Decorating and Maintenance Tips for Travertine Tiles
Travertine tiles have quickly become a favorite of homeowners and decorators alike. These versatile flooring tiles can be used both indoors and out, and come in styles that can easily mimic more expensive cuts, like marble. They do require some special care and maintenance but even so, their unique look more than makes up for any special considerations that have to be taken.
A Stone with a Long History
Travertine tiles can be a bit expensive to obtain, but the look that they can give to any home more than makes up for the cost of having them installed. The history of their use dates back several hundred years and the best examples can still be found in the ruins dotting the countryside of Italy, Mexico, Peru and Turkey. The largest producer today for these unique flooring tiles is Italy, though domestic United States producers still do a fine business quarrying and aging travertine for sale in this country.
Styles and Finishes
Travertine can be order in one of two finishes: natural and filled. The natural stone look is one of the most popular choices when it comes to installing these tiles in an outdoor setting. The appearance of the stone is exactly how it looks once it is quarried and cut into tiles, resembling limestone in appearance. The overall look once it is installed is of an ancient walkway or floor section, where the stones within it are pitted and worn by the ages. If used around an outdoor area that sees a lot of traffic, like around a pool, they act as a natural safety barrier, as their composition and pitting offers a slip-proof surface, no matter how wet they get.
Inside the home, the preference tends to run towards the filled travertine. Highly polished to a glossy shine, these tiles can resemble marble and mosaic tile, depending on the composition of the stone when it was filled and polished. This makes them perfect for areas of the home that need to be showcased, but will experience little heavy traffic. Entryways and hallways are perfect for them, or larger rooms that will not see a lot of children or animals running through them. The filled and polished stones can be a bit slippery and are a bit more fragile than the natural stone.
Maintenance Tips
Using travertine outside of the home requires very little maintenance, just a quick washing with a hose occasionally. It is the tile used inside of the home that may require a bit more care than usual. The first thing to remember about using this natural stone in your home, especially in areas like the kitchen or bathroom, is that any spills will need to be wiped up, immediately. One reason that they are not often used in these rooms is because of the chance that an acidic juice or carbonated drink will be spilled on them, which can quickly ruin the polished finish if not taken care of.
Using commercial cleaners on travertine …