Travertine Tile

[technologist]

Guys,

 

 

 

I am redoing my bathroom and installing travertine tile on the floor. Have never worked with travertine before. Some people say seal before you grout and others say grout before you seal. I bought grout to match the tile. The travertine has small holes that I planned on filling in with the grout. My plan was to grout before I seal! Am I making a mistake?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

John

[canyondiver]

Seal the sufface with a slightly damp sponge.

I'd use Miracle Seal Impregnator.

Be careful to keep the stuff from dripping down the sides of the tile or the surface pits.

This makes cleanup a snap.

Once you finish grouting and the grout has set for a day or two, you can do a vinegar wash with white vinegar to remove any and all haze.

Have fun... My back and knees are sore from thinking about this!

[technologist]

thanks for the info john. So you say seal before I grout! If I do that, won't the sealer fill in the small holes instead of the grout?

[float finish]

Make sure you use white thinset.

[canyondiver]

thanks for the info john. So you say seal before I grout! If I do that, won't the sealer fill in the small holes instead of the grout?

 

If you use a barely damp sponge, you should not have the sealer run into the texture much if at all.

Your grout should fill in just fine and if the holes are really tiny, I can't see sanded grout holding too well as you run the sponge over them either way.

Your4 floor should come out very nicely.

Where is the floor going to be?

[technologist]

Bathroom!

[mericanwit]

dry layout for the reference line and make sure all tile edges are in good shape... good luck and buy a good pair od knee pads...

[canyondiver]

That'll be very nice in a bathroom.

Are you going to put radiant heat under it?

[NIB]

Not to knock ur choice but travertine is basically crap.Usta only come polished the fill never matched an was a instant catch all for dirt.Staining an basically getting dark an ugly in a few yrs.They finally found a way to make it sellable in a tumbled or honed finish an they have been selling it by the boatload.At a decent price as marble goes..

Sealing Will not harm u in grouting the holes.I also Like an can recommend Miracle products.I prefer the porous plus for most stone products like Travertine I have had overlapping stain issues with the 511 impregnater on especially porous surfaces..It was a real PITA to get the stone to seal evenly..

U can grout the tile without sealing it just do real small area's as the grout will dry up on the face of the tile rather quickly.Here is where the problem lies.U will be wiping grout that has not had ample time to set up in the joints.So extra care an finesse is needed to be sure not to wipe too much grout from the joints themselves light pressure an short strokes with a clean sponge every wipe will help..

If ur setting the stone with a typical slammed marble joint u will want to use wall grout.I sometimes tro some sanded grout in.About 1/10 mix to give the filler body..If it has a typical marble edge extra work goes into makeing it nice an flat.U can use a level to be sure to keep the marble tiles on a nice plane.The floor does not have to be level to a point, just flat.Make sure u don't run it into the ground.I use a trowel an blob technique.Trowl a area out an put five blobs the size of a golf ball out.One on each corner an one in the middle.Doing this will elevate the tiles some so u can push them down to the right height a little easier.Don't make ur thinset too soupy an use latex as it shrinks less.Being as it is stone an not tiles u will need a diamond blade to make the cuts a wetsaw is prefered.

It's a lot of work an I think the product is crapp but people like it an who am I to choose.I would rather have a nice porcelain tile...they make tons of beautifull material u can have the same rustic look with half of the matainence nightmares..

Good luck.

[technologist]

Thanks nib, I'm using tumbled tile 4 X 4 .

[NIB]

Just noticed this Hope my advice is not to late.

4x4 are not a difficult to set as a tile with a marble edge.

But some things can drive ya crazy.

I can be difficult to keep em nice a straight.

9 tiles per square ft. it's easy to get lost if ya now what i mean in a 2 ft section.

Snap lines use something (4' level) for a straight edge.If u bend way down an look thru the joints u can really see how its going,.I don't use spacers it really does not help with a tile as irregular as the product u have.

I prefer about 3/16" joint.

best bet is to take ur time.Use the lazer eye..

Use a sanded grout.make it on the thick side not too soupy.

I like hydroment products u can get them an the Miracle sealer at any Garden State Tile store.They have a ton of stores.Wall,Rosell Pk.,Dayton.

Hope i was not too late.

[technologist]

Thanks NIB - Your not too late. Im still rounding up other pieces to the puzzle. New granite vanity top & sink, grohe faucet,etc. Got it all ordered,just waiting for it to come in. My wife insisted on the travertine to match the granite counter top. I just do the work!!!!!