Over the course of many estimates in Southern Orange County
for custom kitchen and bathroom renovations, I’ve
discovered that there are a few questions that people ask
over and over again. One such question that I am
constantly being presented is, “How much harder is
it to maintain travertine tile vs. porcelain tile?” And
in all honesty, I have to admit that although porcelain
tile and ceramic tile are man made and therefore slightly
harder than most travertine stone tiles, usually the difference
from a maintenance perspective is not all that significant. It
basically comes down to which kind of tile you think best
suites the needs of your particular custom kitchen or bathroom
project. For example, what look are you going for
with your tile, elegant or commercial? The reality
is that the vast majority of people that I talk to here
in South Orange County who are looking to significantly
upgrade their bathrooms or kitchen, would much rather install
a gorgeous travertine tile floor than porcelain tile because
of the richness that it adds to the room.
Now the argument for porcelain tile could be made that
since it’s glazed with a clear coat there is really
no need to seal it other than perhaps the grout lines,
and that it is simply better suited to withstand the constant
beating that kids or pets might bombard it with on a daily
basis. Here’s the cool part though. Most
people’s kids and pets can’t walk on walls! In
other words, if you were asking about the advantage of
installing porcelain tiles on the walls of your tub surround
or shower vs. travertine tiles, I would suggest that if
you prefer the look of travertine tiles, you should definitely
go for it, simply because those walls will probably never
be met by your pet’s feet.
Maintenance for travertine tile is definitely more extensive
than that of porcelain tile if you are one of those few
people that feel that an hour every 2 years is a lot of
time. Yes, that’s really all it takes to maintain
travertine tile. Well…that and a paint mask
to filter out the ridiculously intense fumes that left
unchecked will probably contribute to many dead brain cells.
Anyhow to simplify this whole thing, and to put it into
perspective for your custom kitchen or bathroom renovation,
travertine tile, or natural stone is usually by far the
best choice for your upgrade even though you may have to
seal it, or have someone else seal it every few years. Porcelain
tile is probably the better choice if design takes a seat
to function, and your kids play the drums on the floor.
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