Travertine: what kind of rock is it and where is it used

Travertine is a mineral rock that combines the characteristics of limestone and marble. This material is durable and strong, and is also easy to process, which makes it quite popular in construction and design. Travertine has become popular with many for its distinctive properties and significantly lower price compared to marble or, even more so, granite. Read about what travertine is, what advantages and disadvantages it has, and in what areas it is most often used in this article.

Key features of travertine

Travertine is a popular decorative material, most often used to make tiles. It can be used to decorate a room both inside and outside.

Here are the features of this material that can be highlighted:

1. Natural origin: travertine is formed as a result of limestone deposits and contains dissolved limestone. In more scientific terms, it is a limestone tufa, or polycrystalline fine-grained rock. That is, the raw material is completely created in natural conditions without human intervention and, as a consequence, chemical or artificial impurities.
2. Unique texture and color: they are formed due to the processes of crystallization and mineralization. Travertine can be white, cream, beige, yellow, brown or red. A wide range of colors allows you to choose the perfect combination with any design style. Also, all these colors are very beautiful due to the fact that they do not contain artificial (too bright) dyes. Each shade is very noble and not blatant.
3. Porous structure: this is a cellular material, which some consider an advantage, and others a disadvantage. Among the advantages is additional aesthetics. Micropores give a special texture to the surface: they can be open or closed.

Among the features of the material, it is worth adding the options of its origin, which have a great influence on its properties. In particular, the strongest and most durable travertine is mined from stagnant waters somewhere underground. The rock can also be found at the bottom of underground rivers and near waterfalls, but it will have a looser structure.

The strength of travertine is also affected by its color. It has been proven that light-colored travertine products are the most durable. Therefore, they are often used to decorate walls or floors. Dark shades are not as durable, so they are often used to decorate countertops, kitchen aprons, etc.

Pros and cons of travertine?

From the above-mentioned features of travertine, everyone can already highlight some of its advantages and disadvantages. If we consider this raw material as a building or finishing material, then we can highlight the following pros and cons.

Advantages of travertine:

1. Aesthetic appearance: the unique texture and color make it popular for decorating rooms and exteriors. Today, most people prefer tiles or products made of natural stone, particularly travertine, because it is very beautiful.
2. Durability: withstands both environmental influences (rain, frost, scorching sun) and the load in the form of many pedestrians. If you lay such tiles on the floor, stairs, they will not wear out, deform, or lose color.
3. Environmentally friendly: safe for the environment and people. Does not emit any toxic substances or those that could provoke allergies.
4. Easy to process: travertine is even softer than marble, which in turn is softer than granite. This rock is easy to work with, it can be used to produce various decorative items, small elements. Subsequently, these products, such as tiles, are easy to install.
5. Affordable cost: this is if you compare it with natural stones, because artificial stone will still be cheaper.

Despite such a number of advantages, travertine also has some disadvantages. The first is the aforementioned porosity. If we are talking about a stone that will be outdoors, then it must be treated with special water-repellent agents. Otherwise, fungus may form inside the tile in conditions of high humidity.

If a countertop or floor is made of travertine, it is important to prevent complex stains from getting on the surface. For example, red wine or some oils will be difficult to clean.

How to properly care for travertine?

The listed disadvantages of travertine raise the question of how to properly clean it.

Experts recommend the following:

1. No hard brushes or aggressive chemicals: you cannot clean the surface with products containing abrasive particles, because they cause scratches.
2. You need to have special products in your arsenal that should be used to treat the surface, making it more resistant to moisture and stains.
3. Although travertine is a durable material, if you drop a heavy object on it, the tile will most likely crack.

Reconstruction and repair in this case are only possible with the help of professionals.

Where is travertine often used?

Travertine, the price of which attracts many, is used in many industries:

• design: wall cladding, countertops, floors, etc. Travertine can often be seen not only in private premises, but also in commercial ones: offices, beauty salons, private medical institutions;
• production: various products are made from it: vases, tabletops, elements for fountains, etc.;
• monuments: tombstones, various monuments and sculptures are made from travertine. They cost less than monuments made of granite or even more so marble, but have excellent characteristics: durability and wear resistance

Travertine is not only a practical, but also an aesthetically attractive material that will find its application in various areas of construction and design.