How to Tile With Travertine
- 1). Clean the floor area's surface, using a broom and vacuum. The subsurface beneath the travertine tile should be flat and clear of depressions or imperfections that can interfere with the tiles. Slight blemishes or depressions can be "floated" by the tiles, but a flat final floor finish depends on a flat substrate surface.
- 2). Mark guidelines on the floor surface to define the desired layout of the tile, using a chalk line. Typically, regardless of tile size, travertine tiles are centered in the room area in both directions to keep the necessary cut tiles placed along the room's edges.
- 3). Apply a layer of thinset mortar or acrylic tile adhesive to the bottom of the tile or the floor surface using a notched trowel. If you're applying the mortar or adhesive to the floor surface, take care not to obscure any guidelines you've marked on the floor for the tile layout.
- 4). Set the travertine tile onto the floor surface and press down on the tile's surface to level and spread the adhesive beneath. Remove the excess mortar or adhesive that squeezes out and clean the travertine edges, using the trowel edge or a damp sponge.
- 5). Install the tile spacers, if applicable, by positioning the cross-shaped spacers at each corner of the tile. For applications where tile spacers are used to create a grout joint, the corners of each tile fit into the spacer to keep the gap between tiles equidistant and uniform.
- 6). Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to install the next travertine tile, aligning the adjacent edge and corners. Complete the first full row of tiles along the layout guidelines, then work outward from this initial row to keep the tiles square and aligned with each other. Allow the floor to cure for a minimum of 48 hours.
- 7). Remove the vinyl tile spacers, for travertine installations being grouted, and clean the joints between tiles thoroughly.
- 8). Mix an appropriate quantity of tile grout for the travertine area, following the manufacturer's specifications.
- 9). Place a small quantity of the mixed tile grout onto the tile surface and spread the grout across the tile joints with a sponged tile trowel. Work the grout material back and forth across the joints to fill them with grout, then use a damp sponge to level the grout surface flush with the travertine surface. Continue this application process to fill all of the grout joints.
- 10
Clean the completed tile surface with a damp sponge and dry cloth, as needed. Allow the completed tile grout to cure for 24 to 48 hours. Apply a liquid grout sealer, following the manufacturer's instructions.
Source...