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Travertine Tile

Article Number: 277 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 12:00 AM

We have just installed travertine tile in our front lobby. After cleaning the grout dust off I noticed it is dull in some spots and shiny in others. Should I put a polish on first and then sealer? Or will the sealer smooth out the look? Thank you

Dear Ann:

First, stone is not polished by applying a polish to it, but by abrasion and friction, like gemstone. That said, travertine can't be uniformly polished. In fact, its natural holes are generally filled with cementitious material from the factory which will not polish.

Second, applying an impregnator (a.k.a. sealer) to polished travertine is impossible: its surface tension is so high that will not allow any impregnator in. In other words, polished travertine will never stain. It may "stain", but that's another story and unlikely in a foyer environment...

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