Travertine Kitchen Floor Design Ideas, Cost and Tips

Travertine Kitchen Floor

Kitchen floor is a vital part of the home interior as it requires beauty as well as convenience at the same time. The floor design and style can be kept in line with the rest of the floor tiles of the house or otherwise can be selected in slight variation to give a new look and feel to the kitchen. For this reason tile selection is the key to the whole design and layout of the kitchen. Tile material, texture and size are major factors to be kept in mind before making a final decision.

The kitchen floor and complete interior has to be designed in such a way that it looks comfortable and stylish at the same time. Also, the space has to be utilized very effectively so that day to day activities do not get hindered. The floor tiles need to be well installed and the surface has to be smooth but non slippery. Everything is supposed to be blended into a complete package that attracts people.

A number of materials are being used to produce high quality tiles for flooring. Marble, granite and travertine are some examples. Some synthetic materials such as vinyl and porcelain are also among common options being used in flooring nowadays. All these materials vary in texture and have different levels of strength. Their cost also varies depending on the source and manufacturing process. Older constructions were fitted with natural stone tiles however modern designs are incorporating synthetic materials nowadays.

Travertine floor tiles have all the properties to make a good choice for kitchens. They are porous tiles with beautiful textures as they are from the family of sedimentary rocks. The rock is formed by settling of minerals under extreme heat and pressure. The texture is therefore developed over time and the rock has pores that are filled before installation. They are also recommended for exterior decoration as they give off an antique and rustic look with tumbled finish.

Travertine tiles have a good durability span. They are stronger as compared to vinyl, porcelain or wooden floors and an economical alternative for those who prefer marble flooring. When used with care and proper maintenance, Travertine tiles can stay in good shape for quite a long time. They have a rich alluring appearance and proper installation and care can ensure their long life.

The tiles may be treated in several ways to give different types of finishing. Travertine kitchen floors have better light reflection when polished and the kitchen gets a refreshing appearance and environment. There are other options too depending on the latest trends and customer taste. The overall theme and design of the home actually determines how the kitchen needs to be furnished. So the type of floor also has to be finalized accordingly.

Travertine floor tile surface is treated in mainly four ways:

1. Polished Travertine: The pores in the rock are filled up to a maximum level and given a shiny finished look. The polishing makes it slippery sometimes but the beauty is enhanced when the tiles give good light reflection. The polished tiles are recommended for walls and counters as well as floors. The shiny refined tiles give a bigger feel to the space.
2. Honed Travertine: They are filled but the polishing is kept lighter. The finished look is matte but the grace is still present. Honed Travertine tiles are quite popular as the trend for matte finish has increased in modern construction and interior designing. Their maintenance becomes easy as there is no redoing of polish required and the tile color remains even all the time. When maintained well, honed Travertine tiles also give off a soothing look and feel.
3. Tumbled Travertine: This type has edges and corners in slight round shape. Other stones are used with Travertine to tumble them and give round corners. The finished look is like some old and vintage stone. This type of finishing is suitable for outdoor installation but can be complemented in design for creating a rustic kitchen style as well. For customers who like traditional old styles, tumbled Travertine can be a good decision.
4. Brushed Travertine: They are the most simple and subtle colored tiles. The tiles are brushed with wire brushes and may not be tumbled. The final look is completely matte. Their usage is mostly outdoor as the finishing is not done in detail.

Travertine tiles are easy to set in either sand or mortar on top of concrete. When the tiles are laid down in bed of sand, the method is known as dry-set method. Then a mixture of treated sand and adhesive is used to fix them well. When mortar is used the method is called mud-set method. Cutting of Travertine is easily possible with electric cutters. So it does not require expensive cutting machinery. Also the easy cutting allows them to be shaped into even smaller sizes to fit in patches in the floor design.

Travertine is a heavy stone and thus the tiles are also heavy in weight. They need special care in handling and installation because of the extra weight. Also transportation becomes a little difficult for the same reason. However this weight does not affect its usefulness and the installation can be handled by professionals. 

Travertine tiles are a good choice for kitchens because of another special characteristic. They are quite capable of bearing varied temperatures. They are non-flammable hence provide safety in addition to exquisite design and color to the floor. The synthetic tiles may break after absorbing heat but travertine  stays smooth and functional in maximum heat. This heat absorbing quality is very important for places such as kitchens.

Travertine tiles are being used in counter tops and kitchen walls in addition to floors for quite a long time. They were used in Italy and Turkey previously but these days their use has become common all over the world. The styles and patterns may differ in different areas. They are commonly available in several colors such as beige, ivory and gold etc. Their colors are light and give spacious look and are also available easily in case replacement is required. They can match theme of kitchens to complement different shades of wood polish on cabinets as well. Some darker shades such as reddish brown are also available in travertine tiles. For customers who prefer who prefer a brighter tone, the dark shades can be used with appropriate polishing.

Travertine kitchen floors are a good choice based on another major factor that they are environment friendly as well. They are natural stone based and do not need a long factory procedure to get in final shape. Therefore,  choice of  a travertine based products means choosing a healthy and green environment as opposed to synthetic products that are causing pollution on earth. Synthetic tiles go through a long manufacturing process in factories that lead to consumption of fuel and production of a lot of waste as well.  As awareness regarding keeping the planet green is increasing, people try to go for environmental friendly options in everything.  

Design Ideas

Travertine kitchen floors are available in various patterns depending on the choice of the customer. These patterns have originated from different cultures and represent different traditions. Details of some patterns are given below.

1. French Pattern Travertine Floor: There are French pattern Travertine floors that give a look and feel of the country side. They are also used in exteriors of homes such as gardens or gazebos. French pattern tiles can be used with or without polishing depending on the requirement. Polishing makes them slightly slippery. 
2. Antique Pattern Travertine Floor: Meandros or Antique pattern Travertine floor is quite similar to French pattern. The traditional country style designed homes commonly use this pattern. It gives a comfortable look to the kitchen and adds value to the overall design. 
3. Brick Pattern Travertine Floor: This pattern is most common in modern kitchen designs as well as bathrooms. Popular colors in this pattern are grey, cream and other lighter shades. It gives a uniform design to the floor and the room feels spacious.  
4. Spiral Pattern Travertine Floor: Spiral pattern is mostly used in modern style interiors of kitchens and homes. It adds to the design of the interior with a trendy look. It can be added in some portion to make a distinctive design in the kitchen wall or floor. The pattern is an additional feature in the design makes the environment more lively.
5. Herringbone Pattern Travertine Floor: This pattern is the most contemporary style and enhances the design of the overall interior. The pattern can be complemented with similar design on other portions of the kitchen such as cabinets etc.  

Travertine tiles are available in different sizes as demanded by the customers. Most common sizes are 1×1, 1×2, 2×2, 2×4 and 4×4. However their sizes may be varied as cutting the stone is not a difficult task. The tiles can be custom designed in order to blend in the theme of the home and kitchen. The sizes and colors are easily available and therefore replacement in case of any damage is very convenient. The easy replacement factor is very important as in case of breakage, if matched color and size is not found the whole design of kitchen gets disturbed. Therefore one has to cater for such contingencies.

Cost:

Travertine tiles are not very expensive as compared to other options available but the adhesive used in their installation is bit costly. So the cost becomes slightly higher for setting up the tiles. Otherwise the tiles are less in cost than marble and granite tiles. Their look is not lesser than the expensive stone and can be a good choice in kitchen. The overall cost of tiles is lower than marble and synthetic tiles with average minimum cost being $2.69 per sq foot and maximum being $4.49 per sq foot.

Tips:

Travertine kitchen floors need a bit more care to keep them in original form. Following tips can help in retaining the stone’s beauty:

1. Travertine can react to acidic materials like ketchup and orange juice therefore special precaution is required to maintain the tiles. Wipe such spillages as quickly as possible.
2. Travertine tiles can also be protected with stone sealants available in the market.  
3. Cleaning the floor with a good alkaline based stone cleaner can guarantee the original condition of travertine for a long time.
4. Use dry mops for day to day cleaning and avoid usage of vacuum cleaners.

Conclusion

Travertine kitchen floor, as discussed in detail above, have all the qualities to become common choice of customers. They are suitable for kitchens of all sizes. Interior designers and builder favor these tiles mostly in their projects. They have been experimented in other parts of the home as well in addition to kitchens and turned out to be quite reliable. They are cost effective as well as they are less expensive than many other natural stones.