Travertine Dream

Back in 2000, U2 reminded us about a “Beautiful Day”. With spring in the air and outdoor projects being planned out, this could not be more true.

 The thing of it is, how do you take a space like this:

And turn it into something that adds value and character, like this:

Well, the key, as I have mentioned before, is planning. You could just throw down a 10′x10′ square and be happy. Some other people might like a bit more. Check out this article about Patio Design by nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, Tim Carter.

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Raja Multi 16”x16” Indian slate tile installed in a kitchen and dining room area – Terrific!

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So you have glorious natural stone floors in your main entry. Maybe travertine, maybe granite, maybe slate. I don’t know, its your house, right? And of course, for some continuity, you also have the glorious stone upstairs. But here is your problem.

 A bare staircase in the middle. Stone upstairs, stone downstairs, but in the end you don’t really want that carpet in the middle. So what do you do? Well, if you are ordering in volume, by the container, most factories can actually make stair treads and risers to meet your requirements. These treads are basically a 3cm thick slab of stone, cut to the dimensions of your stairs. That would finish things off pretty nicely don’t you think? If you are not buying in volume, there is a good chance that you can get some fabricated locally. One word of caution, it will be more expensive and the stone may not match exactly.

If you are in the South East and just about to build a staircase, check out the “Stair Kit In A Box” from Southern Staircase. Might be a way to save yourself considerable time and energy.

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I found this item for sale on sell.com classifieds. This would be a really neat focal point to a slate installation!

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There are two common looks for travertine. The Vein Cut look and the Cross Cut look. Both are the exact same stone, just cut from the block in different manners. BuildDirect University has this to say on the matter: “Travertine can be cut on either a “vein” cut, which is against the bedding so the bedding plane is revealed, or a “fleuri” cut, which is along the bedding plane and reveals a flowery, often circular pattern. This cut is also referred to as a “crosscut” pattern. The distinctive holes and cavities in the travertine are formed by gas that escapes during the stone’s formation.”

 The most common cut for flooring tiles is the cross cut, but check out some pictures below to see the difference in appearance between the two. On the left is a vein cut and the right a cross cut. Also, for a wealth of information regarding building materials check our more at BDU.

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Providing life safety and property protection is a significant part of a building’s design and construction process, and one of the primary focuses of building codes. Many jurisdictions have now adopted a code based on the recent edition of the new International Building Code (IBC).

However, most of the fire safety provisions of the IBC were developed using the least stringent requirements of each of the three previously published model building codes. Building and safety experts are concerned that the current minimum requirements for fire safety – especially for multi-residential structures such as town-houses, dormitories, assisted living facilities, small hotels, etc., may not provide enough protection for the elderly, college students, disabled persons, and families dwelling in these units.

Click on the logo above for the full article by Steve Szoke.

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People ask about mixing one type of stone with another. Can I use granite with travertine in the same floor? Can I mix travertine and marble? How can I do it?

 The short answer is, yes, of course you can. You can mix travertine with a straw floor if you want, the key is going to be the transitions. You want to make sure you are using the same thickness of tile and a similar finish. Think of it this way, if you are trying to mix a 1/2″ thick tile with chiseled edges and a 3/8″ thick tile with a straight edge, its not going to work very well. The seam between tiles is going to be messy, and possibly sharp! Also, if one tile is thicker than the other, they can be laid together, but it is going to be much more difficult.

To Review:

1. Can it be done? Yes.

2. What do I have to remember? Try and use tiles of similar finish and same thickness.

Happy installing!

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In Québec, slate has been quarried south of the St. Lawrence River. The Appalachian Province includes several slate deposits of Cambrian, Ordovician and Devonian ages. Most of the production comes from the quarries of the Kingsbury (Estrie) and Saint-Marc-du-Lac-Long (Bas-Saint-Laurent) areas.

Slate exploitation began soon after 1854 in Estrie. The production was intensive from 1903 to 1909. Then it slowed regularly and came to a complete stop in 1923. Production statistics have been registered in a fragmented way. The extracted material was almost entirely used to produce roofing slate.

In 1995, the slate production started again with the opening of the Glendyne quarry in Bas-Saint-Laurent. Since then, slate has regained popularity, mainly with European and American clients who appreciate its aesthetic value in their buildings.

To explore the Gouvernement du Québec website on this subject, please click here.

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For anyone who grew up watching the 1964 stop motion animation Christmas special Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer and remembers the song sung by Sam The Snowman regarding Yukon Cornelius’ quest for riches on the road to the Land of Misfit Toys, knows what that title means. For those who don’t remember it, or just need a quick dose of a holiday classic, check out “Silver and Gold”.

 Well , Silver and Gold also relates to some colors of travertine that are becoming popular in the market. Check out the following pictures and see what you think. The vein cut silver is a superbly unique look.

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Schluter®-DITRA is a polyethylene membrane with a grid structure of square, cut-back cavities and an anchoring fleece laminated to its underside. In conjunction with tiled coverings, Schluter®-DITRA forms an uncoupling, waterproofing, and vapor pressure equalization layer. Click here for the video (hosted by YouTube).

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