Travertine Redux

However, with travertine’s voids and holes, and the mass variety of finishing techniques (unsanded-grout fills as the most-common), you can take a stone that sells cheap and transform it into a very expensive and luxurious one by:

• leveling the floor (grind in place); and

• adding a hard fill that strengthens the floor, and also takes and keeps a polish (something unsanded grout can’t do).

If you have a floor with one of the premium-graded travertines, and you notice a few tiny holes (about the size of a pin head or smaller), you can spot-fill with color-matched caulking and, after it cures, shave off the excess with a razor blade. (You can also trowel it in with a razor blade.)

Should you seal travertine? Although some in the industry would always say no, I say yes. Why? You can debate about travertine’s porosity (while it doesn’t tend to stain, it will hold a lot of water), but the majority of the stone out in the market is filled with unsanded grout – something that’s very porous and needs sealing.

I’ve also found that a number of good-quality color enhancers (not the low-priced ones) hide light scratches on the surface without the need for grinding and honing. Even then, the grout (which should be unsanded) will need to be sealed no matter what tile you use, whether it’s travertine or porcelain. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

And then, after filling the holes and sealing the stone, your customer says there are white stains on the travertine? Well, it’s not staining; it’s etching, or a corrosion caused by acid. No impregnating sealer on the market can hold back the effects of acid on calcium and lime (which is travertine) on the surface of a stone. Sealers only prevent liquids from entering the small pores of the stone.

If the mark on the travertine truly was a stain, it would be darker, not lighter (like a bleached sweater). You’ll need to find someone schooled in stone restoration to blend in a repair.

Another situation that develops with travertine is when people install it honed, but then want it polished. Look,  I have no problem with a polished travertine, but there’s a reason why most of the travertine sold is honed: unsanded grout

The majority of the fill used in producing travertine is unsanded grout (or cement). Because this fill can’t take a high polish (or maintain it as long as the natural minerals in the stone), producers market and sell the stone honed because it maintains an even finish.  Polishing a travertine with this standard fill will result in a mottled or spotty shine.

If the end user of the stone is aware of this, you win by giving them a polish. However, if they (or you) aren’t expecting this phenomena, there’s going to be a rude awakening – and you may go home without payment.

I hope this helps in your endeavor to either live with, or help your customer live with, the stone that’s chosen. Again, I love travertine. It’s a great-looking, durable and wearable stone – if you know what to expect and how to care for it.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice.

Tom McNall is founder and owner of Great Northern Stone Care, a Huron Park, Ontario-based stone-cleaning and -restoration company servicing all of southern Ontario. Tom also offers corporate and private consultations; he can be reached at stone_rx@earthlink.net.