Travertine stone from S & N Brothers for modern architecture

Quality natural stone products are no longer just for high-end commercial and residential projects. The variety of materials and spectrum of designs has exploded. And it's not just the aesthetics. The continuing movement to green building also favors natural stone over other types of coverings.

Travertine is a sedimentary stone and is one of the most frequently used stones in modern architecture, and is commonly seen as bench tops, facade material, wall cladding, stairs, flooring, pool coping and paving.

The stone is characterised by pitted holes and troughs in its surface. Although these troughs occur naturally, they suggest to some eyes that considerable wear and tear has occurred over many years. Some installers use cement based or epoxy grout to fill these holes, whereas others leave them open - travertine can be purchased "filled" or "unfilled." It can be effectively polished to a smooth mirror polish or a honed satin finish and comes in a variety of colours most commonly from Ivory white to light and dark browns.

Travertine is a natural chemical precipitate of carbonate minerals; typically aragonite, but often re-crystallized to or primarily calcite; which is deposited from the water of mineral springs (especially hot springs) or streams saturated with calcium carbonate. When carbon dioxide-rich water percolates through rocks in limestone areas, the water dissolves the limestone and becomes saturated with it. When the water resurfaces later, the sudden drop in pressure and the change in temperature cause the water to release the carbon dioxide gas, much like fizzy drinks. The calcium carbonate then re-crystallizes, often over minute underwater plants. The resulting rock is typically quite beautiful with numerous cavities.

The largest building in the world constructed largely of travertine is the Colosseum in Rome. Other notable buildings using travertine extensively include the Sacré-Caeur Basilica in Paris and the Getty Centre in Los Angeles.