Travertine tiles is made from a natural stone that is becoming more and more popular, it is a relative of marble but is much less expensive yet it delivers great results on your floors, patios, and walkways. Travertine is a sedentary rock that is produced near sources of water in layers. This gives it its unique stratified appearance, and it also explains the little holes that we sometimes see when we look closely at a travertine floor tile.

The holes caused by air and water in travertine can be kept or filled in for a smoother look when the tiles are finished. We can distinguish two finishes polished, it gives the stone a more marble like appearance, and honed which keeps the surface matte.

When using travertine flooring tiles, we must also consider the texture. Buying a tumbled travertine tile instead of a polished one will ensure a less slippery surface suitable around pool areas. There is another compromise between a polished and a tumbled surface referred to as brushed. A brushed travertine will have a smoother area than polished and will not be as rough as tumbled, deciding on which travertine tile to use must be done with consideration to the use of the area and of course to safety.

Travertine flooring tiles offers many advantages to homeowners

Because it is a natural stone it has all the advantages that we find in stones.

It is durable there no question that if you choose travertine flooring you will not need to replace the entire floor, but should you have to replace a small piece you will have no problem finding one that fits well in color. 
It is easy care, specially if you choose a polished stone, a simple mopping once in a while is about all the maintenance you will need to do. The popularity of travertine bathroom tiles is certainly related to the ease of care. A bathroom is less likely to be exposed to staining liquids than would a kitchen. Cleaning travertine tiles will be easier if you have tiles that were sealed rather than tiles with a more porous surface.

Many people do not stop at the floor and also instal travertine wall tiles in their bathrooms. An all travertine bathroom is very elegant looking. Sometimes people will use a regular square travertine floor tile on the ground but will accent it with small broken tiles in a mosaic form. You can also buy a travertine mosaic tile, usually a 2" square tile that will be easier to install than trying to make a mosaic from scratch pieces, although the latter would have a more rustic and personal look, it would probably turn out to be a piece of art in your bathroom. You can do it yourself or commission someone to do it.

The bathroom is not the only place that travertine wall tiles can be used, they make a very nice backsplash in the kitchen as well, or they can be used outside for your patio kitchen.

It is more environmentally friendly than other flooring because it is a natural stone in addition it is odorless, scratch proof, and non flammable.

Lastly if is easy to cut and fairly easy to install. Travertine tile installation is ideally better done by a professional but if you are handy then it maybe a project you could well handle yourself, thus saving a great deal of money, as we know that labor is a large part of any remodeling project.

There are some disadvantages to using travertine

One of course is cost, I mentioned that it was cheaper than marble and it is, this does not make it  inexpensive when compared with other flooring materials, however when compare to all the natural stone tiles it is still a very affordable flooring alternative. Moreover, I still maintain that if we look at the advantages then cost can be amortized over the years of enjoyment and is worth it. You can sometimes find discount travertine tiles online and searching for the bargain might be a boring task and may involve some time but would certainly be worth the time, specially if you will do your own installation, you will end up with great travertine flooring at a fraction of the cost it would normally cost. The best place to start is looking at manufacturers sites, they do not always display sales in their regular paid ads but might have specials on their site.

The second disadvantage is its porosity, because of it being a porous stone it can stain if liquids are left on it for a period of time, this is less of a problem if the flooring tiles are sealed.

Travertine tiles are available in many different sizes, making it easier for users to create the kind of floor patterns they wants. Sizes range from a small 6 x 12 to large pavers 24 x 24, with many sizes in between, odd sizes and larger sizes can also be custom ordered.

Travertine tiles are cut from travertine a sedimentary rock with colors that vary from white to light beige to brown, including some pink, red or brown hues. Travertine tiles have been used for thousands of years and monuments made with travertine during the antiquity are still proof of this great material.

Travertine tiles are very effective in home decor because they are of extraordinary durability, warm to the senses and the eye. It is even said that they have air purifying qualities when used indoors. Whether you use Travertine floor tiles indoors or outdoors for you home decorating, you will find that the cost is not as hight as what you might expect for a quality material. Often sold as marble because both travertine and marble belong to the same category of rocks, it is much less expensive.

One of the distinctive trait of travertine is its texture that offers little irregular cavities visible after the rock is cut. These texture enhancing little holes can either be filled or left open, depending on how you plan to use your tiles. Among the possible finishes you will find:

Matte finish also called honed is a natural finish with slight imperfections. It keeps nature's little holes intact.

satin matte finish tile

Polished or shiny, is sometimes also referred to as honed and filled. It is a natural finish but the little cavities caused by natural process are filled to give the stone a smoother look and feel.

brushed travertine

Brushed finish is a good compromise between keeping some of the texture yet having the benefit of a flat surface

Tumbled travertine

Tumbled finish is a finishing process that is used on hard stones, where the stones are placed in a barrel with some abrasives, and rotated slowly, to gradually polish and smooth the stone. It is a more rustic appearance than polished, but a good finish for rooms that receive a lot of sunlight, as it does not reflect light as much as some of the other finishes. Tumbled travertine floor tiles have a unique appearance that bring a special touch to any home.