Floor Tiles - Travertine

There are a multitude of types suitable for floor tiles - travertine has been used for centuries to enhance the look of many interiors from opulent historical structures to family homes.

I have seen many ranges of limestone, sandstone, travertine, slate, quartzite, marble and granite and I know that when it comes to Natural Stone, you really do get what you pay for. If you bought a good quality product, you will save a lot in time and money over the years, as it will last and won't give you the problems associated with a cheaper stone.

Travertine appears beautifully aged and worn as the natural weathering that occurs because of water constantly filtering through creates pitted holes and troughs. It is available in many finishes, among the most popular is honed travertine, filled travertine and travertine with chipped/tumbled edges. While the natural weathering that appears can be left for a worn appearance, a filled version is also available. This type of travertine has a polished, smooth and shiny appearance.

I take a personal interest in quality where I work at Atlas Ceramics. I make sure that our travertine is of the highest quality we can find. The reason is simple: you see I want to be able to look you in the eye if I happen to bump into you again!

An antique look created from tumbling or brushing is increasingly popular, but my favourite is this Wavy Edged Napoli. I can't keep my hands off the smooth, silky stone! Modular patterns are available in many of our travertine tiles and really give a lovely rustic look to any application.

Seal your travertine as soon as it is laid.

Reseal as soon as the floor starts to show signs of wear, A high traffic area such as a hallway will wear a lot more quickly.

Keep an eye open for holes that may appear as time goes by, these will need filling with an epoxy resin, and resealed again.

An unsatisfactory cutting job may cause swirls to develop on the surface. You also need to be careful when applying your sealer, as when it's unevenly applied it can result in swirly patterns. This can be resolved by rehoning the affected tiles, or more drastically: replacing them.

Vacuum to remove remove dry dust and dirt and use a specialist cleaner such as Lithofin Easy Care for more in-depth cleaning.

This is Porcelain, a fabulous replica of natural stone. This version is a matt floor tile, made to emulate the properties of a filled travertine and it is stunning.

It take no maintenance either, just run a mop over it with an all purpose cleaner and you are done!

Some of the polished porcelain tiles generally need sealing with a professional sealer, for example: FZ Protective Impregnator, but they don't take as much careful watching as the natural stone tiles.