What is Travertine?

Travertine is a sedimentary rock, formed by carbonate materials found in surface and ground waters as well as hot springs. If you were ever to walk through a limestone cave and see the stalactites and stalagmites, those were made with travertine. It is usually harvested from river banks and springs which are common places where minerals dissolve in ground water. Travertine stone, sometime being called” travertine limestone”, “travertine marble” or even “travertine granite.”

Travertine Uses

Travertine is used as a building material and is becoming very popular as a floor tile. Other places where they can be used is in the kitchen as a back splash, kitchen and bathroom counter tops, shower stalls, patio and garden floor pavers or any other place where tile can be used.

One of the great benefits with using travertine tiles is that no two tiles are identical. You know how annoying it can be to match up tile for an existing ceramic tile floor? You don’t need to worry about that with this type of flooring because none of the tiles match anyway.

It is necessary to remember that travertine is created from calcium carbonate so you will want to avoid using it in places where it might be exposed to acidic conditions. Many people will not use travertine in the kitchen because of the possibility of an acidic juice or soda spilling on the travertine and harming it. Also, some tile cleaners contain acids that will harm the travertine.  It is important to make sure any tile cleaner you use does not contain acid in it.  Travertine should only be cleaned with a neutral or mild alkaline-based cleaner. If you do use it in places where there is a possibility of acid then it is best to seal that travertine well.

Travertine Finishes

There are a variety of finishes available for this type of flooring. Many people choose the shiny or glossy look for their floors. It provides a fabulous look in homes and offices. The textured or more weathered look is also growing in popularity. If you are going for the old world look this would be a great finish for you to use. Other finishes include filled, unfilled, honed, tumbled or a combination of these.

Travertine Colors

There are a variety of colors fort his type of tile.  You may find significant variations within the same slab or possibly even the same tile. It looks fabulous.  Some of the colors include brown, beige, red, yellow, gray, rosa red, white and multi-colored. You can usually find a color that works well with your other decor.