Hello to all and help with query

[Pat Perry]

Hello Everyone. Just joined the Forum as trying to understand what to do about the floor in our newly converted bungalow. We will be having wet underfloor heating in our kitchen and conservatory - a large area of approx 100sq m. We want to put down honed and filled travertine on the floor but have been told by a slate supplier(we are having slate kitchen worktops) that the travertine will not be good as the heating will "pop" the epoxy filler in the holes and the floor will look naff quite soon. Does anyone agree with this please? Can we use travertine? Does the quality of the tile make a difference? We have found tiles at £ 18 sq m on web but don't know if this will be false economy. Thank you

 

[DHTiling]

Hi Pat and welcome...

Yes it does depend on the Travertine quality, at £18 a mtr then IMHO you are looking at a low grade, thus this will have more surface filler than a premium grade..

You require filler to be no bigger than a little finger nail in size..

You will find an awful lot of stone online will be advertised as premium but infact isn't... it is usually a lower grade and you cannot tell by 100mmx100mm sample that it is top grade..

Always go to see the stone at the suppliers and examine a few pieces from a crate of what you would be buying.. that is the best way to see exactly what you are getting..

 

[diamonddrilbit]

The amount and size of holes on the back of the travertine will tell you how much resin is in the face of the travertine.

 

[tfs]

You could perhaps choose a decent Limestone. Limestone and travetrtine are very similar and have come about in very similar ways. Limestone is more dense so tends to be a bit more durable in my opinion.

 

[diamonddrilbit]

I agree with tfs, limestone is much better, it is formed on sea beds and is much denser, where as travertine is made up of deposits of limestone that has occurred around natural hot springs which bubble through the stone causing holes !!

 

[DHTiling]

That still does not say Travertine is not suitable for floors.. I have installed various travertines and premium grades have very little filler and are quite dense... it is the cheaper classic travertines that are prone.

 

[tfs]

I agree, its down to quality and density realy. Travertine was used for the likes of buildings et in Italy for hundreds of years. Its just like timber, too much low quality around these days. Just be sure to check out the tiles as Dave says.

Try a few local merchants.

 

[tfs]

If you are using an Architect, you could perhaps ask them to specify some.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

PHG, a forum sponsor, have quality travertine in stock and deliver Nationwide - but not at £18/metre!
I have cheap travertine on a dining room floor (being a pensioner) with an inlaid line of black granite and UFH. Been down a couple of years now and has a couple of holes to be filled but nothing major and as soon as I can get a decent tiler to fill them I will.:lol:

 

[Pat Perry]

Thank you everyone. All your comments have been a good help. I think I will look for better/more expensive travertine. Has anyone bought from Walls and Floors on the Internet. They sell by the pallet load but this must be difficult to check quality. I have a tile sample that is about 300 by 300 mm and it looks OK to me but I suppose I don't have enough experience to know if it's any good. Could someone tell me how the best quality travertine is described please. I don't want to pay moret Han I need to but don't want to ruin a quality renovation project for the sake of a few hundred pounds. Thank you all so much.