Since travertine tile can be used indoors and outdoors, one of its common uses is for patios, terraces and garden walkways. Travertine installation by an inexperienced person is possible, especially for outdoor projects.
Outdoor Patio: If it is a patio, the main concern will be to ensure the ground beneath the patio is level. Garden walkways and Paths: For garden paths, travertine tile installation is especially simple because the tiles may be placed directly into the leveled soil wherever you desire the path. You can create a path using the travertine tiles as stepping stones or you can join them together as a solid walkway or stagger them around flowerbeds and shrubbery to make your own unique pattern.
If however you are going to use travertine floor tile indoors for a kitchen or bathroom, and especially if it may be a travertine shower project you are wishing to create, or if it is a travertine wall tile project…..then it is much more difficult for a novice to do.
I can recommend using a professional tile layer for such complicated projects unless you are a semi-professional or a jack of all trades who knows a thing or two about mixing mortar, grouting, sealing and finishing tile surfaces. In bathrooms and kitchens there are so many corners and crevices and perhaps small steps or slanting drainage areas that must be calculated and taken into account when cutting travertine, that may cause you to waste a lot of tile. If you have undergone the considerable expense to buy travertine tile, why not do it right all the way and have professionals install them so there will be no leaks or cracks and everything will be level.
If you still want to give it a try then….okay…… after deciding on the exact tile you want and the general layout and design, and after you’ve measured and leveled the floor or ascertained that the wall is straight, here are the things you will need to do your own travertine tile installation:
Tools:
- A wet saw
- A pair of nippers
- A trowel with ½ inch teeth
Materials:
- Thinset – a glue for fixing tiles in place
- Sanded Grout –fills the gaps between tiles (comes in colors to match your tile)
- Sealer – use only a travertine specific sealer. *Aldon Sealers are highly recommended by many professionals.
*Aldon also carries a complete line of cleaners and after installation care products specific to travertine tile. Here are a few of the products: Insta-Clean, Maintain, Dust Whiz and Aldon Lifeguard which will add more gloss to sealed surfaces and prevent wear on previously sealed surfaces.
