Hello to all and help with query

[Pat Perry]

Hello Everyone. Just joined the Forum as trying to understand what to do about the floor in our newly converted bungalow. We will be having wet underfloor heating in our kitchen and conservatory - a large area of approx 100sq m. We want to put down honed and filled travertine on the floor but have been told by a slate supplier(we are having slate kitchen worktops) that the travertine will not be good as the heating will "pop" the epoxy filler in the holes and the floor will look naff quite soon. Does anyone agree with this please? Can we use travertine? Does the quality of the tile make a difference? We have found tiles at £ 18 sq m on web but don't know if this will be false economy. Thank you

 

[DHTiling]

Hi Pat and welcome...

Yes it does depend on the Travertine quality, at £18 a mtr then IMHO you are looking at a low grade, thus this will have more surface filler than a premium grade..

You require filler to be no bigger than a little finger nail in size..

You will find an awful lot of stone online will be advertised as premium but infact isn't... it is usually a lower grade and you cannot tell by 100mmx100mm sample that it is top grade..

Always go to see the stone at the suppliers and examine a few pieces from a crate of what you would be buying.. that is the best way to see exactly what you are getting..

 

[diamonddrilbit]

The amount and size of holes on the back of the travertine will tell you how much resin is in the face of the travertine.

 

[tfs]

You could perhaps choose a decent Limestone. Limestone and travetrtine are very similar and have come about in very similar ways. Limestone is more dense so tends to be a bit more durable in my opinion.

 

[diamonddrilbit]

I agree with tfs, limestone is much better, it is formed on sea beds and is much denser, where as travertine is made up of deposits of limestone that has occurred around natural hot springs which bubble through the stone causing holes !!

 

[DHTiling]

That still does not say Travertine is not suitable for floors.. I have installed various travertines and premium grades have very little filler and are quite dense... it is the cheaper classic travertines that are prone.

 

[tfs]

I agree, its down to quality and density realy. Travertine was used for the likes of buildings et in Italy for hundreds of years. Its just like timber, too much low quality around these days. Just be sure to check out the tiles as Dave says.

Try a few local merchants.

 

[tfs]

If you are using an Architect, you could perhaps ask them to specify some.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

PHG, a forum sponsor, have quality travertine in stock and deliver Nationwide - but not at £18/metre!
I have cheap travertine on a dining room floor (being a pensioner) with an inlaid line of black granite and UFH. Been down a couple of years now and has a couple of holes to be filled but nothing major and as soon as I can get a decent tiler to fill them I will.:lol:

 

[Pat Perry]

Thank you everyone. All your comments have been a good help. I think I will look for better/more expensive travertine. Has anyone bought from Walls and Floors on the Internet. They sell by the pallet load but this must be difficult to check quality. I have a tile sample that is about 300 by 300 mm and it looks OK to me but I suppose I don't have enough experience to know if it's any good. Could someone tell me how the best quality travertine is described please. I don't want to pay moret Han I need to but don't want to ruin a quality renovation project for the sake of a few hundred pounds. Thank you all so much.

 

[tfs]

I think you are best going to a supplier in person and checking the stock for yourself. It may seem like hassle but you could be saving yourself alot of trouble by selecting your tiles in person.

As both a tradesman and a previous employee at a Tile Marchant, this is how I would be doing things.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

What are you looking for Ivory/Cappuccino - light/dark - cross/vein cut - 12mm/15mm/thicker - 600x400/smaller ?????
What part of the country are you based?
As previously stated - I wouldn't buy any stone from a sample piece as even 1 tile will have variation across the surface. You need to visit a supplier and check what they hold in stock of the quantity you need and is available in the full area 100sq mts of the same batch.
The supplier I earlier advised will provide a quality product at a competitive price and is known by a number of members here who would not hesitate to recommend them.
Some cheaper travertine can have a lot of filling, but in the right colour can often add to the detail of the finish. However it really is a personal choice and one that can be made a little easier by your chosen Tiling Contractor who should be involved in the selection with yourselves. IMHO.
Good luck.

 

[Tony73]

Hi, i'd go with travertine, as it is more practical. Limestone is very sensitive. But i think you not going to get good quality for £18.00 per sq.m

 

[Pat Perry]

Hi Timeless John and Tony 73. Thank you so much for your replies. I am in Hertfordshire. Our builder is arranging to have the tiles fitted as part of 2nd fix and as yet we have not met tiler. We are to supply the tiles. We will have underfloor heating. Area is large - conservatory about 60sq m and kitchen 40 sq m. May also buy the same tile to do bathroom and en suite floors and walls.

Is it acceptable to check out the warehouse stock before buying?

Really appreciate the unbiased advice of experts as am aware that some suppliers will try to sell you anything. Thank you everyone.

 

[Dan]

I think it is a given that they should at least bring you some random chosen tiles from their stock, if they can't even get you into their warehouse (often for health and safety reasons). It's similar to buying a rusty car in the rain and at night if you're ordering so many meters of tiles after only seeing 1 tile. If it was ceramic or porcelain or something else that's granted to be pretty much exactly the same then fair enough, but not a natural stone with such a high QTY.

As Timeless says, the fact it has filler might not always be a bad thing as long as it compliments the colour/shade etc, it's already filled so you wont get so many holes in the future, and it'll be a bit cheaper perhaps. But I'd still even want to see the actual batch my tiles woud be coming from if I were buying even cheap heavily filled trav'. As it'll still change per batch quite a bit.