There are many different varieties of travertine. They all have one thing in common tho. They are very susceptible to getting unsightly holes . Travertine is super porous and will absorb anything it can get a hold such as dirt , cleaning chemicals , sealer dirty mop water and well you get the idea. It's one thirsty stone.
WHY?
This is a great question. Let's take a look at some of the reasons your travertine might have holes.
Water: Over saturated the stone with water. Water is a huge contributor to your stones hole problem. Just take a look at the Niagara Falls and you can see the damage that water can do. The more you get your floor wet e.g. wet mopping, the bigger these wholes will get. Contrary to popular belief DO NOT wet mop ANY type of natural stone including travertine . Dry dust mopping only preferably a flat mop. Light misting of cleaner is all that is needed.
Grinding: What is grinding. Grinding is what is done to your travertine when you have lipage on your floor. Meaning that each individual square pieces of the stone are uneven do to bad installation. The bigger the lip , the more of a chance you have to catch your foot on it and trip. This can be a big hazard and has actually led to injuries such as a broken toe or sprained ankle. When the floor is that bad , these lips must be grinned down so that the floor is even. Well , when this process is done it shaves multiple layers off of the stones surface exposing the inner layers of the stone which are much more porous with big pits aka holes. This causes lots of trouble in the future for the home owner. If the unevenness isn't that bad I would recommend to stay away from grinding all together or if it is only a few pieces maybe just replace the pieces all together. Try and hire a reputable contractor for your installation. I know its easer said than done. We suggest you do some research and get some references if possible. Grinding isn't always that bad depending on the quality of the stone and the experience of the technician who is doing it. We do offer that service if you are interested.
Diamond polishing: Diamond polishing is somewhat similar to grinding as you are shaving down layers of the stone. Diamond polishing should not be used on a regular basis. Polishing with diamonds is not always necessary when restoring your floor. The only time you need to diamond polish is when your floor has deep scratches , stains , or etch marks. I can't emphasize the word deep enough . Most of the time the scratches , stains and etching can be removed by crystalizing your floor which is much easier and cheaper . Our technicians can determine which process is necessary for your floor. Don't get me wrong , sometimes diamond polishing is necessary and just doing it one time properly to your floor will not cause holes. But if you diamond polish even on a yearly basis it will definitely start causing holes and will also make it susceptible to cracking as it becomes brittle since every time you go over it with the diamond pads you shave off another layer of stone.
Sealer: By not sealing your travertine you are just asking for trouble .The proper sealer will help defend against holes , stains ,etch marks , and even cracking. The sealer is absorbed by the stone and fills up a lot of those microscopic pores and makes your travertine much stronger. Fight against holes and get your floor sealed by experienced professionals, US . LV FLOOR RESTORATION ! We got you covered.
Quality: The quality of your Travertine will definitely play a roll in how many holes your floor has are doesn't have . Most of the travertine made for outdoors actually comes with a lot of holes to give them a natural look. This looks pretty good outdoors. Usually no need to fill the natural holes . There are a few indoor styles of travertine that also have that natural holy look. Some people hate this and we have actually spent an entire day just filling holes for a few customers that couldn't stand the holes. Lots of work for us but they were very happy in the end and that's what really matters. Sometimes it comes down to personal preference . Other indoor travertine types have holes which are not suppose to . These travertines are usually the cheap styles that you find in the clearance section at the flooring stores. These are cost efficient but will not hold up over time. You will spend more money to have them repaired then you would if you just initially bought the higher quality version. A lot of the cheaper stones get holes in them from just daily wear and tear . It doesn't take much to damage them. Even with sealer on them they still manage to develop holes . These holes are tripping hazards and big eye sores. Buy the little bit more expensive stuff and save yourself the hassle in the long run. Quality over quantity is our modo. Thats why we here at LV Floor Restoration never do more than 2 jobs a day to give our customers the due diligence that their floors deserve.
There you have it folks . A few reasons your Travertine floor may have holes. But no need to worry. We fill holes on a regular basis .We color match them to your existing travertine so that they are virtually undetectable. We have all your floor restoring solutions.

📲 (702) 349-1457
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