Travertine floor tiles

[Deleted User]

Thanks vansboy, I have actually seen those tiles at B&Q! They look fab with the glossy red kitchen.

I have shiny ceramic tiles right now and I hate them, I am forever wiping it over because you can see everything. I need a matt finish. Being Italian, I love natural stone. I still think Travertine is the right choice for me.

andyhop

those tiles are polished porcelain and require sealing.

the cheaper chinese items have been known for the adhesive colour to seep thro the back of the tile

travertine is good when well laid but my currenty favourite is a near on white limestone

just make sure that you walls/floors are up to taking the weight of the natural stone as plasterboard/plaster can only take certain weights, you may need to use a backer board to support

[Deleted User]

Good point Andy. The builders are replacing the floorboards because they are rotten, I'll remind them that the new floor has to be strong enough to support the tiles.

shinjukumaster

Do you find those tiles cold under foot?

[Deleted User]

I would think that they are not as cold as ceramic tiles, but I will let you know in a couple of weeks.

Alan_M_2

Travertine originated in Tivoli in Italy and has more in common with Marble than Limestone. The high quality Italian product will start around the £50 sq/m mark upwards.

Most of the Travertine sold in the UK is quite often Turkish sometimes Iranian (persian).

You'll find a far higher proportion of resin/cement to natural stone than in a higher quality product.

When Travertine is quarried, it resembles a block of coral, full of holes, the frequency of these holes along with shade and colour of the stone governs the price and the quality of the end product.

As a few of the poster above have pointed out, they have holes/cracks appearing in the product, this is generally where the man made part of the travertine is wearing, expanding/contracting at a different rate to the rest of the tile.

Some of the products are quite well made, the trouble is, you're just not sure what you're getting when you buy it.

As a result it's far more suitable for wall tiling than floor tiling as it has less to put up with when on the wall.

As a rule of thumb the 12mm thick stuff upwards is flooring product, wall tiles really should only be 10mm thick unless the walls are rendered or constructed in tile backer board.

A skimmed plastered wall or skimmed dry lining can hold up to 20kg/m2

A plasterboard wall (not skimmed) built with 400mm stud centres can hold up to 32kg/m2

Aquapanel on 400mm stud centres can hold up to 50kg/m2.

A 10mm stone tile generally weighs around 20kg/m2. very approximately.

I don't sell travertine, I deal generally in limestone, marble and granite. That's mainly due to us being predominantly a commercial supplier to large contractors and we've never been able to provide longevity guarantees with travertine, plus many of it doesn't actually comply with British Standards.

It is more a decorative product, but quite often suitable for domestic installation as long as you are aware what you are buying and how the product will "age" as it wears. just don't expect it to look exactly as it did when installed 18 months down the line.

Limestone, marble and granite are all 100% natural products that don't contain any man made "filler". As a result these tend to hold their appearance longer and are far more hardwearing.

A very general rule of thumb with limestone, the lighter the stone (in colour) generally the more soft the stone.

Almost always it is far better to use a honed product for flooring than a polished one (unless you like polishing floors!).

Polished is a better product for bathrooms - it's easier to keep clean but doesn't have to put up witht he punishment of a general floor area.

[Deleted User]

Alan, thank you, you sure know your stuff! Limestone is beauitful yes, but more expensive. The travertine I found comes from Turkey and it is honed.
I clean my current ceramic floor every day and will do the same with the new floor.

just don't expect it to look exactly as it did when installed 18 months down the line.

Can you expand on that please? You mean even if I seal it and look after it?

Alan_M_2

A sealant, (impregnating sealer such as Lithofin Stain Stop MN) will not change the appearance of the stone at all. It is designed purely to stop any other liquids entering the stone - as the name suggests to stop stains.

Your honed and filled travertine will look clean and shiny when first fitted (well, more satin than polished in the case of a honed stone). Over a period of time the filler will start to pit gathering small areas of dirt, these initially start off as a pin holes and gradually grow over time.

It's the man made part that breaks down far faster then the natural stone. The floor will look worn and sometimes dirty despite being cleaned regularly.

Some people actually like this character, especially older houses where the aged look is more in keeping with the property.

If you want a modern contemporary look that will stay looking like that, then a solid limestone is a better choice, but even then make sure the stone is suitable for use (don't select anything too soft).

[Deleted User]

Cheers for that. We live in a cottage style house so the aged look will be perfect! :j