bend it like beckham, travertine

**sranners** · 28-05-2008

Hi all, iv been asked to tile the top of a step that curves around the base of a bath, its also travertine ill be fixing, im just not shore on cutting the curve on the out side of the step and the inside at the bath.

iv got some ideas but am not happy yet, any help would be much welcomed

cheers, scott.

**bigandy** · 28-05-2008

the good thing about trav being soft is that you can file it and even sand it for a smooth finish!!so if your customer wants it its poss to do just remember that it wil take time and a bit of skill so allow for this in pricing.

wetdec · 28-05-2008

Lay your tiles dry and run a line around your curve. When you have a line it can be cut easily with a 4" grinder and diamond disk (it will curve for you ). Once cut then rub the edges down if needed.

What colour grout ? What colour Trav is it ?

the trick is to cut the trav in your hands, on your knees hold trav in left hand facing you and push the edge of the tile into your groin area while cutting with your right, it stops it splitting

tiler

**theyomper** · 28-05-2008

I have sucessfully used a router on the edge of travertine in order to give it a bullnose. It worked very well and looked much better than using a trim. If you are going to try this then just inspect the edge that you are going to router and make sure that there are no deep hollows.

**sranners** · 28-05-2008

Thanks for all your help, i had some travertine spare in the shed so had a practice with my angle grinder and 115mm dimonde blade and it looked real good, the blade even smoothed the edges of which is handy.

Is there a blade on the market for smoothing edges as well that is designed for the job?

wetdec · 29-05-2008

Check out screwfix for a a flap wheel.

Incidentaly holding it tight in your groin stops it splitting as the vibration is taken up by your body.

tiler