May 23, 2012
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~Travertine~
The boys came screaming into the house about some truck at the end of our road and a huge dump truck towing a huge fork lift.
“Did I know what it was?”
“What was on it?”
“Who’s house was it going to?”
I walked outside with them and sure enough there was a huge semi parked down where the road T’s. I suggested that maybe someone up the mountain had ordered something that the semi could not get to and they were going to haul it up.
The driver got out and began opening the sides of the semi. There were 5 crates of something. I couldn’t tell what though. Then they unloaded the fork lift and just about that point one of my boys in pure excitement recognized that it was one of our friends. Then it all clicked at that instant. It was my Travertine. I had ordered it months ago, but we had it delivered and stored at his shop. And now he was delivering it so we could began tiling.
I bought this Travertine sight unseen. It was a screaming deal and so I decided to chance it. 15,000 lbs of it.
I had done tone of shopping and research on travertine, so I was pretty confident that it would match my colors. And it did. Beautifully.So now we are laying it. It is grueling, backbreaking work. But, oh, the results are breathless. It looks like a cobblestone road hundreds of years old. And that’s just what I wanted. A timeless house. That says it has stories from decades ago. That is warm and inviting. Makes you feel welcome and happy.
Before laying the travertine, we lay this orange stuff called Ditra. It allows the floor to flex and move when there are temperature changes. Instead of hardibacker which would result in cracked tiles. Travertine is the softest of natural stones used in flooring.
We also have been getting lighting up as well. Found this chandler at the HD for $15
Working on the pattern of the Travertine called Versigh.
We had to do some stuff under the house to make it stronger to hold all this travertine. They are saying “hi” to the down under.
The Truck
Walls painted. Still ceiling to go.
Comments (3)
I used to work in the tile industry….and we couldn’t keep enough travertine in stock! I have it in my master bath with noce tumbled marble and I love it.
Just a tip 
I will suggest that you purchase some “SURE SEAL” grout sealer for your heavy traffic areas. If your travertine is natural stone and not travertine toned ceramic you will want to seal it because it is porous.
Your home is looking so beautiful!
@SpazzyMommy - Thanks for the info! I do have natural stone. I bought this stuff called Impregnator 511. Its a little blue bottle and it seals the Travertine and the grout. Would you still seal on top of that with the Sure Seal?
I bet the boys were asking to drive the forklift right? I sure would have!