Form + Function = Elegance

by Nina A. Koziol

projects like patios, paths and walls continues to grow. While there are many types of stone, travertine has become incredibly popular. This natural and extremely durable stone can be precision-cut into dimensional pavers that can be used in many applications. Highly desirable for pool decks, it has a honed finish and is slip-resistant. And, unlike concrete and concrete brick pavers, it remains cool underfoot and has an exquisite look. Travertine can be used for small or large patios, outdoor kitchens, courtyards and walkways, step treads, seat walls and pool copings.

Pat Buescher, owner of Premium Travertine in Chebanse Illinois, first saw travertine in 2011 at a trade show. “The materials were durable since they were of premium quality,” Buescher said. “Once I started working with it, I loved it immediately.”

Since then, his insistence on acquiring only the highest quality materials and building long-lasting relationships with suppliers have been the key to great results. “The consistency in purchasing travertine derived of very hard dense blocks from specific mines and only reliable factories in Turkey has resulted in materials that have proven themselves many times over in the past 15 years. We believe our materials, selected also for beauty and color, are unmatched in the marketplace— truly the elite of travertine sources.”

“I really love it and I wish people could see the beauty of it,” says Jose Marungo, owner of Brick Magic Paving in Aurora. “The pricing is not that much more than mid-range pavers. The one I get from Pat is a premium travertine and good quality.” One of his challenges is introducing clients to the product. “When I go to visit for an estimate most of the time the homeowners already know what they want.” That is changing as more consumers become familiar with projects they see online.

Jeff Werner, of Werner Hardscape & Excavating in Osgood, Indiana, has used travertine for 13 years. “It is mined just like marble and granite and there are different grades of blocks. The key is you have to be careful where you buy it and get the grade suitable for the Midwest.” High quality travertine is used as far north as Canada and into Colorado where multiple freeze-thaw cycles occur throughout the winter.

“I came in contact with travertine two years ago when a contractor introduced me to Pat and I’ve been using it ever since,” said Luke Cipich of Green Ribbon Pools in Hobart, Indiana. “I don’t use anything else around my pools. Before, we used concrete pavers, but once I found travertine, that’s all I use. The look is just so elegant it brings a whole new level of luxury to our pool projects. The glimmer it has when wet or the smoothness when it’s dry—the different colors all work together. There’s no other concrete paver or stone that (continued on page 32)

Jeff Werner used limestone for the risers and travertine on the steps. (continued from page 30) brings the same effect—it’s extremely elegant.” Cipich has had no issues with travertine over the winter in spite of the recent polar vortex. “Our travertine looks the same as it does the day we installed it.”

Origins

Travertine is a sedimentary limestone found near hot mineral springs (similar to the bubbling mud springs in Yellowstone National Park). Springs in Tivoli, Italy had an abundance of the stone—a product of Mount Etna’s volcanic activity. The stone became the prime building material for the Romans. Perhaps the most famous structure built with travertine is the Coliseum in Rome, Italy. Today, travertine is mined in Italy, Iran, Mexico, Turkey and Peru.

Some distributors import travertine for use in warm climates, like Florida, where the freeze-thaw cycle is virtually non-existent. Buescher, on the other hand, found a supplier who mines only the highest quality travertine in Turkey. “My supplier not only identified specific mines, he kept pushing the owners for nicer material. We began getting some really beautiful materials, one being the color of walnut.” Buescher, who has been in the industry since 1994, installed travertine projects until 2019 when he became a full-time distributor.

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Werner’s contemporary travertine patio plays off the “new” farmhouse and surrounding stone retaining wall. (continued from page 32)

“People like the looks of it but they don’t know about the danger of bringing materials from Florida to the Midwest,” Buescher said. “They don’t have a freeze-thaw cycle there so they can use any materials.”

Functionality

“I was working on a project that needed something more than just concrete,” Werner said. “The normal pavers weren’t good enough and I did research, came across travertine and I found a local source. I’m using it for patios, pools and decks and I overlay a lot of pools—new installations and new copings.” Werner renovates many older pools by doing an elegant overlay with travertine, giving them a new, updated look.

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“Before I was introduced to Pat, I saw a project that used lower-quality travertine and I was honestly super skeptical,” Werner said. “But once I met Pat, saw his yard, saw the individual pieces and he explained the differences in quality—I gave it a shot and I can’t turn back. It’s been gorgeous. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve built travertine patios—in the hundreds. Some are as small as 120 square feet to over 5,000 square feet.”

So long, hot feet!

Cipich likes travertine because it resists heat. “After the sun has been beating down on concrete or concrete pavers on a hot July summer day, it can almost burn your feet and travertine does not do that,” Cipich said. “It’s really nice because with our pools, most have a tanning or seating ledge so homeowners can put their feet in the water. You don’t have to worry about burning your legs. And, cost-wise it’s pretty comparable to traditional industry standard concrete pavers.”

Travertine absorbs water making it slip-resistant in summer and in winter. And, because it’s natural stone, no two pieces are the same and the blend of natural colors and textures can be breathtaking. “It has a distinctive look like no other paver,” Buescher said.

Installation

“It’s really easy to install once you start using it,” Marungo said. “You get to know it and the pattern is mostly a French pattern. It’s not too heavy for the guys to handle and I think it’s a beautiful product. Because it is natural stone, it won’t fade and the slabs are the same thickness with straight edges, making installation easy. “The pavers fit together precisely, and the use of sand is very reduced,” Buescher explained.

The most common design is the large French pattern, which consists of a 16” x 24” slab, an 8” x 16” slab, two 16” x 16” slabs, and two 8” x 8” slabs; the total square footage of one “set” is eight square feet. “Most people are pretty familiar with the French pattern and at least three-fourths of our pavers delivered are French pattern,” Buescher said. His pavers are 1 1/4-inch-thick for patios and walkways and there are 2-inch treads and copings of various sizes. “We also have 36” x 48” slabs for countertops and large 24” x 72” slabs for custom work,” he said.

The travertine pieces fit together like a puzzle. “Concrete pavers have spanjoint gaps and travertine does not,” (continued on page 38)

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Werner said. “It’s cut so there’s no gap. It’s modular so if you had to replace a stone that’s damaged in any way, it takes a few seconds to replace.

Because travertine is a very porous material, water runs freely through it, Cipich explained. “Concrete pavers are more dense and water sits on them. We’re conscious of our pitch and drainage—you need to use a permeable base so the water freely drains away.” Maintenance

Cipich has found that maintenance is minimal. “It’s natural stone and the color is true through and through. Decorative concrete wears away over the years and while that can be prevented with sealing, you don’t have to do that with travertine. ” While travertine doesn’t require a sealer, a water- or solvent-based sealer can be used to enhance the color.

The only time Werner noted that there might be maintenance is when travertine is used in a shady area. “Depending on where you’re at—for example, the north side of the house where it’s shaded—you may have to power wash it but you don’t use chemicals on it.”

“The nice thing about power washing this material is that the joints are so minimal so you’re not blowing out sand from the joints, Buescher explained. “And, power-washing brings it back to its original look.”

With online sources like Houzz, Pinterest and others, homeowners are seeking ideas to update their landscapes. It’s not surprising that Buescher has seen an explosion in demand for travertine. “We’ve doubled our sales in the past two years. Clients are doing their homework on the internet and they’re looking for something different and they’re demanding travertine.”

He has received countless inquiries not only from the Chicago area but from all over the country and most recently from a contractor in Winnipeg, Canada. “The trend is toward the use of natural stone and travertine is more than a trend in the making,” he said. Buescher notes that while sales are booming, “It’s a learning curve in the Chicago market particularly. Concrete pavers ads are so strong that people don’t know what else is out there, but homeowners are searching online for ideas. They’ve found us and now they want something different.” Rock on!

See more at premiumtravertinepavers.com