Travertine is classed a sedimentary stone a variety of Limestone/ Marble mostly of Calcite Dolomite,originating from hot springs depositing Calcium in layers, the flowing waters and gas bubbles result in the holes typically seen in Travertine. These holes are often filled with cement or resins during the fabrication process or during installation and can be  seen in your tiled floors or walls,decorative table tops ect, the holes are more prevalent in cross cut as opposed to vein cut which you may want to consider before purchase. It can be surprising that Travertine can range  in other colours than the more widely available tan, browns that are seen in most retailers, they can range from Ivory, rose, pink, greys, yellow, silver

Travertine is often honed, meaning a mat, smooth unpolished or lightly polished finish,.  This usually looks slightly pale in appearance and can enhance the colour of the stone with colour enhancing primers bringing out the natural patina.

On the MOHS Hardness scale Travertine is rated 3 there for is relatively soft and will have the same wear and scratch problems that Limestone and Marble has the stone is widely used today because of its wide range of finishes from bathroom sinks, wall tiles mosaics in shower rooms or around kitchen worktops as colourful and warmth adds to its asthetics , Travertine is also widely available at very good prices, do to supply from DIY stores making it much more affordable than more expensive Marbles or Limestones.

Regular maintenance

We cannot emphasise enough how important this is because  restoration can be expensive depending upon the damage and condition of the flooring, therefore corrective maintenance will save you money in the interim.

Our first recommendation is to provide very good barrier matting at entrances, especially to external doorways halls etc.  This will help trap the very destructive particles of grit and sand that will scratch and wear the surface,   It is always useful to keep indoor slippers near the entrance hall.

Regular dry mopping with a microfibre pad  or alternatively vacuum loose particles with a cylinder-type vacuum that has a soft brush head, then use a good stone soap for damp mopping,.  Do not use any high alkaline or especially acid based cleaners,because like marble & Limestone Travertine is a calcite stone and will acid etch easily  always attend to spills straight away, mopping up with clean water.  This is very important with acid based foods or drinks, even these deposits, if left for a short period will cause etching of your Travertine needing restoration. NO SEALER WILL WITHSTAND ACID COMPLETELY - BE WARNED.

Restoration

The process for restoration used will depend upon the condition of stone, budget and desired finish required.   More often than not using diamond abrasives fillers and specialist compounds for polishing or honing can also be used and will require sealing.