Travertine Flooring

Not many people are familiar with travertine flooring for their homes. This flooring is a type of stone flooring that will not only add beauty to your home, but will increase the value of the home as well. Some of the other names by which travertine is known are onyx marble, Mexican onyx, Egyptian alabaster and Oriental alabaster.

When you decide to go with travertine, you can easily install it yourself. You also have many options in colors and you get a durable floor. However, if you do not seal it, travertine can react with acidic products and the polished travertine is very slippery when it gets wet. For this reason, it is not a good idea to install it in a bathroom, kitchen or entryway.

The manufacturers of travertine floors cut the stone into thin tiles. They then add a finish to the floor, which could be one of four types: polished, honed, brushed or tumbled. Polished tiles are very shiny because it is polished until it is smooth and catches the light. A honed finish is not as shiny and the stones are just smooth enough to make a flat surface. Both brushed and tumbled tiles are textured.

Travertine is just as hard as other stone used in flooring. However, it is like marble in that it can crack and chip. It can even be damaged during shipping, which is why you should carefully inspect each tile when you get it home. It is a porous stone, which means you definitely need to apply a sealant. It can also contribute to the air quality of your home as it does not absorb odors, chemicals or gases.