travertine tiles is similar to installing other types of tile with a few distinctions respective of the stone's qualities. Travertine is known for its strength and durability. It is a hard stone that is nearly indestructible and preferred as a floor tile for this reason. Yet, the nature of its make-up is porous as a result of gaseous deposits that leave the stone with its characteristic cavities and holes.
This leaves the tiles susceptible to staining if they haven't been sealed. Similarly, it is important to avoid using any acidic fluids on them both before and after installation. Using a neutral pH solvent is critical to prevent altering the color and causing tiles to stand apart from the others. There are some steps to take when installing travertine tile.
Preparation
First, lay things out before ever laying the first tile. Aesthetically, performing this dry run will allow the best placement for arranging variations of color and thickness. Financially, this is the time to detect any defective pieces. Once the floor is being laid, it is too late to get them replaced without further expense. Hold aside any tiles with particular patterns that may not match to be used for corners or hidden areas.
Tiles can be sealed prior to installation. This is advantageous during grouting to prevent the grout from sticking to the surfaces. A penetrating sealer, referred to as an impregnator, will dry below the surface while retaining original features. An enhancer is oil based, which results in darkening the stone, giving it a wet look while still being the preferred matte finish. High gloss sealers only have the drawback of showing off streaks and tending to draw attention to any imperfections.
Compiling a materials list is most helpful in order to have everything ready when needed.
Some of the items to consider are a:
Chalk line
Notched trowel with ½-inch teeth
Tape measure
Rubber mallet
Carpenter's pencil
Straightedge
Grout Float
Beater block
Thinset
Wet Saw
Laying the Tile
Space the tiles sufficiently and work from one end of the room to the other. A white thinset should be used to avoid any color bleeding with lighter tiles, and it should be a sticky consistency like that of peanut butter. As tiles are placed, a rubber mallet is used to align each stone into position. Once cured, they can be grouted. Matching the grout color is not difficult as there is a wide variety of grout colors available. The grout is meant to fill in all the gaps to better hold the tiles in place. Finally, the sealer can be applied to finish the job.
Installing travertine tile can certainly be a challenge. Despite the instructions that come with the tiles, there is no need to hesitate to connect with the experts in the field. Stoneline Group, LLC has been in business delivering unmatched customer service to Florida residents for three decades now and they are ready to respond to any questions or concerns.
This leaves the tiles susceptible to staining if they haven't been sealed. Similarly, it is important to avoid using any acidic fluids on them both before and after installation. Using a neutral pH solvent is critical to prevent altering the color and causing tiles to stand apart from the others. There are some steps to take when installing travertine tile.
PreparationFirst, lay things out before ever laying the first tile. Aesthetically, performing this dry run will allow the best placement for arranging variations of color and thickness. Financially, this is the time to detect any defective pieces. Once the floor is being laid, it is too late to get them replaced without further expense. Hold aside any tiles with particular patterns that may not match to be used for corners or hidden areas.
Tiles can be sealed prior to installation. This is advantageous during grouting to prevent the grout from sticking to the surfaces. A penetrating sealer, referred to as an impregnator, will dry below the surface while retaining original features. An enhancer is oil based, which results in darkening the stone, giving it a wet look while still being the preferred matte finish. High gloss sealers only have the drawback of showing off streaks and tending to draw attention to any imperfections.
Compiling a materials list is most helpful in order to have everything ready when needed.
Some of the items to consider are a:
- Chalk line
- Notched trowel with ½-inch teeth
- Tape measure
- Rubber mallet
- Carpenter's pencil
- Straightedge
- Grout Float
- Beater block
- Thinset
- Wet Saw
Laying the TileSpace the tiles sufficiently and work from one end of the room to the other. A white thinset should be used to avoid any color bleeding with lighter tiles, and it should be a sticky consistency like that of peanut butter. As tiles are placed, a rubber mallet is used to align each stone into position. Once cured, they can be grouted. Matching the grout color is not difficult as there is a wide variety of grout colors available. The grout is meant to fill in all the gaps to better hold the tiles in place. Finally, the sealer can be applied to finish the job.
Installing travertine tile can certainly be a challenge. Despite the instructions that come with the tiles, there is no need to hesitate to connect with the experts in the field. Stoneline Group, LLC has been in business delivering unmatched customer service to Florida residents for three decades now and they are ready to respond to any questions or concerns.
Back to Articles