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Travertine Tiles – Guest Post

April 29, 2010 By creatingyourspace 6 Comments

Today’s post is by Rob Jones, chief blogger and social media coordinator at BuildDirect, an online flooring and building materials firm in Vancouver, Canada. Here, Rob talks about the appeal of travertine tile, treasured and well-used in the Ancient World, and now offering the same imperial qualities to your indoor and outdoor spaces …

***

Marble and granite are well-known for use in commercial applications. Slate is naturally slip-resistant, and ruggedly beautiful too in various settings, both indoors and out. And even limestone gets a look-in when it comes to patios and foyer spaces in the minds of most consumers looking for a sturdy material in a natural stone surface. Yet, travertine has also been a natural stone workhorse for thousands of years and across many cultures.

Travertine is possibly most associated with the Classical era of Ancient Greece, Palestine, and the Roman Empire, when it was a key building material in building residences, municipal buildings, and even the famous Roman Coliseum. As a result, travertine has taken on something of that history, suggesting a sort of imperial air, and sense of permanence.

The color range of travertine tile offers gray, tan, beige, golden, and brown tones, with variation from tile to tile, which renders a refined-to-rustically-earthy-appeal. Even if there are associations with its use, you’re open to use travertine nearly anywhere, just because of its subtle decorative potential.

But, when it comes to buying and installing travertine as a floor or wall tile, what are your options? What kinds of surfaces and their visual effects are available for you use to transform your space? Let’s take a look at three options that stand as the more popular choices for travertine tile surfaces.

1. Honed and Filled Travertine Tile
With this surface treatment, the natural pores in the travertine, once caused by escaping gasses seeping through when the stone was formed, are filled with color-matched cement. Then, the tiles are polished until smooth. For those who like a refined, more pristine look in a stone surface, honed and filled is the perfect choice if you also want the unique color range of travertine.

2. Brushed and Chisled
Because travertine is known for its classical look, a very popular choice is travertine that has been artificially aged. The surfaces of the tile have been literally brushed, using a wire implement. And the edges of the tile are similarly treated using, you guessed it, a chisel. The effect is a replication of wear over the course of hundreds of years, giving the space in which brushed and chiseled travertine is installed the look of imperial regality.

3. Tumbled
Another way that this worn, imperial look is achieved is what’s called ‘tumbled’ travertine tile. In the travertine tile tumbling process, the tiles are placed in a machine, with gravel and smaller stone fragments, and then shaken. The smaller stones score the surface of the tile, and that aged effect that so many love is produced.

There are of course variations to be found here, with tiles which are only partially filled to gain the best of both worlds when it comes to a smooth tile that shows off the natural pores in the stone. Also, there are multiple tile sizes to consider, which also affects the way the tile will look, from mosaic 1″x1″ tiles, to 24″ x 24″ tile.

But, whatever way the tiles are purchased and installed, the use of travertine surfaces tie your space with a tradition of style that extends back to when civilization itself began. It’s hard to match that kind of longevity.

***

You can read more about travertine and other natural stone surfaces from BuildDirect on the BuildDirect blog.

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Filed Under: Guest Post, Tile & Stone Tagged With: Natural Stone, travertine, travertine tiles

Question 5 In the Series Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Flooring

October 13, 2009 By creatingyourspace 1 Comment

Today we are answering the fifth question in the 1o part series: Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Flooring.

Question: Can I pick out the pieces of travertine or slate that I want to use so that they all look like the sample?

Answer: Technically, you could try………..but it would be extremely wasteful, costly and BORING! I realize that it is hard to look at one or two samples of stone and imagine what it will look like when its installed, (especially when you know the costs!) but what makes stone so beautiful is the fact that no two pieces will look the same.

Reasons to consider why you want every piece of stone to NOT be the same:

  • Your floor will be uniquely yours and you won’t ever see it at your neighbors house.
  • The floor will show character that can only be found in natural stone so there will be no mistake that it is ceramic or porcelain.
  • The more each piece of stone is different and the more movement and range of color a floor has – the more it hides dirt!

In my opinion, the fact that no two pieces are the same makes it easier to justify paying the price for natural stone! It’s like buying a rare antique or piece of antique handmade furniture – sure it costs more, but you can rest assured that no one else has the same one.

Keep these thoughts in mind when shopping: When considering a stone floor, be sure to ask to see multiple samples so you will know what kind of range of color and pattern to expect. Know that the floor you receive may not look the same as the samples you saw in the store. If you still aren’t comfortable, ask your sales associate if you can preview the material before it is installed. This may not be possible. If it is, you may have to pay a significant restocking fee to send it back, but that price may be worth it to you. Also, don’t discard pieces that have character such as a vein or crystallization. Celebrate these and let them tell the story of natural stone!

Do you have a floor with unusual veining, color range or movement? If so, send us a picture! We love to see examples of Mother Nature’s handywork!

 

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Filed Under: Q & A, Tile & Stone Tagged With: selecting slate, selecting stone, selecting travertine, slate, stone, stone tiles, travertine

10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Flooring

October 6, 2009 By creatingyourspace 2 Comments

I began writing today’s post to talk about dark floors and whether or not they make a room feel smaller and I began by saying that I get this question almost  as often as I get the question “What type of floors should I use?”. So, I thought it would be fun to do a series on the top 10 most frequently asked flooring questions. Below is a list of questions that we will be posting answers to over the next 2 weeks. Your job is to tell me if you’ve had this same question or if I didn’t include a question that you would like the answer to!

10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Flooring and Design

1. Will dark floors make my room look smaller?

2. What type of floors should I use?

3. Is laminate a good choice for homes with kids and pets?

4. Will small tiles help a small room appear larger?

5. Can I pick out the pieces of travertine or slate that I want to use so that they all look like the sample?

6. Does carpet cushion really matter?

7.  How can I tell what my flooring will look like when it’s installed in my home?

8. Is carpet a bad choice if I have allergies?

9. Should I use the same floor that my mother/neighbor/best friend used because it sure looks good in her house?

10. Won’t it be cheaper if I buy my floors and install them myself?

There are dozens more questions out there and we will address those in future posts, but for now, enjoy learning the answers to those questions that you and many others have had!

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Filed Under: Q & A Tagged With: allergies, Carpet, floor FAQ, hardwood, laminate, tile, travertine, types of floors

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