We had 18"x18" travertine tile professionally installed on our floors. Construction is 1-1/2" cement over 4'x8'x 3/4" tongue in groove wafer board. Since the installation and with settling, cracks have developed in the travertine. Some run as long as four or five feet long. Would you recommend repairing or replacing these cracked tiles? What method is recommended, if any?

 

Dear Robert:

I would have liked better something different than wafer board, but that is that now.

Assuming that the settlement is over and done, there's no way to repair the cracked tiles in a way that they will stay repaired.

This is what you have to do:

 

1. Remove all the cracked tiles;
2. Make sure that the sub-floor (mud) is nice and smooth again;
3. Custom cut a sheet of tar paper (yes, the one you use on the roofs) to fit the open area of the sub-floor;
4. Thin-set over the tar paper. Done!

 

You may have cracks on other areas of the floor, but unlikely on the new ones.

Now remember, it's never too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you'll be doing day in and day out to your stone is – as it should be intuitive – vastly more important than its sealing (if and when possible and/or advisable, which in the case of travertine is optional at best only when hone-finished) and it's all too often neglected. As you can tell by reading many of this site's postings, you're not likely to get good information about routine care from your dealer or installer. Don't become another statistic! By logging into the Helpful Hints section of our website at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/helpful-hints.htm , you will be able to get the short version of our maintenance guidelines at no charge. The full version of it – a 7-page document considered by many as an industry benchmark – is available in pay-per-download format in our Educational Literature section at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/literature.htm .  

And remember, every single penny of the cost of the literature will be used to support this site and its cause: your cause.

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Thank you  

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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