Walnut Dark Pedestal Travertine Sink 16 9/16"x35 28/64" Honed finish

Confirm Filled or Unfilled, and Where This Tile Can Go

Check the Usage section of your product page for wall, floor, exterior, and wet-area suitability, and confirm whether the specific tile you've chosen is filled or unfilled if it isn't obvious from the finish name. This matters for more than looks: unfilled tumbled and antiqued travertine generally provides better slip resistance and is a common choice for outdoor patios and pool surrounds, while filled, honed travertine gives a smoother, more formal surface that's popular indoors but can be slippery when wet. For showers and other sustained-moisture areas, confirm with your installer that this specific product is a good match; travertine is more porous than marble, and heavy water exposure will wear on it over time even with regular sealing.

Prepare a Flat, Sound Substrate

Tile can be installed over most structurally sound substrates that are clean, flat, dry, and free of wax, dust, grease, and other debris. Repair, patch, and level any damaged or uneven areas. For walls, use cement backer board or a similarly rated substrate in any area exposed to moisture. Waterproofing beneath the tile is recommended for most floor installations, and is essential in showers and other wet areas.

Blend and Dry-Lay Before You Commit

Open several boxes and mix pieces as you lay out a dry section before any adhesive goes down. Travertine's color and veining are generally more subtle than marble's, but pieces still vary, and unfilled tiles in particular can show a range in how open or dense the natural holes look from piece to piece. If you're working with a classic pattern like a French or Versailles layout, dry-lay the full module sequence and check it before setting, since these patterns only read correctly when the different tile sizes go down in the right order.

Choose the Right Mortar

A premium white thin-set meeting ANSI A118.4 or A118.15 is a good baseline, and for larger formats, a large-and-heavy-tile mortar gives better support and coverage. Back-butter each tile, adding mortar to the tile back as well as the substrate, for full support. If you have any reason to think this specific stone might be sensitive to standard-moisture setting materials, confirm the right mortar with your supplier before you start.

Seal Before Grouting

Apply a penetrating, impregnating sealer to the tile face before grouting. This acts as a grout release, keeping grout pigment and moisture from soaking into the stone during the grouting process. It matters on any travertine, but especially on unfilled tumbled or antiqued tile, where the open holes give grout far more surface area to settle into if the stone isn't protected first. Follow the sealer's instructions for cure time before you move on to grouting, and keep the tile protected from dust and spills in the meantime.

Cut the Tile Carefully

Mark cuts with a pencil or grease pencil. A wet saw with a diamond, stone-rated blade gives the cleanest, most controlled cut. Travertine's natural holes can make the stone a little more prone to chipping at a cut edge than a denser stone like marble, so support the tile fully and cut slowly rather than forcing it. Ease any sharp cut edges with a rubbing stone.

Set the Tile

Spread mortar with the flat side of the trowel, then comb it into ridges with the notched side held at roughly a 45-degree angle, using the trowel size recommended for this tile's weight and format. Don't cover your layout lines, and don't spread more mortar than you can tile within about 15 minutes. Set each tile with a slight push or gentle twist, not a slide, and use spacers or, on larger formats, tile leveling clips to keep the surface flush. Leave a perimeter gap of about 1/4" between the tile field and adjoining walls or fixed surfaces. Wipe excess mortar from the tile face as you go. Avoid walking on the installation for at least 24 hours, or as long as your specific mortar recommends.

Decide How to Handle Open Holes, Then Grout

If your travertine is unfilled, decide before you grout whether you want the natural holes filled with grout along with the joints, or left open. Filling them gives a smoother, easier-to-clean surface, and is generally the better choice for floors, kitchens, and anywhere dirt or moisture could otherwise collect in the holes over time. Leaving them open keeps the raw, dimensional look that makes tumbled and antiqued travertine distinctive, especially outdoors, though it does mean more upkeep, since the holes can trap dirt and debris. If you leave them open, plan on cleaning excess grout out of the holes with a small brush or tool before it fully cures.

Once that's decided, wait at least 24 hours, or per your mortar's instructions, before grouting. Work in manageable sections and wipe away excess grout as you go, since travertine can stain from grout that's allowed to sit too long. Spread grout diagonally across the joints with a rubber float held at a 45-degree angle, working it into the holes at the same time if you're filling them, then hold the float closer to 90 degrees to scrape excess from the tile face. Let the grout firm up for 15 to 20 minutes, then wipe the surface with a clean, damp sponge, rinsing frequently, until the joints and any filled holes are smooth and even. Never use vinegar or any other acidic cleaner on travertine; it will etch the stone. Use a pH-neutral, stone-safe haze remover instead, and test it in an inconspicuous spot first.

Seal Again, Then Care for the Finish Over Time

Once the grout has cured, apply the sealer's final coat or coats across the whole surface, following the manufacturer's instructions. Plan to reseal roughly every 3 to 5 years indoors, and closer to every 3 years outdoors or in high-traffic and wet areas, since travertine tends to need more frequent attention than denser stones.

Sealing helps prevent staining, but not etching; an acid touching the stone, lemon juice, vinegar, wine, many household cleaners, will still leave a dull mark on contact regardless of how well it's sealed. Clean with a pH-neutral cleaner made for natural stone, avoid vinegar, bleach, ammonia, and general-purpose household cleaners, and wipe up spills promptly. One thing worth knowing: travertine, especially lighter and white-toned varieties, can darken slightly over time as iron compounds in the stone react with the air, separate from any staining from dirt or spills. Regular sweeping or a vacuum without a beater bar, followed by a damp pH-neutral mop, will help keep the surface, and any open holes, free of the grit and buildup that dull a floor over time.