Granite Tile Countertops

Travertine Countertop

What is Travertine and Saturnia? Stone, Planet or Vegetable? and Why is it Showing Up on More Walls and Floors?

Travertine is a beautiful natural stone material from the limestone family. It is made of soft calcium carbonate and is usually found in the form of deposits near bubbling warm or hot springs. To make a long story short, during its formation gases would become trapped within the stone and would developed pits and pockets of holes throughout its matrix. When quarried by man the open holes would be filled at the surface with either epoxy or travertine dust to offer a smooth closed finished look to the public.

Since Travertine is made of soft calcium carbonate it is therefore highly reactive to acids found in juices, fruits and beverages. Acid spills will etch the surface of the stone and leave ring marks, streaking and dullness. Even though the stone is soft and sensitive, the indescribable beauty outweighs the concerns of acid spilling or etch marks by maintaining with stone safe products.

Travertine is available in different colors and finishes, from natural, neutral colors such as creamy white and beige to tan, silver and reddish brown which by the way depends on the iron and other impurities present during its formation. These different colors can be purchased with different surface finishes or textures as well and the most common finishes today which includes:

· Hone or Polished – A honed finish is ground flat without being polished to a shine to create a soft subtle look that is more suitable to high wear areas. A polished surface offers a richer color with defined veins and reflective surface.

· Traditional or Tumbled Edged – A tumbled travertine has a rough, textured finish often with rounded corners for an antique look versus the normal straight edge flat surface we are so used to seeing when one thinks of a tile.

· Open hole or closed - An open hole travertine offers depth and sophistication for that avant-garde appeal. It is unusual

· Crosscut or Standard – Saturnia is simple a travertine that when quarried was cut across versus with the vein creating a different appearance much like one would get getting across a tree trunk or along the length.

The bottom line is that 16 different products and looks can be created from the same stone.

As a natural stone, no two pieces are the same therefore you will have a “one of a kind” look in your home or office not like a manufactured or engineered stone.

Popularity

Travertine is being installed today by the thousands of square feet. Most commonly used for walls and flooring, it is also used for countertops, tub surrounds as well as in exterior décor . Because travertine is such a porous material, as with any natural stone surface, maintenance is necessary to keep its everlasting beauty. The surface clean and sealed on installation, and at least every 2 years there after to maintain a stain resistant surface.

(1) How should you care for it?

Remember the Grand Canyon is made of stone and yet with a little dust, dirt and water it is now a mile deep. Similarly your stone will be worn by the grinding of dust and dirt across its surface, though in this case it is more likely by the bottom of a slipper or loafer than a deluge of water. Keeping your naturally beautiful stone naturally beautiful will require you to keep it free of dust, and to clean it with non-acidic cleaners such as pH neutral Intercare Stone Cleanser.

As noted above, stone is porous and travertine more so than most. It needs to be sealed on installation and every two years there after to enhance and maintain its stain resistance. Remember though that even a sealed stone can be stained if a spill is allowed to sit too long. Don’t’ want to do this yourself, consider calling a stone craftsman. Companies such as MARBLELIFE specialize in providing stone care product sand services anywhere in the country. With 46 locations MARBLELIFE is the largest in the country, and the only company openly committed to providing stone services wherever you live.

(2) What do you do if you start seeing spots or etches?

Don’t panic. While frustrating if you do not know what they are or how to get rid of them, spots, water marks and etches are routinely handled on a daily basis by those skilled in the arts of stone craft.

As mentioned earlier travertine like all limestone and marbles is acid sensitive. This means that garden-variety spills from your soda, mixed drink or morning orange juice are sufficiently acidic to dissolve stone on contact. It is not enough to simply wipe up the spill, as residual acids will locally pit the surface creating a reflective anomaly. A light etch you can see but cannot feel. If you attempt to clean it appears to disappear until the water sitting in the local pit evaporates allowing your watermark to re-appear. These need to be hones (ground) or polished out. While light etches can be removed with products such as MARBLELIFE Gold Plus Gloss Restorer, heavier etches which you can feel will require a stone craftsman to rehone the surface smooth again. Whether cleaning up an etch removing polish or a spill, it is imperative that whatever you use by pH neutral, and be able to neutralize acids. Anyone who remembers their college chemistry is likely scratching their head about now. How can a pH neutral cleaner neutralize an acid? Typically one would be seeking a base to neutralize an acid. Thanks to the modern miracle of science and the use of emulsifying surfactants one can surround an acid molecule and remove it from the water in a bubble of surfactant. Bottom line, it is no longer actively available to damage your stone.

(3) Open of closed? What's the difference? What to think about?

Open or closed refers to whether the holes created during the stones formation are left open or filled in. While the open holed appearance can create an attractive rustic or unusual appearance it has one obvious drawback creating areas for dirt to collect. The good news is that should this become a problem companies such as MARBLELIFE can fill, level and refinish these areas so that they look just like the closed variety. If you decide to go this route be careful you research who is doing the work. Many inexperienced tradesman will seek to fill these holes with standard grade cement creating a mess that is expensive to repair. Special colorized fills are available that are designed specifically for this purpose.

At the end of the day, it’s about selecting something that make you feel good, and creates the ambiance and comfort that is home. With a little fore knowledge you are equipped to care for your new piece of natural art. As with most things once you know where to go and how to care for it is easy and manageable, so enjoy what Mother Nature created. Rest comfortably in the knowledge that should you need help or assistance a stone craftsman in available to help.

Granite Shield Sealing 1 Bathroom & Laundry Room Part 2

Magic Complete Marble And Granite Cleaner, 14-Ounce (Pack of 6) Sale Price: $26.49   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Marble and Granite Magic restores brilliance and color in all natural stone surfaces. This special formula cleans and protects the surface while it sprays on brightness and depth. Enhances natural veining and leaves a finish to protect against staining. Features Restores brilliance and color Adds depth to reveal natural veining Leaves a finish to protect against staining

Jasper 72" Double Sink Vanity Set with Travertine Stone Countertop Sale Price: $1,999.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description DEC023-TTP Features: -Double sink vanity set. -Solid wood construction. -Travertine stone countertop. -Nine functional pull out drawers with two double door cabinets. -Drop in sink integrated with countertop. -Polished chrome faucet. -Matching pop-up drain and framed mirror. -Assembly required. Specifications: -Manufacturer provides 1 year warranty. -Mirror dimensions: 40'' H x 67'' W. -Vanity dimensions: 34'' H x 72'' W x 22'' D.

Hardin Variable Speed Polisher 4 Inch Granite Marble Wet Polishing Kit with Diamond Pads Sale Price: $144.90   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description This is our new Hardin industrial grade variable speed wet polisher / grinder. This professional unit is equipped with a 950 watt 8.29 amp variable speed motor and features a variable speed dial for optimal control. You can operate from 2,000-4,000 RPM. Optimal polishing results are achieved at 2500 RPM. After shaping the edge of your slab (profile wheel not included), you?ll most likely want to polish it so that it matches the top of the countertop. This Hardin VSP polishing kit with granite and marble pads is the ideal kit for this application. The pads in this kit are not general or ?all purpose? polishing pads. They are professional grade 4? diameter X 3MM thick granite and marble pads manufactured with a softer bond resin that releases the diamonds at the proper rate for hard materials. Start the polishing process with the lower grit diamond pads and work your way up consecutively to the last one to achieve that factory shine. You?ll want to take care with the 50 and 100 grit pads. They are the most aggressive grit pads, you can easily chance the shape of your material. This unit is equipped with a 5 foot 1/4" water line that is positioned under the polisher. The end comes with a brass 5/8"coupling to thread onto a common garden water hose. The standarized 5/8-11 UNC spindle thread makes it compatible with most attachments on the market. Built-in GFCI (circuit breaker) protects the operator. Also included with this unit is a bail handle (D handle), side handle, spindle wrench, and extra carbon brushes. You need extra parts or attachments? Call us! You have questions? Call us! We are happy to help. We can be reached Monday-Friday 7AM-3PM MST @ 1-866-425-4693. Features Variable speed 2000-4000 RPM Heavy duty 950 watt 8.29 amp motor Built in GFCI 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 3000, & 10000 grit

Desert Gold List Price: $3.60 See Reviews For This Product Description This hour, when the day had closed and the lonely desert night set in with its dead silence, was one in which Cameron's mind was thronged with memories of a time long past--of a home back in Peoria, of a woman he had wronged and lost, and loved too late. He was a prospector for gold, a hunter of solitude, a lover of the drear, rock-ribbed infinitude, because he wanted to be alone to remember.

Jade 48" Single Sink Vanity Set with Travertine Stone Countertop Sale Price: $1,299.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description DEC024-TTP Features: -Single sink vanity set. -Solid wood construction. -Travertine stone countertop. -Six functional pull out drawers with one double door cabinet. -Drop in sink integrated with countertop. -Polished chrome faucet. -Matching pop-up drain and framed mirror. -Assembly required. Specifications: -Manufacturer provides 1 year warranty. -Mirror dimensions: 35'' H x 24'' W. -Vanity dimensions: 34'' H x 48'' W x 22'' D.

Fresca Milwood Antique Single Sink Bathroom Vanity w/ Travertine Countertop See Reviews For This Product Description Fresca Milwood Antique Single Sink Bathroom Vanity w/ Travertine Countertop

Bevel Edge Travertine Laminate Countertop Trim - 12 ft. Sale Price: $33.13 See Reviews For This Product Description Bevel Edge countertop trim and countertop edging to match Wilsonart Laminate, Formica and Pionite brands. High quality beveled edging provides a beautiful finishing touch for any laminate countertop design. The bevel is miter folded from 1 piece of laminate, so patterns follow through from the face to the edge, giving a much more realistic look to simulated stone patterns and wood grains. Edge is 3/8" thick compared to our competitors 5/16". Over 650 popular patterns and finishes. 12' Molding will be cut to 106" per maximum length allowed by UPS. Cut-off will be included in shipment. Features Matte Finish

Fresca Carter Antique Single Sink Bathroom Vanity w/ Travertine Countertop See Reviews For This Product Description Fresca Carter Antique Single Sink Bathroom Vanity w/ Travertine Countertop

Granite Gold Daily Cleaner 24 fl oz (750 ml) Sale Price: $10.89   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Quickly and Safely Cleans Granite and Natural StoneRecommended for use Features Streak-free formula Fresh citrus scent Safe and recommended for everyday use Biodegradable and safe for food preparation surfaces Quickly removes all types of spills and soils