When it comes to putting down flooring in your home, it’s wise to choose carefully. For one thing, few of us have the money to rip up and replace a floor if we don’t like the first results. If you dislike the look of your new floor, chances are that you’ll be stuck with it for a long time to come. Many people find themselves choosing tile floors with good reason. Tile is easily cleaned, colorful, and comes with a variety of different options. However, even when choosing between those options you should think long and hard. No two types of tile are exactly alike. The important thing when it comes to tile is that you know the advantages and disadvantages of the different types — here, we’ll discuss terrazzo and travertine. Furthermore, you should know how to polish and restore the different types of flooring, if need be. Tile is not complicated, but there is more to it than you might think. Let’s look into the differences between terrazzo tile and travertine tile, and what you might want to know about these tiles before making a final decision.
Terrazzo Tile: The Care And Keeping
If you’ve heard of terrazzo tile, there is a good chance that you’ve also heard of terrazzo restoration. This is because this type of tile has an older history, making terrazzo restoration an important part of the care and keeping of this product. Technically a composite material, it’s poured into a precast or the place where it’s require to lay. Containing chips of marble, glass, quartz, and granite — and bound together with a cement-like material — it’s usually divided up by metal strips or sections. Unlike traditional tile, it doesn’t have the grout dividers that you’re probably used to seeing. It does, however, require joints; usually, these joints should be placed at three to four foot intervals in each direction. Terrazzo restoration is perhaps prevalent in part because of the solid nature of this material. It is often placed outside in courtyards and patios, and terrazzo restoration could be a response to the elements. Its history dates back 1500 years, the name derived from an Italian city. A major positive of this material is that it can incorporate 100% recycled glass. A terrazzo floor with 100% recycled glass could contain 75% recycled material by volume. Terrazzo floor polishing is an important part of keeping this kind of material fresh, though many believe that terrazzo cleaning is simpler than cleaning ordinary tile. With that said, terrazzo polishing and restoration needs to be done by professionals.
Travertine Tile Floors: The Difference
Travertine tile floors may seem, on a surface level, like ordinary tile. Unlike some types of tile, however, travertine is made from natural stone. This results in a different look and feel. Many appreciate the natural look of travertine, and it may be more commonly seen indoors than terrazzo flooring. Many refer to travertine flooring as travertine mosaic flooring, due to its mosaic-style “pieced together” look. Extremely popular, travertine tile has an annual demand in the U.S of .85 million tons per year. Most travertine tiles are about 12 inches by 12 inches; a tile of this size will weigh about five pounds. Heavy and durable, it can withstand a lot of damage. At the same time, it still requires maintenance and upkeep. This can include travertine polishing, cleaning, and restoration over the course of many years. Like terrazzo, travertine floors should be cleaned and cared for professionally. This isn’t simply because they require a lot of care and a delicate touch — cleaning them also takes a lot of time. Removing and replacing a single damaged tile can take up to 30 minutes. Is that how you want to spend your weekend?
No matter what you end up choosing — whether it b e terrazzo or travertine — it will require a lot of care. But the beauty of your floor will be a great payoff!
