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Using Travertine Tiles For the Mediterranean Feel no comments
If you are thinking about adding a Mediterranean look and feel to your home then the tiles to consider are Travertine. Most people are under the mistaken belief that marble was the stone of choice for building but that is just not true. Marble was used for temples and columns but the majority of the stone work was done with travertine as the largest quarry in the world at that time was located about 60 miles away from Ancient Rome. In fact, the Roman Coliseum is the largest building in the world comprised of mostly travertine stone.
Travertine tiles are actually applied to a variety of uses in the home. Travertine bathrooms are becoming very popular in which the entire shower along with the vanity top and floors are all done in different hues of this versatile stone. Travertine is a sedimentary rock which means it is porous unlike marble which is a metamorphous rock. Due to this fact, the travertine must be sealed when used in a water rich environment such as a bathroom or kitchen. It also must be sealed when utilized as a floor tile to guard against staining and to give long life.
One of the positives of travertine is it is so easy to work with. Since it is less dense than marble it is much easier to apply to a wall and takes less support while the cement is drying. It also can be easily cut because it is not one of the harder stones. If you plan to bull nose the edges be sure to watch out for any filler that has been added. Often times large voids need to have a filling material applied and this can chip out when cutting. Other than that, this is a very good tile for accents, trim, and walls and floors. It is also very popular in the garden as accents and pavers.
If you are not familiar with travertine tiles you owe it to yourself to see how beautiful and versatile they are. Visit us at the Travertine Tile Store and find out for yourself what a classic Roman tile is.