Author: chicagostonepro
Subject: Choice of Travertine
Posted: 22 Mar 2011 at 7:17pm
Hi Clo, and welcome to the forums.
Installed correctly, the travertine won't break the way it did in your hands. It won't be able to, as it will be backed by a cement mortar.
If the subfloor prep isn't done well, the tile can crack, and means ANY tile, not just travertine.
Travertine is primarily composed of calcium, which is sensitive to any and all acidic substances. It's also softer than igneous stones such as granite, and therefore it can and will scratch.
You will occasionally need to refinish this, however, I've seen installations that looked great for many years without refinishing, with only a few minor scratches and etches. I've seen others that were trashed in a few months. It all comes down to he customer.
All marble and travertine scratches fairly easily, some more easily than others. Some materials don't show minor scratches so much, and depending on the color and finish, travertine is one of these.
This material was formed by drying water. It's certainly okay to get it wet.
If by watermarked, you mean etched from strong alkali or anything acidic at all - the answer is yes.
Whether or not a stone is porous enough to benefit from sealing does not make a stone a "risky choice".
That said, travertine has a pretty tight surface once finished and filled. Most sealers probably do nothing for it, but it has a lot of voids that are filled with cement grout or plastic resin. If a travertine is going to stain, it's going to be in/through the cement that fills the voids.
Does travertine need to be sealed? If you put it in a mudroom, I'd say yes. I wouldn't bother with it in most folks' bathrooms.
The issues with travertine come down to the calcium content, and sealers on those stones can limit corrosive liquids to the stone surface, limiting the damage, but will NOT prevent etching nor scratches.
Regards.
Subject: Choice of Travertine
Posted: 22 Mar 2011 at 7:17pm
Hi Clo, and welcome to the forums.
Installed correctly, the travertine won't break the way it did in your hands. It won't be able to, as it will be backed by a cement mortar.
If the subfloor prep isn't done well, the tile can crack, and means ANY tile, not just travertine.
Travertine is primarily composed of calcium, which is sensitive to any and all acidic substances. It's also softer than igneous stones such as granite, and therefore it can and will scratch.
You will occasionally need to refinish this, however, I've seen installations that looked great for many years without refinishing, with only a few minor scratches and etches. I've seen others that were trashed in a few months. It all comes down to he customer.
All marble and travertine scratches fairly easily, some more easily than others. Some materials don't show minor scratches so much, and depending on the color and finish, travertine is one of these.
This material was formed by drying water. It's certainly okay to get it wet.
If by watermarked, you mean etched from strong alkali or anything acidic at all - the answer is yes.
Whether or not a stone is porous enough to benefit from sealing does not make a stone a "risky choice".
That said, travertine has a pretty tight surface once finished and filled. Most sealers probably do nothing for it, but it has a lot of voids that are filled with cement grout or plastic resin. If a travertine is going to stain, it's going to be in/through the cement that fills the voids.
Does travertine need to be sealed? If you put it in a mudroom, I'd say yes. I wouldn't bother with it in most folks' bathrooms.
The issues with travertine come down to the calcium content, and sealers on those stones can limit corrosive liquids to the stone surface, limiting the damage, but will NOT prevent etching nor scratches.
Regards.