What is Travertine?
- Travertine is a land-formed limestone deposited by mineral springs.
- Calcium carbonate settles out of the water in layers, trapping gas pockets.
- It is quarried, sawn, often filled, then honed, tumbled or polished.
Travertine is a natural limestone with warm, earthy tones and a characteristic banded, pitted texture.
Care tips
- Use pH-neutral cleaners only
- Avoid acidic foods and cleaners
- Keep it sealed
- Maintain fills in natural holes
Pros
- Warm, earthy tones
- Easy to coordinate with other finishes
- Honed, tumbled or polished finishes
- Long history in fine buildings
Cons
- Calcium carbonate; mild acids alter it
- Absorption can be high
- Softer than granite
- Fewer varieties suit countertops
- Outdoors: few varieties hold up as paving in freeze/thaw climates
What do the experts say?
- NSI: Travertine is a type of limestone, the land-formed version, and like marble is calcium-carbonate based and vulnerable to mild acids. [1]
- NSI: Absorption varies from under 1% to over 10%, which limits the varieties suitable for countertops. [1]
- NSI: Travertine and limestone have a long exterior cladding history, but few varieties have succeeded as exterior paving in freeze/thaw environments. [1]
LEED & green building
- Natural stone is listed by LEED v4.1 as an inherently non-emitting source of VOCs, so travertine without integral organic-based coatings can count toward the Low-Emitting Materials credit (sealers are evaluated separately). [2]
- Points from credits like this add up toward LEED Certified (40–49), Silver (50–59), Gold (60–79) or Platinum (80+). [3]
- Natural Stone Institute – Travertine, Limestone, and Dolomitic Limestone
- USGBC – LEED v4.1 Building Design and Construction (EQ Low-Emitting Materials; MR Building Product Disclosure and Optimization)
- USGBC – LEED rating system (Certified 40–49, Silver 50–59, Gold 60–79, Platinum 80+ points)
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