Mariah RobinsonAll-natural stones give a sophisticated, elegant, and stylish look and feel to a home. However, travertine stands out among the others with its aristocratic, monumental, and old-world feel that reminisces ancient times.
If you want the best quality travertine for your home, you can click here and see how many options are available for your indoor and outdoor decor. If you’d like to find out how you can install travertine tiles in your home and how this marvelous stone can improve the look of your home, keep reading.
Travertine is known for its subtle shades and vibrant, earthy colors that provide a unique aesthetic to a home. However, it is entirely dependent on the personal choice of decoration. Not every home is suitable for this gorgeous, luxurious stone. For example, modern, contemporary homes with lots of modern technological elements and innovative solutions wouldn’t fit so well with travertine. This stone complements a more natural, ancient decor that would remind us of the coliseum.
That said, if you have a home that is compatible with travertine and you’re interested in installing it, here are five tips to help you out:
The perfect way to install travertine is the same way that master craftsmen from ancient Greek and Roman times installed the stone: seamlessly and naturally.
Travertine is a magnificent stone. It allows a vast range of applications: interior and exterior decor.
For the interior: walls and floors. For the exterior: pavements and pool coverings.
Travertine Options
Keep in mind that there are a few decor options: monolithic, positional, gallery.
The monolithic technique includes the installation of the floor covering to the ceiling. The method is suitable only indoors, for the height of around 9.2 to 10.5 feet.
For higher places or used as an exterior facade, travertine would be a bit more challenging to work with.
Experts advise (with a purely aesthetic concern) that if used for higher places, travertine wouldn’t look so elegant and chic. These natural stone tiles are a gorgeous decor element that emphasizes an already existing natural and aristocratic look of a place.
Install Travertine without Diminishing Its Natural Look and Feel
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Step 1
First, you have to spread an even layer of mortar in the area where your travertine will be installed. Use the jagged edge of the trowel. The entire area has to be covered with mortar, otherwise, you will have air pockets, which could lead to your tile settling the wrong way.
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Step 2
Now you can use the flat side of a trowel. Cover the back of the travertine tile with a thin layer of mortar. Apply an even thin layer all over the backside of the tile, and don’t miss the edges. This way, there will be no “leakage” of mud on the sides of the surface when you install it.
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Step 3
Place the travertine tile in its place onto the thick mortar layer on the floor. Apply light pressure on the tile but be firm with it. Move the tile slightly in all directions. You need to make sure that it connects well with the mortar.
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Step 4
Set the next tile next to the first one. Now, repeat steps 2 and 3 for each travertine tile you install. Do not use tile dividers. Instead, arrange the corners of the tiles and use your rubber mallet to gently tap the tile’s surface until it is pressed firmly against the adjacent one.
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Step 5
Use your straightedge to make sure that the tiles are flat and even on the surface. If one of the tiles is too low, pick it up and add a little more mortar underneath. If one of the tiles is too high, simply pick it up and remove any excess mortar. In the end, you must have an even floor or a wall of beautiful natural travertine.
To Summarize
When installing your travertine tiles, use a thin layer of mortar to cover the entire area of the tile, including the edges. Make an even wall or floor by using an equal amount of mortar. If you have too little or excess, pick up the tile and remove or add more mortar. Use a rubber mallet and straightedge to make sure the tiles are even and flat. If there is a problem with one tile, adjust it with more or less mortar as needed. And voila! You have installed your travertine tiles like a pro!
When installing travertine tiles, use a thin layer of mortar to cover the entire area of the tile, including the edges. Make an even wall or floor by using an equal amount of mortar. If you have too little or excess, pick up the tile and remove or add more mortar. Use a rubber mallet and straightedge to make sure the tiles are even and flat. If there is a problem with one tile, it with more or less mortar as needed. And voila! You have installed your travertine tiles like a pro!
Use high-quality travertine for your decor as the one from Saturnia Travertini. There you can find great options, both in color and texture. Travertine quality is extremely important. You need to be able to handle the material easier and also be able to achieve this fabulous aristocratic and luxurious look of your decor project.
If used correctly, this beautiful stone can make a decor that resembles old Italian buildings from the era of Julius Caesar. It gives a luxurious natural ancient, and glorious feel of times long gone. That’s why it doesn’t go well with elements from modern or contemporary decor solutions, like a tapestry, for example. When you decide to decorate your home with this natural, gorgeous stone, you have to consider your surroundings as well.
Jaime Hay
