Travertine
Travertine is a very dense form of Calcium
Carbonate. It is naturally pitted as the result of the resence
of iron compounds or order organic impurities, and has a banded
appearance from hot spring water penetrating through the limestone.
The holes in the surface [ which can range from pinholes to quite
large irregular holes ] can be filled with grout when laying or
filled in at the factory when the tile is being machined. Colours
vary from pale to dark creame and finishes include honed or brushed.
Travertine tiles are graded into quality groups,
such as select choice. As with all natural stone tiles, you need
to be careful about correctly measuring the area that is to be
tiled. If you run out of tiles when laying and order additional
batches the colour may differ to the original batch.
Travertine is warm looking and in recent years has gained increasing
popularity as the flooring of choice in living areas. Travertine
is also popular in open plan areas and is good for linking different
areas in a house.
As with all natural stone, it's recommended
that you call in a professional tiler to lay a travertine floor.
Your retailer will generally supply everything required for the
job, including adhesive, grout and treatment. Travertine must
be applied to a flat, solid surface; it can be installed over
concrete, plywood or marine plywood, bur not over a timber floor.
Laying travertine tiles is very time consuming, since the tiles
need specialist cutting equipment, such as an angle grinder or
a wet saw; the tiles must also be grouted and treated.
Factory filled and honed tiles are more expensive
than unfilled tiles and are generally of a higher quality. The
upkeep can be easier than tiles filled by grouting. As a general
rule, the less filling required and the more consistent the material,
the more ex pensive it becomes. It is vital that the tiles are
treated once laid, which will further add to the cost.
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