What is Travertine Flooring?
by Kim Kinrade
More Than Limestone: Not Quite Marble
In its natural state travertine comes in many different colors including ivory, beige, walnut, noce, and gold, which is decided by iron compounds or other organic impurities. Found first in Italy thousands of years ago travertine takes its name from the ancient town of Tibur and was called “Tibur stone” which though language changes eventually became travertine. Since then it has been used for thousands of years in building homes and buildings but it was the Romans who first realized the use of travertine for flooring. As it was less rare than marble travertine became the “middle class” alternate for traffic areas such as entranceway floors and stairs. In today's homes travertine is used for counter-tops, flooring, showers, and wall coverings.
Tiles and Textures
Manufacturers of travertine tile flooring cut the stones into thin tiles and then put a finish on the tiles. There are four basic finishes for travertine flooring tiles.
Polished: The raw tiles are polished until smooth enough to catch and reflect light.
Honed tiles: These have a matte finish, being polished just enough to create a flat, smooth surface.
Brushed/ Tumbled: The tiles are textured and the style depends on the amount of tumbling and brushing time.
Some Drawbacks
Breakage: The hardness of travertine is consistent with the hardness of other stone tile floors. Although it has a high hardness level, like these other stones, travertine can break, chip, and crack. In fact, shipping alone can result in breakage of a small percentage of floor tiles.
Sealing: Because acidic food and salts can react with raw travertine it requires an application of sealant on a yearly basis. More importantly, unsealed travertine shouldn't be used in food is prep areas because it will absorb grease and food spills.
Slippery: Polished and sealed travertine is very slippery when wet so you may wish to choose one of the other finishes for the floor and bathroom or put down runners.
Beautiful, Eco-Friendly and Enduring
However, despite certain drawbacks, the main advantage of travertine is that it can add to the beauty of any room in your home. As well, polished and properly-sealed travertine stone flooring is easy to clean and is considered both hygienic and environmentally friendly as it does not absorb odors, chemicals, or gases. And dirt stays on the surface of the sealed stone, rather than being ground in, and can easily be removed.
Permits Not Required
Permits are not required to install flooring in Austin. However if this project is part of a larger renovation you will have to check with:
The City of Austin Development Assistance Center
Phone: (512) 974-6370
505 Barton Springs Rd
Austin, TX 78704