Help!: Travertine tiles

[arandall]

Looking for a little help guys !

I have been asked to lay a bathroom floor with polished cream travertine tiles (Fired Earth) and wonder if they need to be sealed prior too laying.

Also, how easy are they to cut using nippers, I'm thinking of round the base of the washbasin and loo.

Thanks a lot.

Allan

[grumpygrouter]

Fired Earth Travertine....I would be asking to have the sink and toilet lifted out first. Gives a much neater finish and should they need to be changed later (the sink and toilet) there is less chance of needing to re-tile!

Fired Earth recommend Lithofin Stain Stop MN for sealing. I would seal these before grouting as they are polished. Unfilled travertine would normally be sealed after grouting.

[arandall]

Thanks for the info.

the client has said that he doesn't want the sink and toilet lifted.

Will it be feasible to cut the tiles with nippers ?

Cheers

Allan

[Stonearth]

Yes- you would need to seal the travertine before use. As with all natural stone tiles, they are porous and need sealing (only apply a little thin layer!). I'll go for Lithofin MN Stain Stop/ Stain Stop PLUS and nothing else. I've tried others and this is definately the Best!

[rossy]

id insist on toilet and washbasin out your not going to get a good finsh cutting round them with trav, why do customers pay good money for tiles,then skimp and save on having them fitted drives me mad,

[Stonearth]

Or get them to use a complimentary travertine mosaic tiles! you can then do whatever you like with the little pieces!

Mosaic tiles come in a sheet of typically 305 x 305mm on a mesh- you can cut the mesh with normal scissors.. EASY!

[wetdec]

What size are the tiles and what are they called do you know ?? (polished cream trav )

Honed travertine possibly needs sealing before fitting but polished is doubtfull the surface tension is such that it should only need sealing after fitting and will only take one coat.

One of the lithofin products such as stain stop will be fine, it will leave a residue on the surface which will need buffing off.

tiler

..

[Dan]

Am I right in thinking nippers just wont do? Or would make a mess and make it crumble?

[wetdec]

Sorry Dan missed that

Ye you right in a way..........

You can use them but travertine tends to shear when you use nips on it the best method is to cut out the majority with a wet cutter then re-mark your lines.

Get a hand grinder with diamond blade and grind back to your lines using the side or just the tip of your disk.

The trick is to cut the wc pan out of 2 tiles 1 left side 1 right, get one side right turn the tile over and mark your second. You need to be pretty good to cut a pan out of 1 piece of trav

WC's take practice start with ceramic it will get you good, stone is easy, porcelain swap the wc for a bucket lol

[whitebeam]

Maybe time to get a rotozip from tradetiler for your curves

[silver]

You may want to fill any holes and imperfections in the back too before / during laying.
A stilletto goes straight through the fragile areas with holes behind.

[brian c]

you might waste a lot of tiles trying to do some of your cuts,so i hope you have plenty of tiles...defo get sanitry ware out m8.

[TilingLogistics]

Yes- you would need to seal the travertine before use. As with all natural stone tiles, they are porous and need sealing (only apply a little thin layer!). I'll go for Lithofin MN Stain Stop/ Stain Stop PLUS and nothing else. I've tried others and this is definately the Best!

Which others have you tried?

Kev

[doug boardley]

insist on sanitary ware out first, if pedestal or toilet bases are wider at the front you will not be able to get a neat finish whichever way you cut them!