Travertine Slabs

Travertine’s color palette normally resides within the confines of earth tones, beginning with the palest hues of ivory and descending down through the rich deep shades of gold, red and brown. Its predominant color trait is that it actually never appears as one solid color, but instead the perception is swayed by inherent tonal and vein variations. It is advisable to see the whole slab before making a decision.

What is travertine and where does it come from

Travetine is a sedimentary rock formed by geysers. These hot waters dissolve underlying limestone and carry it upward with the geyser leaving behind dissolved limestone, which hardens. This stone is full of gas bubbles giving travertine its characteristic appearance. Travertine’s cavities or voids are filled with stone dust resin then polished or honed to give a smooth and uniform look.

Travertine Finish

Polished travertine is smooth and closely resembles marble in appearance. Honed travertine is also smooth, but has a more matt finish. A polished surface will be more resistant to water damage than a less finished stone. Navona and Noce travertine comes in the honed finish. For a more natural appearance, travertine is also available in brushed or tumbled finish that has textural variations with pitted holes in the stone. Travertine is more porous than marble and darkens with age.

Travertine care and maintenance

Because travertine is composed of calcium carbonates, it has a tendency toward surface etching and staining. A sealer will help in stain prevention, but any acid liquid spills will leave a ring on the stone’s surface.

To keep your countertop looking new will mean using coasters and cutting boards routinely. Wipe up spills as soon as they happen because it is a fairly porous stone and will absorb liquids if they are left to sit for an extended period of time. Use warm water and a small amount of neutral ph non—abrasive soap and rinse with clear water and dry. Never use vinegar or citrus acid—based cleaners as they can erode and stain the surface. Trivets, mats, trays and cutting boards will help keep your travertine countertops looking good by protecting them from harmful substances and items that will scratch their surface.