tile. The fitter says this is normal/to be expected with natural stone tiles like this. Am I being too fussy? Would really appreciate an idea of what is best (or even, acceptable) practice when it comes to the leveling of a natural stone floor. And what would be the solution to get it looking right, if this isn't it...

 

[Tile Shop]

Are you able to provide images?

I would say they need to be flat, but a height difference of 1mm is allowed by British Standards for a grout width of 6mm or less. (2mm for over 6mm width)

If the tiles are Honed and filled, they should be manufactured to be of a uniform thickness, so a difference of height may then have been caused by inconsistent adhesive beds, or an unlevel floor (which should have been fixed before laying anything).

If the tiles are tumbled Travertine, there may be a very slight difference in thickness's, but this can normally be overcome by adjusting the bed depth or grading the tiles before fixing.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Were they fixed by an experienced stone tiler?

 

[Dan]

Pictures would help. Take some of the worst bits and upload them to your thread.

 

[widler]

Yup, need pictures

 

[Italy]

them, want to the pictures !!!.
them, enjoy to see the images.
you put your pictures?

 

[AllyCa]

Are you able to provide images?

I would say they need to be flat, but a height difference of 1mm is allowed by British Standards for a grout width of 6mm or less. (2mm for over 6mm width)

If the tiles are Honed and filled, they should be manufactured to be of a uniform thickness, so a difference of height may then have been caused by inconsistent adhesive beds, or an unlevel floor (which should have been fixed before laying anything).

If the tiles are tumbled Travertine, there may be a very slight difference in thickness's, but this can normally be overcome by adjusting the bed depth or grading the tiles before fixing.

Thank you so much for this. It is filled and honed Travertine, from Topps Tiles. I've attached some photos and would be interested in your thoughts. Presumably the British Standards allowance is for health & safety (eg trip hazard) rather than what looks right aesthetically?

 

[AllyCa]

Here is the first image, more to follow

 

[AllyCa]

Here are more images...

 

[AllyCa]

Were they fixed by an experienced stone tiler?

He is a general builder but has fitted lots of stone tile floors before. He says they are all like this, because the stone is different thicknesses.

 

[AllyCa]

Yup, need pictures

See below. Thank you!

 

[hmtiling]

Here are more images...

View attachment 85623 View attachment 85624 View attachment 85625 View attachment 85626 View attachment 85627 View attachment 85628

That is poor. Looks like bad prep if any.

 

[White Room]

I just don't how they get away with it personally, if I had done a job like that I should be sacked.

 

[Qwerty]

Not good at all. Out of interest is your floor solid concrete or wooden suspended?

 

[John Benton]

Could be just my screen but it looks as though it has a lot of grout haze left on there as well

 

[Chalker]

Looks like a big dip in the floor.

Very poor job.

 

[gamma38]

I would tell your general builder that he has ruined your floor and he needs to reimburse you for the cost to rectify it. That is crap, plain and simple.
To be fair though, why did you employ a general builder to tile? He may be a good builder but that doesn't mean he can tile, which he obviously can't.

 

[Ttt1601]

Typical builder, I've seen many a floor like this laid by a builder who claims they can tile, poor prep prob has alot to do with but as gamma38 said he needs to reimburse you the cost for rectifying the floor to a good standard

 

[Andy Allen]

How did he fix them......did he put blobs of adhesive on the floor or spread the floor with a notched trowel...

 

[Time's Ran Out]

He is a general builder but has fitted lots of stone tile floors before. He says they are all like this, because the stone is different thicknesses.

That's all that was that was required to know!
Unfortunately it's not good.
Good luck!

 

[widler]

Without a doubt it's rough.
You have a dip in the middle of your room by the looks of it.
My eyes hurt

 

[One Day]

What a shame
sadly it's a common theme on tile forums though. fixing stone and tile to a high standard is a specialist skill.
Fixing tile and stone to a 'general' standard, well that's what you have here.
I'm still amazed though that some people view that kind of standard as acceptable!

How about grinding and polishing rather than a full rip out? Unless of course it's been spot fixed...

 

[Flintstone]

A typical builder job, poor prep, if the floor was sound to start with these lips wouldn't or shouldn't be there.

 

[AllyCa]

Thank you to everyone for all your comments. This has been very useful, and helped in my conversations with the builder. Just another quick question, if you have time : if there was any other solution for making this good which didn't involve lifting the whole floor and starting again, what would you suggest? Someone has mentioned grinding and polishing. Is there anything else? I'm just interested in knowing all the options available. Many thanks!

 

[hmtiling]

What a shame
sadly it's a common theme on tile forums though. fixing stone and tile to a high standard is a specialist skill.
Fixing tile and stone to a 'general' standard, well that's what you have here.
I'm still amazed though that some people view that kind of standard as acceptable!

How about grinding and polishing rather than a full rip out? Unless of course it's been spot fixed...

If it's been spot fixed and still that bad then the guy needs shooting!

 

[hmtiling]

Thank you to everyone for all your comments. This has been very useful, and helped in my conversations with the builder. Just another quick question, if you have time : if there was any other solution for making this good which didn't involve lifting the whole floor and starting again, what would you suggest? Someone has mentioned grinding and polishing. Is there anything else? I'm just interested in knowing all the options available. Many thanks!

I think they're your 2 options

 

[AllyCa]

I think they're your 2 options

Thank you

 

[widler]

Can you grind and polish trav that much ? Looks half of the thickness in some pics

 

[AllyCa]

Can you grind and polish trav that much ? Looks half of the thickness in some pics

That would be my worry - to level it out, tile-to-tile, would it be such a difference that the tile would then not be flat with itself? Or might even need to be ground down too far?

 

[gamma38]

Your only option really is to rip it up and start again. Unfortunately this puts all the stress your way. You have to either pay for it all again with someone else doing the job. Or go down the route of getting money out of your builder. I would say your builder would be reluctant to cough up a load of money. I wouldn't grind it down, as said above.