CHEAP TRAVERTINES - DISASTERS WAITING TO HAPPEN

 

We have had two conversations with people complaining about travertine (not ours!!)  that has started crumbling with 18 months of being laid. There are two reasons why this happens:

  1. the stone has too many holes and some holes are uncharacteristically large
  2. the stone is soft with low density.

In cross-cut travertine, it is possible to have a thin wafer of stone covering submerged holes. In high traffic areas, the surface can cave in under impact from hard objects e.g. stiletto heels.

Sometimes builders substitute premium quality travertine from a reputable supplier with lower quality product to reduce project costs. If this happens, the outcome can be disastrous. You need to know where the travertine comes from before you buy, not after it fails.

 
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