Home & Garden Improvements

If a home needs enhancement, then travertine could very well fill that need.

Travertine is commonly used as a building material. It is porous and relatively light, with a weathered look and finish that is already a design of its own. The stone is also particularly sturdy and durable, as the ancient Colosseum in Rome has proven (having been constructed primarily from travertine).

Travertine tiles have many uses, it is excellent as a material for flooring, bathrooms, wall cladding, and garden paths, and even as tops for counters in the kitchen or dining area. However, travertine is currently most popular as a material for improving and beautifying the kitchen and is especially suited as a flooring material for homes and other buildings.

Two main types of travertine are available. One is a standard travertine and the other is honed travertine. The basic difference between the two types is that the standard retains most of the natural look and feel of travertine while the honed type has been smoothed and filled; the choice depends on taste. Some people might simply desire their travertine tiles to be smooth to the touch, while others may not.

Natural travertine is a sedimentary stone that is porous and lighter than other materials like marble or granite. The small holes and grooves are quite noticeable and therein lies the basic difference between the two travertine types. In any case, the use of travertine tiles, whatever type a homeowner might choose, is sure to compliment any home.