The largest deposits of travertine
This material has been known since the time of Ancient Rome. It was then used to build many buildings and structures. The most striking example is the Marcello Theater, the Roman Colosseum, the Church of San Marco, the Trevi Fountain, the Palace of Justice and many others. In Russia, he established the station "Vyborgskaya" in the metro of St. Petersburg. However, now travertine is used to a greater extent as a finishing material for houses and apartments.
Even the very name of this rock originates from the Italian word travertino. He was obtained then in the town of Tivoli. Today there are also known deposits in Germany( not far from Stuttgart), the USA, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, Turkey. At the same time, the largest suppliers-exporters are: Greece, Iran, Romania, Argentina, USA.In Russia, it is mined on the peninsula of Kamchatka near Pyatigorsk. If we talk about the CIS countries, then there are deposits in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan.
Natural travertine: properties and characteristics
Travertine - a stone having a porous structure, is an excellent material for finishing. It is this kind of structure that makes it possible to create truly magnificent interiors and details of decor. And its color can be light orange, red, brown. Because it is easy to choose for any design. In addition to aesthetic appeal, this stone also has a number of excellent performance characteristics.
First, it provides with good sound and heat insulation .Secondly, does not deform over time. Thirdly, has high resistance to all kinds of weather phenomena , including water. Fourth, it has a small mass, which is about 0.75-1.6 t / m3 and density is 1450-1850 kg / m2.Fifth, it has excellent frost resistance( can withstand about 50-600 cycles).Sixthly, this material is easy to install, in addition, it is easy to handle.
Facing with travertine - what is its scope?
As already mentioned, this material is widely used for decoration of premises and decor parts. Although in ancient times it was used exclusively for the erection of foundations and support racks. This area of use today is justified by the fact that travertine is extremely easy to handle as a breed. Plus, it has a pleasant color and is considered a prestigious material for facing.
It is used for the manufacture of floor and wall tiles, the finishing of window sills, countertops, stairs, bar counters, etc. Particularly beautiful is the mosaic travertine, which looks good both in public spaces and in home interiors. Mounted this material as well as typical floor tiles. To do this, first prepare the surface( clean, level).Then, the travertine is laid directly.
During the installation of tiles you will need the following tools: level, trowel, cord, rubber hammer, metal or wooden pegs, cement M500, sand.
The first row is laid strictly on the cord. The direction of the masonry is from the diagonal. The tiles themselves must fit tightly together. If there are places where the material lays unevenly, then it is just to pour a small amount of sand there. After all the tiles are applied, it is taped from above with a rubber hammer( for leveling the paving elements).Seams cover with cement-sand mortar. To ensure that the entire floor structure has strictly geometric limits, it is important to install curbs.