What Is Travertine?
Travertine is an elegant natural stone that has been used as a building material for centuries. The stone can be found in many different colors, ranging from gray to gold. From countertops to flooring, travertine has many uses. The natural stone can be utilized both indoors and outdoors. The following is a thorough analysis of everything you will need to know about travertine before purchasing.
Once travertine has been quarried, it’s generally finished in one of four ways for decorative use in homes and commercial settings.
- Polished travertine: This finish is the most modern and elegant. Its natural holes and crevices are filled before polishing begins, and then the surface of the travertine is buffed until it is smooth and shiny. Because polished travertine tends to be slippery when wet, this isn’t a good finish for bathrooms, kitchens, or around swimming pools. It has a high-end and luxurious look, however, that’s perfect for entryway floors, counters, backsplashes, and tub surrounds.
- Honed travertine: This is the most popular finish for residential use. When travertine is honed the holes and crevices of the stone are filled, and the stone is then sanded on one side to produce a smooth, almost-matte finish that suits virtually any decorating style. You can use honed travertine as flooring throughout the home, for countertops in the bathroom or kitchen, and on walls, backsplashes, and fireplace surrounds. It also works as an outdoor finish.
- Tumbled travertine: Put travertine tiles in a large tumbler with small stones, tumble gently, and you get the most weathered and rustic finish, ideal for Mediterranean, Spanish, Tuscan, or other Old World decor. With its matte, heavily textured surface, tumbled travertine tile is good for outdoor flooring, as well as wall insets, shower or tub surrounds, and fireplace surrounds. Because it is so textured, however, this isn’t a suitable finish for countertops or indoor floors.
- Brushed travertine: The least common finish, brushed travertine has been slightly smoothed with a wire brush, leaving a surface with more texture than honed travertine, but not quite as textured as tumbled travertine. It’s a rustic and weathered finish that suits casual or Old World decorating styles. Use brushed travertine anywhere you’d use tumbled travertine.
Travertine Maintenance Guidelines
What Will Happen if You Do Not Seal Your Travertine?
If you opt not to seal your travertine, you will risk having the stone get damaged. While you will not have to worry about walking on it, you will have to worry about acidic spills, such as coffee, juice or wine. In addition, you will not want outdoor hazards such as oil from your car leaking on your travertine. This is why it is recommended that you have the stone sealed.
Travertine, like any other natural stone, is a significant investment. You will want to keep your travertine looking beautiful for many years. The first step to doing this will be to have the stone sealed.
How Do You Properly Care for Travertine?
Besides sealing, there are additional steps you will need to take in order to properly care for your travertine. To clean the stone, you will need to use cleaner that is suitable for use with travertine. Never use any harsh cleaners, as doing so may result in the stone becoming etched. Other than this, make a good effort to avoid spills, especially spills of acidic substances. These can cause significant damage to travertine. Some examples of acidic substances are coffee, juice, wine, soda and tomato sauce. If you take good care of your travertine, it can stay looking in top shape for years to come.
Why Choose Modern Stone Care?
Our natural stone specialists are here for your maintenance and care needs. Be cautious working with companies that may claim they are able to clean all types of flooring but if you have Natural Stone floors it is important to do your research and find a company, such as Modern Stone Care, that specializes in natural stone flooring. This is because natural stone flooring comes with many sensitivities and vulnerabilities that make it easily damaged. Often times other companies come in and treat these natural stone floors the exact same way that they would handle other floors with no attention to the stone’s particular needs.
When you want to protect your natural stone and avoid causing damage to your surfaces, our team can help. We provide a wide range of high-quality natural stone services in Houston. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer and how we can help you preserve your natural stone surfaces.
Natural Stone Cleaning in Houston TX
At Modern Stone Care, our team of highly knowledgeable technicians specialize in the restoration, cleaning, polishing, and sealing of all-natural stone surfaces. This includes flooring, countertops, outdoor pool coping, and more. We work hard to ensure your natural stone maintains its beautiful and vibrant appearance for as long as possible. When it comes to the care of your delicate natural stone surfaces, leave it to the professionals at Modern Stone Care. We work in Houston and surrounding areas to offer the best stone care in the city.
Modern Stone Care
970 Bunker Hill Rd
Houston, TX 77024
(832) 814–2041
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