If you want a touch of the Mediterranean in your home then travertine is the tile of choice for you. Everyone assumes marble is the stone that gives an Italian flare to your decorating but most people in ancient Roman times did not build or accent with marble because it was too expensive and too hard to work with. The most recognizable building product from this era is a travertine tile because it was so widely used.
The largest travertine tile quarry of these times was located about 60 miles from ancient Rome so you can see it would be very easy to obtain. One of the interesting things about travertine is that it is formed in the same manner as Marble it is just not exposed to as high a temperature and pressure for as long of a time underground. Eventually, if travertine is left underground long enough with high enough pressures and temperatures it will form into a marble.
Travertine is composed of sedimentary rock that has been laid down for centuries and millennia in hot spring pools. The minerals are leached out of the rock as the hot water makes its way to the surface and then these minerals precipitate out as the water reaches the surface. These minerals form layers on the bottom of the pool and then, over countless centuries, they form layers that have many different colors and hues.
After the layers of minerals have formed in the hot spring pools some geologic action will force the pool underground. This is usually an earthquake or maybe a large landslide. Plate techniques continue to be active and the minerals strata finds itself far below the surface with the pressure from above increasing and the temperature rising due to the nearby magma. Aver time this material is heated and compressed into a sedimentary stone.
It is important to note that this rock does not metamorphose like marble. That is, the structure of the material does not change, it just become more compressed and bonds for that reason. A stone that has metamorphosed actually changes its physical properties which is why marble is so hard.
One draw back to the fact the this is a sedimentary rock is the structure. There are many air pockets and voids in a travertine tile with means the surface is fairly rough. If you are using the stone for travertine wall tiles then this works great because of the structures that are visible on the surface. You will actually get a 3-D effect due to the porous nature of the stone.
The tiles can be used for travertine floor tiles but it usually requires further work on the surface. Often times the surface has the voids filled with a filler material and then sealed. This keeps the dirt and stains out of the tile. If you spill a liquid on the surface of a travertine floor tile which is not treated then you can be assured that the liquid will seep into all these voids and stain the stone. Using it as a travertine wall tile does not cause the same problem because you seldom spill things on the wall and when you do gravity helps you to remove it.
If you are looking to give your home a Mediterranean look and feel then you should definitely have some travertine tiles. They are very popular in the kitchen, bathroom and entryway. Another great place is to have them in your garden as travertine stepping stones.