Can anyone help with some info about Travertine?

[tileaddict]

Hi - am a complete novice here but I'm hoping some of you will be able to answer my very basic and idiotish questions!

We're going to have a new kitchen/diner floor tiled and I'm leaning towards travertine as I think it looks great and appears hardwearing. My questions are:

1. It seems to vary wildly in price. I don't want rubbish but again don't want to spend a fortune if you can get decent stuff for a reasonable price. What's realistic and are there any recommended suppliers (if you can name on this board?)?

2. I don't want anything riven so presumably need to go for "filled" travertine to get a smooth finish. What is "honed"?

3. I know it needs sealing and presumably re-sealing regularly (yearly?). Is that easy to do? With two small children I don't want anything that's going to be high maintenance!

4. I like the idea of a sort of pattern using different sizes laid out. Is that what is meant by "tumbled" or is that something else?

5. Kitchen will be mostly ivory with an oak island and brown (haven't decided exactly which) granite surfaces so anyone with any specific type of travertine they'd recommend?

Many thanks in advance and sorry if these questions are a bit stupid!

TileAddict

 

[Gazzer]

When looking for travertine the prices will vary. this is mainly due to the amount of filler they use. More filler = lower grade, less filler = higher grade.
It becomes a bit of a compromise to what you consider a reasonable amount to pay. Its best to see the stone you wil be buying before handing over money and dont fall for the sample tile trick as this will no doubt be a good tile out of the batch.
If you require a smooth finish you will need to look at Honed and filled not tumbled.
The pattern will probably the most popular pattern which will be Opus Romano...google it

 

[grumpygrouter]

Hi - am a complete novice here but I'm hoping some of you will be able to answer my very basic and idiotish questions!

We're going to have a new kitchen/diner floor tiled and I'm leaning towards travertine as I think it looks great and appears hardwearing. My questions are:

1. It seems to vary wildly in price. I don't want rubbish but again don't want to spend a fortune if you can get decent stuff for a reasonable price. What's realistic and are there any recommended suppliers (if you can name on this board?)?

2. I don't want anything riven so presumably need to go for "filled" travertine to get a smooth finish. What is "honed"?

3. I know it needs sealing and presumably re-sealing regularly (yearly?). Is that easy to do? With two small children I don't want anything that's going to be high maintenance!

4. I like the idea of a sort of pattern using different sizes laid out. Is that what is meant by "tumbled" or is that something else?

5. Kitchen will be mostly ivory with an oak island and brown (haven't decided exactly which) granite surfaces so anyone with any specific type of travertine they'd recommend?

Many thanks in advance and sorry if these questions are a bit stupid!

TileAddict

I would consider porcelain tiles instead of Trav if you have children. Much easier to look after and you can get decent imitiaions of trav in porcelain if you look around.

 

[doug boardley]

just to add, "tumbled" are tiles tht have soft (almost look chipped) edges

 

[david campbell]

why not get your tiler to meet you in a tile shed and get him to show you examples and the quality you wil be paying for,he will also explain if you want to seal or seal with a colour enhancer

 

[tileaddict]

Thanks guys - lots of good info to get me started off on.
Building works are only just starting so our builder hasn't got a tiler on board yet - I'm just impatient I guess!

 

[doug boardley]

Thanks guys - lots of good info to get me started off on.
Building works are only just starting so our builder hasn't got a tiler on board yet - I'm just impatient I guess!

nah, just researching and getting prepared, I wish more customers were like you

 

[Gazzer]

If I were you I would be taking notes of any info given here and when the Tiler appears I would be asking him questions to make sure he knows what he is doing. Better safe than sorry.

 

[DHTiling]

Stone is ok with kids.. They are not gunna spill wine are they.. it's the adults..:lol:

Stone is great for family life and why not have what you want and it will last for years and years and can be cleaned etc and look like new year in year out..

Just make sure the quality is good , so no filler starts to pop from regular foot traffic.

 

[Yorkshire Tiling Services]

The other consideration with Travertine as well as the above is..
That the cheaper, sometimes mid priced tiles vary drastically in shade & colour.
Some will tell you that this is because it is a natural product... granted it is. But also many of the imported trav comes from a vary of sources ( quarries ) They are mixed together and palletised for export.
Some importers use the same quarry for their tiles, therefore a more even colour shading is supplied.



Also another consideration is that the cheaper commercial grades are less suitable for floors because the filling & holes on the underside of the tile are weak points, which are susceptible to being damaged, women in heeled shoes is a common cause.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

I agree with all above good advice as always, with travertine you get what you pay for. I must say Grumpy has a point about porcelain, no maintenance and you can get some very good travertine lookalikes. Unless your heart is set on the real thing, I would check them out. Good luck

 

[bootsmckiber]

I did a high end condominium on the oceanfront last year the bathrooms and ensuites were both heated floors and they used tumbled travertine there were 32 units so there was quite a bit of trav used as a few clients also wanted their kitchen floors the same,after setting the trav and doing a major grout job because you have to fill all the holes the effect of the grout in the tile as well as the lines themselves was great,I sealed it twice with a matte enhancer and not one client complained,like I said even I was impressed with the finished look.so if you can get tumbled trav at a good price go for it,treat it well and grout hard,I'm sure you'll be happy.

 

[tileaddict]

Thanks. And will it need sealing yearly if I go for Travertine? Is it a DIY job (I'm not really a DIYer!) or do I have to get a pro in?

TileAddict

 

[doug boardley]

you'll need an impregnating sealer tileaddict, LTP mattstone would be my choice, re-sealing schedules really depend on the amount of traffic it gets, but yes, it is something you could do yourself

 

[Huntndude]

All good information guys!! Can I add a question? Can you lay the stone tiles without grout lines?