Travertine, the most common facade stone

Travertine is a sedimentary limestone which is formed in mineral springs, especially hot springs and inside caves. As the result of hot spring water movements that are saturated with calcium carbonate, the chemical balance of water is disturbed and carbon dioxide is released. The combination of carbon dioxide with calcium in the mineral spring water produces calcium carbonate, then this material settles in the bed of the water path and over time in combination with other materials, it forms pieces of travertine stone. Travertine stone is a completely porous stone and, the reason for the creation of these holes is the spaces occupied by the gases in the hot spring water. The less these water-soluble impurities are, the brighter the color of the travertine stones will be, such as pars travertine.

In the appearance and surface of travertine stone there are various colors and streaks. This color variation is due to the difference in the compounds that exist in the elements of the stone during the deposition, and they show themselves in the forms of different streaks. The presence of these streaks is one of the weaknesses of travertine stones. Also, these streaks crack against the lightest pressure, and cause the separation of travertine pieces. So, if travertine stones have less streaks, they have higher strength.

Travertine stones are found in white, yellow, red, cream, black and brown colors. The difference in colors is because of the dominant element of the stone. For example, red travertine has high amounts of iron oxide which cause this stone to have a red color.

There are travertine mines in different countries such as Italy, America, Romania, Turkey and Iran. Iran’s travertine mines are usually located in East and West Azerbaijan, Central, Yazd, Zanjan and Isfahan provinces.

In ancient times, travertine stone was considered as one of the cheapest stones due to its porous appearance and uneven surface. But, nowadays with the development of technology and the use of resin fillers, the surface of travertine stones become smooth and shiny with a beautiful appearance. The use of resin in the different stages of travertine stone processing caused a big jump in the production and demand of travertine stones.

Disadvantages of travertine stone

One of the disadvantages of travertine stone was its relatively high water absorption, which was almost eliminated with the advancement of processing technology. Using of covering materials like resin during the stone processing and polishing causes the stone to absorbs less water, and one of the other effects is that the stone gets dirty later and it is less exposed to weathering.

In the process of travertine stone production in the factories, travertine blocks are cut in two ways: wavy, which is against the direction of the waves of the stone. And waveless, which is in the direction of the waves of the stone.

Applications of travertine stone

Some pf the applications of travertine stone are:

• Use as the wall covering in parking lot, staircase and lobbies
• Use as the decorative stone in internal and external designs
• Use for the façade of the residential and commercial buildings
• Use in modern and classic design