Travertine:
Travertine is a sedimentary rock. It is usually formed because of carbonate minerals precipitating from solution on surface and in ground water.
Composition:
Calcite and aragonite are present in travertine formed in the hot springs. Aragonite is dominant in hot temperatures whereas, calcite dominates in cooler weather.
Travertine in its fine and pure form comes in white color. The presence of impurities other than carbonate minerals turns the travertine brown, reddish brown or yellow.
Uses and Demands:
Travertine is commonly used as a building material. In fact, it was widely used in the middle ages for building homes. People use it mostly for paving garden walks and patios. They call it travertine marble or travertine limestone, though it is neither marble nor limestone. It is commonly available in various tile sizes for flooring. It is also very popular in modern architectures such as the Willis Tower, Chicago and the UCLA Medical Center. The United States demand for travertine is about 0.85 million tons and most of this is imported from Italy, Mexico, Turkey and Peru. The most distinct characteristic of travertine is that its surface is full of troughs and holes. Depending on your need, you could purchase ‘filled’ or ‘unfilled’ travertine.
Sealing:
One can fill the travertine with non-sanded grout, epoxy or polyester resins or with water-activated vinyl adhesives. However, polyester or epoxy resins are toxic and thus, are not good for home use. Non-sanded grout is a temporary solution rather than long lasting. Water-activated vinyl adhesives are easily available and easy to use. You simply need to make the mixture, and fill it in.
Vulnerability and Care:
Travertine is a soft stone, meaning that it can be easily broken to fit into small spaces. However, the pits and troughs combined with the softness of stones make it difficult to maintain it. As the stone is soft, it is very susceptible to scratching, etching and abrasion through debris and dust, furniture edges, hard plastics and metal. Unpolished travertine is also vulnerable to acidity and staining. Organic acid such as citric acid can damage the stone. So, one must be careful not to use cleaners containing vinegar while cleaning travertine. Stagnant water on travertine for long periods can also cause damage to the stone. Heat in the form of hot vessels can change the stone’s texture, so be careful to use hot pads when you place these on travertine. In addition, slicing and cutting directly on the stone is not advisable.
Restoration of Shine:
Restoration of travertine is a three-step process. First, the surface of the stone is grinded with a coarse grit pad. Then, the surface is honed. This is done using a finer abrasive pad. Through this, the surface of travertine becomes smooth, but it loses its shine. Therefore, to regain the shine, the final step is to polish the surface with fine diamond abrasive. This brings the polish to the surface of the stone, thus restoring its shine. The best way to keep your travertine tiles glowing is to maintain them regularly. This will prevent all kinds problems such as loss of shine and grit stuck in unfilled pores. Colonial Floor and Stone care will be able to help with all aspects of taking care of your Travertine. Consult our web page for information at www.colonialfloorandstonecare.com
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