Trying to decide between 1/8 and 3/16 grout line for small kitchen tumbled trav BS. After researching online, including GW, seems vast majority of owners strongly prefer smallest grout line possible...1/8" vs traditional 3/16.(Even read several comments that larger joint is an outdated look.) I'm hoping to hear from anyone who chose 3/16 and LIKES the look of a thicker grout line. Would love to see it. I would think it might make the shape/character of the natural stone pop a bit more to have that contrast/separation? But maybe I'm wrong. Is it harder to keep clean than a 1/8 grout line? (I'm going with 3 x 6 beige travertine bricks and matching grout...pretty light in color.)

lagrant-- if your tiles have a slight chamfer to the top edges, he'll be able to sett the tiles 1/16" apart, but it's going to SHOW an 1/8" joint, due to that chamfer. Ask him if that's what he's talking about. If, however, the tiles DON'T have that little chamfer, then yes, they can be set with a 1/16" joint. If an 1/8" joint IS used in that case, then yes, it should be sanded grout.

If you have tight grout lines, you would be using unsanded grout, which looks whiter than the sanded version of the same color. We recently used TEX XT grout in Bright White--#910 in our bathrooms, and it looks very white. The large format Porcelanosa tile we used in our MB is a very white, very glossy tile, so we wanted a white grout that matched well. The XT is supposed to be more stain resistant (than other grouts?), so hopefully our white grout will be less likely to discolor (since it looks so pretty right now!). It's not necessary to seal it, but you can (with a solvent-based sealer). We sealed ours for added protection/peace-of-mind.

We are considering going in that direction for our travertine subway backsplash also, but were concerned about getting food or moisture in the cracks. "food and moisture"--you got it right there. The spaces may seem small to you, but for water, other liquids and organic compounds (read, food, which DECAY) the spaces are giant chasms. Grout has been used for millenia for a reason. But it's up to you. - Jim