What is travertine?
Travertine is a natural stone material from the limestone family. It is made of calcium carbonate and is usually found in the form of deposits near warm or hot springs. It was frequently used in ancient times as a building material. Because travertine is such a porous material, it should be sealed before use in construction or renovation projects. It is most commonly used for countertops and flooring, but may also be used in showers and tub surrounds as well as in exterior decor. One might think that since stone can withstand the ravages of weather and outdoor elements, it is unlikely to be damaged when used in the home. Aside from its obvious beauty, durability is one of the elements that lead people to choose natural stone for home building and home improvement projects. The truth is that unpolished travertine is highly susceptible to heat, scratching, staining and acidity, including citric acid, so it should only be cleaned with special products designed for use on natural stone. Ne
Travertine belongs to the larger family of stone called limestone also known as Calcium Carbonate. Marble is also a type of limestone that has had additional heat and pressure applied to it by the earth’s crust. Travertine is formed by minerals dissolving in ground water and then being deposited on the earth’s surface by rivers, natural springs, or geysers.
Travertine – composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and therefore, also technically a carbonate rock; travertine forms in caves and around hot springs. When the groundwaters that contain calcium bicarbonate, rich in minerals and hot under hydrostatic pressure exposed to surface through a fracture or reach to a cavity like cave, they loose pressure on them. The dissolved CO2 in these waters is released to the atmosphere–as a shaken can of soda fizzes when opened– and precipitating solid calcite, thus travertine forms. Travertine is generally thought to be more porous and not suitable for residential use. On the other hand, travertine flooring is a type of stone flooring and it is one of the most popular stone flooring types. Travertine is well liked for its unique look that comes mostly from how it was formed.The different colors of travertine flooring range from a darker brown to a light, almost white brown. Sometimes the stone may contain veins of other colors. The main differences
Travertine is a calcium-based stone. Travertine is generated by the deposit of calcium carbonate resulting from water springs and streams running through the stone. Every time a drop in pressure or change of temperature occurs, the water releases carbon dioxide as gas, much like carbonated beverages. This gas causes holes to form in the travertine. These natural pores are still going to be present once the blocks are cut into tiles. The amount of holes depends by how compact each travertine type is and it varies greatly by the type of travertine. The pores present in the tiles can be filled with a paste made of cement and pigments. However, it is important to note that these void spaces are a distinctive character of travertine tiles and they are always going to be present to a certain extent.
