Preventive Travertine Maintenance

Travertine maintenance can be easily performed by a true natural stone care professional. It is best to start a regular maintenance plan at the point of installation. As with travertine and other calcite stones, it can be easily etched if anything acidic comes into contact with it. If it is polished travertine, the problem of scratching is also an issue, however if proper barrier matting is not introduced even a honed surface will lose its attractiveness. Travertine should always be factory sealed or sealed prior to grouting when installed to.

Regularly scheduled travertine maintenance will ensure the maximum lifespan, beauty and health of your floors.

Regular Travertine Maintenance

Any stone needs a good planned maintenance schedule in place to preserve it and to delay restoration procedures for as long as possible.

Daily maintenance will consist of dry dust mopping using a clean rayon mop. Regular damp mopping will also be required. This must be carried out using a good quality stone soap alternated with just fresh water. It is important that soap residue doesn’t build up on the surface of the stone. Spills should be wiped promptly to prevent staining or etching. Acid based chemicals used for household cleaning can damage the surface of travertine and other calcite stones on contact. Similar damage from acid based foods and beverages can be avoided if not left to dwell.

Professional regular travertine maintenance will be required to maintain its honed or polished appearance. Our opinion is that travertine looks best with a honed appearance or a combination of both honed and polished in the same room. It is very common to find a bathroom with honed travertine on the floor and polished travertine on the walls. As wall tiles are less at risk of scratching, this is a practical approach that allows for less regular restorative maintenance.

Restoration

When regular maintenance procedures are no longer adequate, complete restoration will be necessary. Problems like cracked, loose or chipped tiles, or a desire to have a different finish on the stone all require complete restoration. Travertine is sometimes incorrectly called limestone-travertine due to its ability to be polished to a high shine. It is possible for us to polish a honed travertine which will give it more depth of color. If the travertine is unfilled, we can fill it and give it a honed or polished finish. This is done using the diamond grinding system and special calcite polishing powders. It really is a very versatile stone which can be restored in a number of different ways. Colored epoxy resins or polyester fillers are used to assist in filling holes when the stone is polished. Grout or cement based fillers are used if the required finish is honed. Stains are removed using a poultice and deep alkaline cleaning prior to grinding and honing. It is sometimes wrongly assumed that because travertine has an abundance of holes that it is extremely porous. It is actually less porous than limestone however it still requires the application of a penetrative sealer in order to offer a good level of protection from staining once restoration is complete.

Contact us today

Give us a call today to schedule your travertine maintenance at (407) 279-3739.