Using Travertine (kitchens and bathrooms)?

Alan_M_2

With unfilled travertine you actually use a course grout (think more motar than grout) with and "fill" the voids as much as you want.

As long as the substrate is solid enough you'll generally not have a problem at 10mm. ie. a concrete or sand/cement base is fine.

Wood floors will need very solid reinforcement, generally I'd use 12.5mm cement aquapanel glued and screwed to the floorboards before laying a stone this thin.

The grout will need to be hard wearing, wide joint and pretty substantial, you'll need a commercial grout such as Ardex C2 wide joint used with additive (ardion 101 from memory)

Lay the stone with a white wide joint flexible adhesive, then seal them, then grout, then seal them again.

These stones will become a dirt trap, you will need to scrub and bleach them to make them look acceptably clean, therefore you can't skimp on the quality of the materials. Expect the materials cost to exceed what you've paid for the travertine.

Lady_Tara

Lucy_Lastic wrote: »

I have been through the same process as you, looking at Travertine tiles, sending for samples etc. My builder told me that all Travertine tiles need to be properly sealed with special sealant and I thought it was all getting too expensive then. I've gone for these in my bathroom:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Crema-Marfil-Stone-Effect-Ceramic-Tile/invt/206958

They look lovely and are for both wall and floor.

They are gorgeous - do you think they would be practical for a kitchen floor?

ixwood

Would polished marble be okay as bathroom flooring or not?

Is limestone any better for flooring?

ds1980

Alan. Thanks for comments they are going onto concrete floor. We are installing ufh also so they'll be on insulation board as well. We normally use nicobond adhesives. I had read about the grout. Joints should be at least 10 mm? I dont buy cheap adhesives so was prepared for that. trav has only cost £4 a metre so I've got a lot left in the floor budget. I think you have alleviated some fears I may be back for more specifics once we start laying. Ta

Alan_M_2

ixwood wrote: »

Would polished marble be okay as bathroom flooring or not?

Is limestone any better for flooring?

Both are fine, they are simply different products.

Just make sure the supplier is providing a product that is suitable for use.

"Limestone" covers a huge variety of stone from soft to quite hard indeed.

Alan_M_2

ds1980 wrote: »

Alan. Thanks for comments they are going onto concrete floor. We are installing ufh also so they'll be on insulation board as well. We normally use nicobond adhesives. I had read about the grout. Joints should be at least 10 mm? I dont buy cheap adhesives so was prepared for that. trav has only cost £4 a metre so I've got a lot left in the floor budget. I think you have alleviated some fears I may be back for more specifics once we start laying. Ta

Well with an unfilled stone that gives you a worn, tumbled, old look you've removed the issue of filler breaking out.

This type of travertine is ideal for this type of look.

Lucy_Lastic

Lady Tara,

Although they are shown in the picture in a bathroom, I don't see why they would not be suitable for a kitchen floor.

In my local Wickes depot they are displayed as "wall and floor" tiles, not specifically for a bathroom.

I would give Wickes a ring and ask.

ds1980

ok so this is where im at......me and FIL do the work and he's very meticulous so we will know exactly how each one is laid. Im going to "risk" it i think. We usually use nicobond materials for tiling would they have something in particular i need? I cant really understand why they'd crack? Time will tell if they do then wickes will be getting the letter from the insurance company for supplying substandard materials even if they were cheap!! They are only 20x20 as well so that should spread the loads as it were on them wont it?? So i dont need to seal them before i lay them? Get suitable adhesive like a white wide joint flexible thin set adhesive??? for insulation board and natural stone...............seal.............grout using a wide joint grout like Ardex C2 wide joint used with additive ardion 101??.......seal again? Esopecially paying attention to the 1x1 wet area??

Thats my plan anyway!!

Thanks again


oh also i will only fill the holes in the wet area as i want the holey look!!!!!I have a wife for cleaning dirt out the rest!