What is Travertine Tile?

What is travertine tile? Travertine is a type of limestone that is formed by mineral deposits from natural springs. This sedimentary stone is created by a rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, known as calcite. Other minerals mix together with the calcite to create unique swirls and movement that give travertine its distinctive character.

Travertine Finishes

Travertine

is a versatile product choice as it has many different finishes to help you achieve the look you are going for.

Polished

: Create a look of luxury with the high shine from polished travertine. Polished travertine is smoothed and glossed over to get a shiny reflective surface.

Honed

: Honed finishes provide a smooth yet matte finish without any shine. Honed travertine can either be filled or unfilled. A honed look and texture is achieved by grinding and buffing one side of the unfinished stone.

Brushed

: Utilize the natural look of travertine with a brushed finish. This textured finish features an unfilled exterior and provides a rustic yet sophisticated look. This look is obtained by brushing the surface of the stone with a brush or wire wheel until the preferred texture is achieved.

Tumbled

: To create tumbled travertine, pieces of stone are cut, sized and placed in a rubber coated or plastic barrel with an abrasive grit and water. Sometimes a small amount of acid is mixed in. The tub/barrel is turned over and over again, allowing for the stones to rub against each other. The edges of the travertine are softened and worn down. This feature provides a much more natural, worn look. Like brushed travertine, tumbled travertine has a high-textured finish. The major difference between the two is that tumbled travertine has softened edges.

DIY Installation tip: Tumbled travertine should be sealed before and after grouting.