Travertine Marble

The biggest problem with putting these two words together - Travertine and Marble- is that it creates confusion for the novice regarding what he/she is actually buying.

Travertine is not marble…

And travertine is not limestone or granite either, in the true sense of the word, although it does pertain loosely to the general limestone family…which leads me to another common misleading term -Travertine Limestone- which refers to the same stone and is not true limestone. What makes all of them somewhat similar is the pattern of veins and asymmetrical pockmarks on their surfaces. To add to the confusion, Shell Stone is also similar to Travertine but contains traces of imbedded prehistoric shells.

To be clear, travertine is actually aragonite and/or calcite.

The reason it is often referred to as Travertine Marble is because, after polishing and filling the troughs or pitted areas of the stone, it can be almost indistinguishable from marble. It also sounds fancier to say Travertine Marble Tile. Therefore it may be sold under the label of Travertine Marble and may do no harm as long as you, the buyer, are aware that what you’re buying is not marble.

Why call it marble if it’s not?

Perhaps for the same reason we call Satin Silk when in fact it’s manmade synthetic called acetate. It sounds sexier to say Silk Satin rather than acetate. But the point is that many factories are becoming increasingly adept at creating surfaces that appear like others, partly to supply the demand for a particularly popular look, namely marble, for bathrooms and countertops or floor tile and perhaps also to keep prices apparently more affordable for similar elegant looks.

This discrepancy may only be a serious issue if the purpose for which the marble or travertine tile is used will receive a specific type of abuse that Marble withstands and Travertine does not. For example: travertine floor tiles, wall tiles, bathroom tiles or travertine countertops may not be ideal if you are counting on marble due to constant contact with certain substances. Here’s why.

Granite for example is not affected by acidic spills like orange juice, vinegar or alcoholic drinks while limestone and concrete are.

Travertine is sensitive to acid.

So if you believe you’re buying something impervious to harm and you actually have Travertine which is not, you could be disappointed.

Do not use acidic cleaners on Travertine countertops.

Take precautions. First, try to understand what you’re actually buying, and second, protect all stone or pseudo stone tile from acids with the appropriate sealer. Remember that even polished, coated and fire glazed tiles can be damaged by acidic substances.

Ask your retailer what the travertine marble tile is REALLY made from and if in doubt ask to have a small acid test done. (This is accomplished with muriatic acid). Then ensure your surface is properly sealed before travertine tile installation commences.