Travertine around the house

I am considering laying travertine tiles on my entrance hall, kitchen and bathroom floors also on the walls of the bathrooom/shower room. I have been informed that travertine stains and needs special care. I am happy to do this as I love it. My problem is knowing what to do at the intalation stage to get the best from the travertine especially in the shower area. I have ben bombarded with advice to seal and wax. Also what is the best type of tile to choose high polished or just honed. Do I need to treat unpolished with sealers and waxes and leave polished alone? I am insatlling over electric underfloor heating and am a little concerned that I may get cracked tiles over time. Any help would be greatly appreciated before I take the plunge or change my mind because I am basically a bit scared. Thank you in advance. Wendy uk

 

Dear Wendy:

 

“ I have been informed that travertine stains and needs special care. ”

 

Correction:

 

“ I have been misinformed that travertine stains and needs special care. ”

 

Travertine seldom and only under extreme circumstances stains, and it doesn't require a care any different than other natural stones. Actually, less care than many delicate stones.

 

“ My problem is knowing what to do at the intalation stage to get the best from the travertine especially in the shower area. ”

 

Indeed, installing stone tile properly in a shower stall is paramount. Even the best stone will fail miserably if not installed properly in a shower stall.

 

“ I have ben bombarded with advice to seal and wax. ”

 

Hmmm… It sounds like they may have forgotten to recommend you to sacrifice a goat to “the gods of the sealing cult” as part of the “sealing ritual”. Now, we wouldn't want to forget that, would we?!... J

 

“ Also what is the best type of tile to choose high polished or just honed. ”

 

Very definitely honed & filled tiles across the board would be best. Too bad that you wouldn't be able to wax those…! Oh well, I reckon that one can't have anything in life, can one?!... J

 

“ Do I need to treat unpolished with sealers and waxes and leave polished alone? ”

 

Well, honed & filled can't be waxed, of course. Sealed?... Maybe. But then again, why? You do not want to seal it inside a shower stall anyway – that's for sure. At best I would consider applying an impregnator (that is what the “ministers” of the “sealing cult” call sealer, so they can sell it much better) only on the kitchen floor.

 

“ I am insatlling over electric underfloor heating and am a little concerned that I may get cracked tiles over time. ”

 

If everything is done right, there will be no cracks. If you will eventually experience cracks, blame it on the setter – not the stone or the under-floor heating element.

 

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri zio Bertoli

 

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