When it comes to building designs, the popular choice among professionals who want to make a significant impression on potential customers and colleagues is to incorporate a high-end material such as marble. Having the best of the best shows clients and competitors that your business is doing well, that it is successful and by associating themselves with you, their own business can be just as fruitful.
As beautiful as marble is, there are other luxurious-looking building materials in the market that can send the exact same message. Travertine is just one of these types of materials.
About Travertine
Travertine is a type of limestone developed from hot springs. It is created by the precipitation of carbonate minerals and water from the ground. That, combined with the heat from the hot springs develops a strong sedimentary rock.
Travertine is strong enough to be used as building materials. In ancient Rome, travertine was mined for building aqueducts, temples, public bathhouses and more. This is proven in Europe where one can admire the famous Flavian Amphitheatre also known as the Coliseum in Rome, Italy. Other works that have had travertine incorporated in it is the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica designed by Michelangelo as well as the beautifully sculpted plaza in front of it, the Colonnade of St. Peter’s Square. As a result, most of the widely known travertine quarries can be found in Italy, but there are others located right here in the United States.
The best place to find travertine in its natural habitat in the United States is where the hot springs are, and that would be the famous Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona are other places where travertine can be found.
The only drawback here is that it cannot be mined. In these places, you can only admire it. If you want to incorporate travertine into your building or renovation project, you should find a good wholesale distributor.
How Travertine is Different from Marble
Before you go shopping for travertine, it might be helpful to understand its properties and how it differs from marble. To determine whether one type of material is better than the other is really just a matter of opinion and how it’s going to be incorporated in a build. Here are some of the features that differentiates travertine from marble:
- It is less expensive than marble –Travertine is certainly considered a high-end type of building material, but because it is a little easier to extract, it comes in below the market price of marble. Although this can always change if the demand for travertine increases.
- It has a more textured surface – Travertine has an organic rustic look to it. Unlike how marble is created, travertine is not melted together. It is rather more accumulated; creating a rougher surface that gives it more diverse ways to install it in a build.
- Easy to maintain – Any type of stone material is going to be easier to care for than other cheaper products. However, proper care is still needed. Even though travertine has a more textured finish, it is not going to be as sensitive to everyday use like lustrous finish of marble. At any rate, a dust mop is all that is needed to keep your travertine material looking good.
Where Travertine Can Be Used
Travertine is formed relatively close to the earth’s surface. Therefore, it is more easily susceptible to the element. As a result, travertine is a good material to incorporate in an indoor and outdoor project. They are ideal to use as flooring as its surface has more traction and will reduce any slip and falls. So for builders and contractors who have designed a pool or water feature into their project, consider purchasing travertine to give it a timeless look of class.
Another use for travertine can be for kitchens and bathrooms. This material doesn’t have to be regulated to flooring only. Travertine can be installed as a countertop, a backsplash, and even as an accent for showers. It is also great to incorporate as a modern design on a fireplace!
Different Types of Travertine
Nalboor Tiles offers over 40 different kinds of travertine in a colorful array of patterns to complement any design choice. We offer our travertine in tiles ranging from 12” x 12” to 24” x 24” and 3/8” x 3/8” to 5/8” x 5/8” pieces on a 12” x 12” sheet. Our online catalog also displays travertine tiles manufactured in a mosaic basket weave design. Because this material is so easy to cut, there are also herringbone, windmill, Versailles patterns and more.
So Where Can I Find Travertine for My Next Building Project?
If you are a builder, contractor, architect, or interior designer in the South Florida area, Nalboor Tiles is located in Miami, Florida. Our company is conveniently located in a port city where we can easily import any stone harvested from overseas. Because of this, we are able to keep an ample stock of tiles that are high in demand that will, consequently reduce the delivery time and cost for those who are local. For business outside of the Miami, Florida area, we also ship our products nationwide.
If you are ready to tie in a different kind of style into your next building project while still maintaining that regal ambiance of excellence that marble brings, call Nalboor Tiles at 305-501-4548 to find out which kind of travertine is going to best suit your job, or visit our website and view our online inventory. Our customer service department is available Monday – Friday from 9am – 5pm EST.