TRAVERTINE TILES

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Travertine Tiles & Pavers

Travertine is a form of Limestone that has a rich history as a versatile building material.  It’s natural warmth and ability to perform in a wide range of locations has seen this stone used around the world in some of the most recognised buildings.  Travertine is a stone that can be used internally, externally, and even in water making the design possibilities endless.  It’s natural resistance to the elements and ability to refresh the material after years of use means that Travertine slabs and tiles are a wise investment for either commercial or residential projects.

What is Travertine?

Travertine is a form of Limestone that has a rich history respected as a highly versatile building material. Its natural warmth and ability to complete the look of a wide range of projects have seen this stone used around the world in some of the most well-recognised and glamorous buildings.

 Travertine is a sedimentary, limestone rock that forms around hot mineral springs throughout the world, with its name deriving from the Roman era. Throughout the ages, travertine has been used internally, externally, and even in environments with water, making the design possibilities truly endless.

As the stone can be finished in a variety of ways, including honed, tumbled, chisel edged, or brought to a high polish, travertine is a popular choice to finish the look of a kitchen, hallway, or outdoor area.

Its natural durability and resistance to the elements mean that travertine is a wise choice for any kind of commercial or residential project with the ability to refresh the material after years of use giving it unrivalled longevity.

Benefits of Travertine Tiles & Pavers

Travertine has maintained its popularity for thousands of years and remains a versatile building material.  Its extensive use throughout Europe means this material will maintain its timeless appeal and can be confidently viewed as a sound investment in any building project. With the stone used in the Roman coliseum, ancient Jerusalem, and in some of the most renowned modern buildings like the Sears Tower, travertine’s appeal is timeless.

Travertine tiles and slabs come in a variety of different colours from ivory whites to deep browns and reds, and everything in between. Whatever the style or decor of your space, the diversity of travertine colours, holing, and texture means it can fit into any project with ease. Whether filled or left unfilled, each travertine tile is truly unique too with the natural processes that form the mineral-rich stone accentuated when cut and finished, highlighting the interesting surface texture.

Uses for Italian Travertine Stone

At RMS Marble, we supply a large variety of tiles in a multitude of colours, textures, and sizes, with Italian travertine regarded as the best available.

The Italian variety is most popular as a bathroom tile with many people choosing to install travertine for its warmth and beauty. Travertine tiles also offer one of the most versatile finishes that can be used anywhere in the home either internally or externally.

In slab form, travertine can be used for benchtops, wall cladding, lift foyers, and as flooring. As a tile, travertine finds itself used for both residential and commercial floors and walls as well as in and around pools or externally as landscaping.

Travertine Tiles in the Bathroom

Travertine is formed and produced by water and minerals, with the material’s origins echoed in a bathroom setting as flooring, wall tiling, and vanity tops. As a bathroom tile, travertine provides good texture thanks to its porous texture giving it good slip resistance.

In a bathroom or wet room, unfilled travertine tiles resemble the hewn walls of an ancient cavern. Conversely, filled travertine floor tiles bring a real sense of luxury and classic design to the bathroom.

Travertine in the Kitchen

Larger travertine tiles are great for a kitchen space where the texture of the material makes for a great benchtop or an ideal finish to floors. The diversity of colours on offer blend well with cabinets and fixtures of all kinds, with the tones of the tile providing either a rustic charm or a sense of natural refinement depending on the finish.

Outdoor

Italian travertine pavers are a great choice for your outdoor area too, including as a material for paths, driveways, pool surrounds, steps and cladding. As the material is naturally non-uniform, it is especially useful as outdoor pavers and pool coping tiles that give a non-slip surface for pool users while also elevating the space with its colour and texture.

How to Choose the Right Finish for Your Natural Travertine Tiles & Pavers:

Travertine comes in a variety of finishes that can fit any setting or purpose. These range from smooth and highly polished, to rougher, more antiquated travertine tiles. Whatever the finish, each tile will have a neatened edge to ensure perfect laying is possible.

Honed Travertine Tiles & Pavers

A honed finish is ground down using specialised brushes to achieve a smoother surface but without a high polish. Honed travertine tiles are matte, or satin, with a consistent, less-reflective surface. This is a popular choice for indoor flooring and outdoor pavers with the smoother finish providing an ideal walking surface. This type of finish comes both as a filled or unfilled depending on project requirements.

Tumbled Travertine Tiles & Pavers

Tumble finishes involve subjecting the travertine to abrasive grit that softens the edges of the naturally pockmarked stone. This gives a weathered or worn-in effect that can give a homely, lived aesthetic. 

As a tumbled finish adds additional texture, tiles and pavers made from travertine are suitably non-slip for completing shower cubicles, bath surrounds, or as an interior or exterior walking surface. Travertine tiles with a tumbled finish are typically left unfilled to achieve a truly rustic effect.

Polished Travertine Stone

Bringing a sense of clarity and cleanliness to a space, polished travertine stone is filled and polished until a high shine is achieved. This gloss finish is highly reflective and is the perfect material for hallways, bathrooms, and kitchens where you want to introduce more light.

As the surface is slick when wet, it is not recommended for this tile to be used as uncovered bathroom flooring or outdoors.

Brushed Finished Travertine

Using a wire rotary brush spinning many times a second, brushed travertine gives a honed-like effect but with a more uniform appearance. This finish is typically left unfilled to celebrate the holes and pits found in the stone, ideal as outdoor paving.

Chiselled-edge Travertine Stone

For the ultimate rustic look, a chisel-edge finish can be applied to travertine tile. This finish adds an irregular cut to the edge of tiles, achieved by machine and by hand. This is commonly found on honed or brush-finished travertine and is popular both indoors and outdoors to give a weathered, aged appearance.

How to Look After & Maintain Your Travertine Tiles & Pavers

Travertine is a highly durable material but does require regular maintenance to keep it looking its best. Without regular cleaning and treatment, tiles will lose their lustre and colours will appear duller. Fortunately, even old travertine can be renewed.

Whether you have travertine as a flooring, wall material, worktop, or as outdoor paving, simply brush or wipe away debris and dust with a clean, dry brush or broom. A vacuum can help to remove bits from holes in the stone.

You want to only use a neutral detergent and clean, soft cloth to avoid damaging the porous stone. This should be a non-acidic solution. Simply mop or wipe down surfaces regularly, using paper towels or a soft microfibre cloth afterwards to dry. 

Importantly, avoid spills on travertine as travertine can absorb moisture. If a spillage does occur, absorb the liquid as soon as possible to avoid staining.

Contact Us or Visit Our Sydney Showroom

Located near Sydney Airport RMS Marble has a large range of stone tiles, slabs, and accessories that you can view in our showroom /warehouse.  Bring along your drawings and colour palette so we can help find the perfect stone products for you.