The schedule for the weekend is set. It is not very exciting, but it is necessary. The tile grout in the master bathroom shower is falling away in places and is showing mold in some areas. It has to be fixed. Friday afternoon a contractor will pull all of the old caulking out and then apply a bleach product to eliminate any of the possible mold. Sunday afternoon, after the contractor is sure everything is completely dry, he will reapply the caulk around every tile in the shower. Over the weekend, the master bathroom shower will not be available and you and your wife will instead use the shower in the guest room until Monday. Again, not an exciting weekend, but a necessary weekend. Once this mundane task is finished, the scheduled contractors come in for a more exciting project, installing Travertine tile on the new outdoor deck.
Home maintenance can be a big chore and the best way to keep things in the best shape is to schedule the best contractors for the proper installation of the highest quality materials. It only takes one weekend of applying new grout to improperly installed bathroom tile to know that quality craftsmanship is the key to longevity.
What Is Travertine?
Travertine is a natural material like Onyx, slate, marble or granite. Created from limestone, Travertine is created from the deposits of mineral springs, and even more specifically hot springs. Available in white, cream, tan, brown, and gold, it can be used in its natural state or polished to a high gloss. Installing Travertine tile is a popular option for both outdoor and indoor projects. Because it is a natural project with so many subtle color and texture variations, it is easy to find just the right tile to match almost any area in a home.
Polished to a high gloss, installing Travertine tile to the front face of a fireplace as well as the floor base is a nice option that transitions well to the wooden floor of a kitchen area or the carpeted floor of a family room.
Why Is Professional Installation Recommended?
Like pool pavers and brick pavers, Travertine and any other kind of natural stone can be difficult to cut without the proper equipment. Even with the correct equipment, installation by amateurs can result in costly broken and incorrectly sized pieces that are no longer useable. The advantage to hiring a professional contractor is that this person, or team of people, has years of experience working with a variety of materials. They are able to accurately cut and install everything from simple tile designs to inventive techniques of placing tiles on the diagonal to complicated paver patterns. In addition to having the skill and the proper tools to complete the job, professional contractors can often complete the task much more efficiently than the average weekend carpenter.
What Are Other Popular Outdoor Flooring Options?
In addition to installing Travertine tile as a durable surface option, many other materials make for great outdoor flooring options. Patios, for example, are a versatile outdoor feature that provide a great gathering place for friends and family. Patios can be designed in any shape and can be built with a variety of materials, including poured or blocked concrete, Travertine pavers, stone, tile, or brick. They can even be created with a more detailed surface of pebbles, rock or pea gravel.
For many home owners, the key to finding the best patio surface is deciding on a surface that will require the least amount of maintenance. Consulting with regional contractors is often the best way to find out what surfaces hold up best in a particular climate and region.
Like many parts of home design and home construction, the key to success of tile, patio, or even deck installation is hiring the best contractors and supplying them with the best materials. Other methods or do it yourself project approaches may seem cheaper and faster, but inferior installation often has to be repaired or completely replaced at a later date. Instead of spending a future weekend repairing and redoing a poorly installed set of bathroom tiles, doesn’t it make sense o get the job done right the first time?
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