Help!: Travertine ???

[Sepnz]

Hi, I have a job coming up using travertine tiles. Never used them before, and was wondering if they need to be sealed prior to cutting on a wet saw to avoid staining. Also does anybody out there know what sealer, adhesive and grout I should use ? I dont yet know what surface they will be going on. Thanks in advance.

[poynton phil]

I always seal travertine after fixing, but i do work cleanly,i use ltp matt stone sealer, you will need to use a white spf addy, and a flexible grout, dont forget to wash the back of the tiles before fixing, to remove dust, and back skim the tiles with addy, this will fill any viods and help with adhesion.

[groucho]

im just about to do a bathroom in traventine. on the floors rapidset spf but never done trave on walls. The last time I used rapid set on walls I threw about 3/4 of a bag away. Not good. You always hit a slow point somewhere pipes, cuts etc. Can you use a standard set addy or is the risk of water staining too much? I normally use ardex x7w pot life 5hrs. would be more user friendly but ........ Funny I went on powerspec earlier it suggested mosaic fix. And why are some grouts ok for natural stone but are not rapid set ? I thought it all had to rapid because of the risk of staining. Going to use ardex mg grout. Is this " staining " a bit OTT or just belts and braces approach.

[enduro]

Its fine to use single part flexible adhesive, you dont need to use rapid set just make sure it white.

[mart08]

I always use white flexy rapidset and a flexy grout, fill back of tiles and back butter. Seal before grouting with LTP impregnator and sealer.

[groucho]

couple more things to check sorry. do you need to prime hardi backer board? what size trowel best for this (600 x 400 on wall) was going for a 8mm square notch. Window wall is plasterboard with paint. So try a bit of duck tape on wall then peel or get score wall ? thanks again groucho

[enduro]

I always use white flexy rapidset and a flexy grout, fill back of tiles and back butter. Seal before grouting with LTP impregnator and sealer.

Shouldnt seal before grouting, if the sealant gets into the holes in the travertine the grout wont stay in the holes, so work clean, then grout, then seal.

[groucho]

does that apply for honed and filled traventine as well or just tumbled ?

[andy tiler]

Travertine is fairly easy to work with. if u are useing a dark grout then seal before u grout but if its ivory grout just tile/grout then seal once the grout is dry. then dont forget the movement joints need siliconing. and work clean. oh hardi boards dont need priming

[enduro]

I always seal afterwards, on all stone, try and work clean, wipe of any adhesive straight away, and keep a small paint brush handy as the are very good for cleaning addy out of grout lines.

[groucho]

another tiler told me to always seal before starting to tile. god sake bloody time ive wasted. I sealed 28 sqm of honed trave before last year. took 3 hrs But Im sure ive read on this site a while back that seal b4 grout then once after approach. Is this something new? how do you stop picture framing if you dont seal. or do you adopt this for just trave?

[hillhead]

I always lay cleanly with usually mapei keraflex maxi,
then grout,let dry(usually leave it for a day) then come back to seal!
Its the only way to fill those holes properly.

[andy tiler]

Hi groucho theres nothing wrong with wat uve done in the past. but every tiler does things there way.if ure unsure phone the adhesive/tile manufacturer and ask the question