Travertine Tile
What is Travertine Tile Flooring?
A Classic Design which Still Fits Modern Home Designs
Whether you are newly reconstructing or are in the process of remodelling your home, there are a few things that you need to take into consideration. What theme would you like to have for the decor? What color should you paint the walls? Which accent pieces would tie the room together? More importantly, what type of flooring should your home have?
Your flooring may not necessarily be the first thing that guests notice once they walk into your home, but a good quality material is definitely noticeable. If you have hardwood floors, for example, your guests will definitely be impressed once they walk into your living room. Vinyl tiles, linoleum, terrazzo tiles, granite, ceramic tiles, Mexican tiles, concrete and carpet are the other materials for the floors that you can choose from.
Travertine Flooring: The Basics
Based from the list above, you can see how tiles made from a variety of materials are used in most home floors. Yet another example of a tile that you can incorporate in the design of your home is travertine. It’s a type of natural stone which can be seen in world-famous structures like the Roman Coliseum. Attractive and durable, travertine tiles are a member of the marble family. The characteristics of travertine tiles fall somewhere between that of a limestone and a marble.
The tiles come from the natural formation of subterranean springs, underground rivers, as well as the stalactites and stalagmites formed in caves. When you touch the surface of travertine tiles, they feel porous although the ones used in actual home installations are already smooth and dense from processing. Italy, Turkey and other parts of North America are the places where you will usually homes with travertine tiles installed.
Different Processes Used to Create Travertine Tiles
Next, what are the different processes used to create travertine tiles? Take a look at the following list:
- Brushed Tiles
Here, a wire brush is used to give the tiles an old, worn-out yet beautifully textured surface.
- Cross Cut Tiles
Done by professional tile manufacturers, this process involves cutting the travertine tiles with the stone bedding which has the same layer where it was naturally formed. More uniform in texture and color, these cross cut travertine tiles are ideal if you would like to have solid-colored floors on any room in the house.
- Honed Tiles
Sanding the surface of the travertine tiles create a matte finish, which is called honed tiles.
- Polished Tiles
As the name implies, polished tiles are sanded and polished to create a smooth, shiny finish.
- Tumbled Tiles
Usually seen in ancient structures, tumbled tiles are literally tumbled with gravel, bearing and other rough, natural materials from the earth to give it a beautiful textured appearance.
- Vein Cut Tiles
This process creates a tiger striped effect on the travertine tiles. It involves cutting across several layers of the stone bedding to come up with the textured look.
After quarrying the naturally-occurring travertine material, each stone is carefully selected based on the color vibrancy. If there are cut holes or chipped edges, a different process may be used to make the tiles have a polished, smooth surface.
Depending on the room that you are furnishing, there should be a type of travertine tile which suits your decorating needs the best. If you want something that’s slip-resistant, go for tumbled or brushed travertine tiles. If you want something which creates a huge impact visually, the smoothly polished ones are perfect.
Have a professional do the installation for you or if you are opting for a do-it-yourself process, make sure to follow the instructions carefully. With classic travertine tiles, you can have beautifully rough or polished floors and complete the look of your home’s interiors.