Travertine is an environment friendly building material that has been used in the construction even before the Roman Empire. It is an extremely durable stone that can survive not only freeze and thaw cycle but also withstand exposure to scorching sunlight. The strength of this stone can be seen in buildings like the Colosseum and Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris. This stone has a unique striking appearance due to the pits in its structure which appear during its formation when carbon dioxide gets released. The aesthetically pleasing stone is quarried and taken to factories for cutting into slabs, pavers, tiles and mosaics.
As one of the most popular natural stones used in buildings and other architectural structures, travertine has been known for its natural and smooth look and durability. In fact, travertine is a type of limestone formed from calcium carbonate deposits near hot springs. This process happens on a large scale and takes millions of years. As a porous sedimentary rock, travertine has earthy color tones such as gold, brown, red, tan, ivory, etc.
As one of the most popular natural stones used in buildings and other architectural structures, travertine has been known for its natural and smooth look and durability. In fact, travertine is a type of limestone formed from calcium carbonate deposits near hot springs. This process happens on a large scale and takes millions of years. As a porous sedimentary rock, travertine has earthy color tones such as gold, brown, red, tan, ivory, etc.
Travertine is a highly durable and character-filled material, you can actually use it in a wide variety of places and areas. It goes well with the architecture, and interior design, including flooring, countertops, backsplashes, shower and tub surrounds, fireplace surrounds, and outdoor pavers used on patios and walkways and around swimming pools. Besides, as with all natural stones, one of the most important factors is the right laying and right material thickness. For harsh weather conditioned areas, it is strongly recommended the tiles be 3 cm thick. For indoor use, the thickness could be 1.2 cm.
Travertine Finishing Types
Travertine has broad finishes ranging from tumbled to bush hammer. To make it clearer, let’s explore what the popular finishes are:
- Tumbled finish results from tumbling the travertine tile’s surface by using small stones, sand, and water. At the end of this process, travertine looks more aged and antiqued like the stone has been used for a very long time. The surface becomes matte, rustic, and slip-resistant, with the edges becoming rounded. This popular treatment is suitable for interior and exterior designs, especially useful for exterior paving and backsplashes.
- The filled and honed finish is one of the most popular travertine finishes. In this method, travertine tiles are honed, and then the pits and pores are filled with cement. Filled and honed travertine has a smooth finish and dull look. It is a perfect option for indoor and outdoor applications, especially for the bathrooms.
- The process of polished travertine is the same as the process of honed ones. As a popular finish, polished travertine tiles have a glossy and reflective finish as well as a dynamic and sleek look. Generally, polished travertine tiles are used for interior designs and work well for benchtops and countertops. They are not recommended for outdoor floors as it may sometimes be slippery.
- Brushed travertine tiles are acquired by brushing the surface with silicon carbide brushes under high pressure .The brushed finish is not as popular, and with this method, the stone is often unfilled. This gives the tile a rough feeling and a slightly vivid colored look. Brushed travertine can be used anywhere honed travertine is used.
- The split face finish is obtained by cutting the stone at varying angles, and the surface is not filled or honed. Split face travertine has the roughest surface and natural look. It is mostly used for walls, backsplashes, and fireplace surroundings.
- The bush-hammered finish is achieved by striking the travertine with a mechanical hammer. At the end of this process, the travertine tile’s surface is fully covered by distinctive, even pits similar to the orange peel. With the surface being heavily textured, bush-hammered travertine tiles are best used for exterior areas such as walkways and pavings
