If you'd like to add an elegant look to your home, use tumbled travertine tiles on your bathroom, living room or kitchen floors. Travertine can be purchased in many different finishes and colors, from neutral, natural colors like reddish brown, tan, gold and creamy white. The color of the stone you end up with is largely dependent on the iron content and impurities of your stone.
Travertine is a member of the limestone family, and will turn into marble over time. It is sometimes even called travertine marble. It is made up of calcium carbonate, and can sometimes be found in deposits near hot or warm springs.
Travertine tiles make excellent natural stone pavers, since they can withstand extremely cold conditions, and many thawing and freezing cycles. Travertine pavers also work well in humid and tropical climates. Their coolness is natural, which is a great walking surface for bare feet in warm climates. They also repel mildew and mold, so you don't need to worry about dousing them with bleach, like some stones may require.
Travertine tiles are stronger than either asphalt or concrete when used for paving, and their surface resists cracking. They are appealing visually too, which adds to your home's value. Also, if you lay travertine and then later wish to move it, you can remove it and lay it again elsewhere. Of course, tumbled travertine tiles are also very earth-friendly since they are 100% natural stone.
If you compare brick pavers to travertine pavers, you'll learn that travertine pavers resist heat, so they won't cause burns to bare feet in the summer, and they won't freeze even in bitter cold. They also won't crumble in a few years, like brick pavers may. And since travertine is natural, each piece is unique, so your project will show off a look that is different from anyone else's. Travertine has occurred in nature for thousands of years, so you're sure to enjoy them in or around your home.
You can find travertine for your home as easily as just clicking a mouse. Or you can shop locally, in landscape company lots or home improvement stores. There are various companies online that sell travertine, so even if you plan to buy locally, you can see the many different and unique features of travertine online first.
As you may find with any stone material, travertine has the benefits of aesthetic appeal and durability. There aren't many stones that are more beautiful, regardless of what texture you are shopping for. Travertine is not invincible like marble or granite when it comes to wear or staining, so you'll want to be aware that spills should be wiped up right away or they'll etch your travertine tiles.
Make sure that you never use citric acid or vinegar based cleaners on travertine, since they can stain and erode the surface. Be sure to apply a good sealant when you lay a travertine floor, if it will be in contact with water at all. If you polish the surface of tumbled travertine tiles, they will be more fully resistant to water and oil damage than stone that is unfinished.