Natural stone can lend a sense of luxury, warmth and serenity to your home. Travertine is a gorgeous stone that has quickly become a popular trend among homeowners, especially in the bathroom.

What is Travertine?

Travertine is a relatively hard stone. It is a kind of limestone that is deposited by springs, particularly hot springs. It is a porous calcite, akin to tufa, but stronger. The stone is characterized by tiny crevices, pitted holes and veins of contrasting color.

While travertine has been extensively quarried in Italy, it is also mined in Afghanistan, China, Greece, Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Peru, Turkey and the US. Once it has been quarried it is cut for use in construction.

Travertine's Appearance

The surface of Travertine is pitted with tiny, irregular holes and generally has ribbons or bands of color running through the tile.

Pure, white travertine is rare. More often the stone is colored because iron or naturally occurring organic impurities affected the stone while it was forming. The stone comes in a wide range of warm colors that can work with different design palates. The color could be anywhere from white, cream, tan, brown, golden, or caramel to a yellow, red or gray.

Kinds of Travertine

Another kind of Travertine is Shell Stone. It is so called because of the shells that become embedded in the stone during its formation.

The finished surface of travertine stone can vary.

Honed Travertine, for example, is polished, giving it a shiny, reflective sheen that has a hard, cold feeling surface. Luxury and formality can be created with honed travertine.

Tumbled Travertine looks natural and has a more matte or flat finish. It appears to be weathered and is softer and warmer to the touch than honed stone. Tumbled travertine works with more natural, organic themes.

Travertine Applications:

Travertine is also used in making statues, sinks, vanities, tables, coasters and other decorative items.

*Note: It is possible to use travertine for countertops, however, it is not generally recommended. This is because travertine is soft and will scratch. It is also porous, so it will soak up liquids. Liquids that are acidic, such as alcohol, citrus, vinegar, etc. will stain the stone. However, if you do choose travertine as a countertop material, be sure to select a stone that is less porous and is as hard as possible. Additionally, travertine used in this application should be thoroughly sealed.

Grouting Travertine:

When it comes time to grout you will have to decide on the look you prefer. There are two techniques for grouting the travertine. The naturally existing holes can be Filled or left Unfilled. This is also called Antique Fill or Natural Look. When you plan to fill the holes the grout you select should be color-matched to the tile. The holes can also be filled with dust resin or an epoxy.

Some favor the natural, warm look of the open holes, whereas others fancy the more polished, finished look of the the filled holes. Whichever option you choose, the job is made easier by sealing the tiles first before you grout.

Sealing and Cleaning Travertine:

When you want unfilled holes, use the sealer generously to fill the holes and when grouting prevent the grout from depositing in the holes. For the filled holes, just brush the surface of the tile with your sealant. The grout will still be able to fill the holes, but the it will be easy to wash the grout off the travertine's surface.

Sealing the travertine serves to protect the stone. It can also enhance the color of stone and provide either a glossy or matte finish. The choice is yours.

Caution: When cleaning your travertine floors do not use vinegar, an acidic or an abrasive cleaner, so as not to scratch or discolor it. Make sure you wipe up spills as soon as they happen. Sweep or dust mop the floors frequently and mop the floors with a neutral cleaner or a stone soap. Rinse and dry the tile after using the soap. Companies, such as Aldon Corporation, specialize in products for sealing and cleaning travertine.