It's your choice - you can fill with grout, or wait and let the holes fill with dirt and debris. I recommend the grout.

Where were you planning on laying the travertine? I ask this because if it is in the kitchen, you could put the unfilled up as a backsplash. It would look beautiful, keep in your theme, and not fill with goldfish crackers, cheerios, crumbs, and dirt of unknowable origin. I have 4 kids and would not put unfilled travertine on the floor.

Amy

I have honed and filled travertine in my current house. It's beautiful. I have kids, I have dogs and I am going to put it in the house we're building too. I am going to put a darker color in the new one. Like walnut or noce. I have a travertine that doesn't have fill in my master bath, which is okay, but I actually prefer the look of the filled and you don't have to worry about cheerios and stuff in there. You just need to seal it and pay attention when things spill. Also, the kids (and other people) need to think about dragging chairs or furniture across it.
One day the painter was moving a chest and dragging the chest across the floor. I just about died. I'm not implying this is high maintenance. It's holding up alot better than my bamboo or hickory hardwood floors. We live an active life.

I also vote for the filled...especially with kiddos. We loved ours in our last house but like kris said, beware of scratches.

I purchased unfilled traverine (french pattern) with chiseled edge.
At first my thought was to leave the holes unfilled for a more organic look. When discussing installation, my tile guy pointed out that when he grouts the joints some of the grout would fill in holes around the edges of the tile creating a picture frame effect on the tiles. It could be avoided by taping around each tile then grouting (as you can imagine adding $$ to cost).
We opted to have tile guy backfill tiles with grout while he was grouting.
Results are wonderful. You get small indentations where previous holes were while still having some dimensional aspects.
My kids are grown but, I too still worried about running around with a vacuum sucking up dust & sand (we live by the beach)from all the holes.

Good luck with your choice.

I tried to search about your query alot. But google or yahoo gave me no perfect answer. I have send your query to some profession friends. They will gonna answer me soon so after that i'll give you the perfect answer.

Cheers mate.

dallgower~

I just debated the same thing. We are also going with a tuscan look in our new house, and I wanted the unfilled. Our good friends have unfilled in their master bath..... and it looks AMAZING!!

We are having to go with filled in the end. We have 5 children, and lots of square footage too..... and I just know it won't look good after 2 weeks.... especially in the eating areas..... LOL!

I'm going with unfilled for the backsplash in the kitchen and laundry room..... just as someone else mentioned. Not sure it's wise in the laundry room.... but I want the look, so we're going for it!!

Let us know what you decide. If you hate the look of dirty floors, my guess is you'll be unhappy with the unfilled. Unfortunately. :o\

Thanks for everyones input. I guess I will be going with the filled travertine.

Here's a stupid question though. Do you buy travertine that is already filled, or can you buy unfilled travertine and have it filled while they are grouting. I am guessing that you buy it filled.

Also, is there filled travertine that has a more rustic chiseled edge?

TIA

I have Antiqued Chiseled Edge Travertine in a Versaille pattern on my bathroom floor and I also have unfilled travertine tiles on my bathtub and vanity that they filled when they grouted. It looks very rustic. You can do it all sorts of ways. Have you seen Allison's kitchen floor? Also very rustic!

I haven't taken any new photos because the place is so dusty but this was taken the day after they grouted. (excuse all the swipe marks on the floor)

Next week they will be cleaning everything up and installing the last few things if you want a closer photo.

lindybarts~

Your floor is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Do you mind sharing the brand of your travertine? I didn't see any "chiseled edge" travertine at the flooring stores I got quotes from...... and now I WANT IT too. :o) Thanks for sharing a photo. Your floor is gorgeous!! :O)

totallyblessed, thank you so much. You did ask me for pics of my bathroom a long time ago. I'm sorry it took me so long to get some up. I keep thinking I'll post pics soon but everytime I go over there, I see an inch of dust and don't want to take photos. I'm waiting for them to pretty it up this week and install carpet and finish my backsplash.

Anyway, I digress...the stone came from IGE Stone here in Portland. IGE Stone

I'm sure a good tile/stone store in your area would carry chiseled edge. I forget where you are located, but aren't you in the south?? Maybe Allison will pipe in where she got hers.

Good Luck to you!
Lindy

Lindy,

I understand about not wanting to share photos with dust everywhere. :op The wait has been well worth it. he, he

Thanks for the stone source. I forgot you were on the west coast. Our new house is in N. AL. Yes, maybe "neighbor" Allison will share her source.

For the price of the suppliers stores that I was in, you'd think they'd have had the chiseled travertine. Maybe they did and didn't realize I'd be interested in it. There was so much to choose from, I think my eyes were glazed over before I even got there.

Anyway, I'm glad you shared, because I definitely love that worn-edge look. It's perfect for our "worn" feel we are striving to achieve in the new house. Yah!

Feel free to share photos when you get it all "prettied up". I can't wait to see more photos of your house!

Lindy, how funny, your floor looks just like I am planning for mine. I am using a walnut color in the same pattern. I am using it in my kitchen, a couple of bathrooms, family room and all of my decking.
You have great taste!!! LOL :)

How about unfilled tumbled travertine in a kids bathroom? We ordered some because I love the look and was feeling brave, but when I saw it in person I got so scared to install it in the kids bathroom floor lol. We are doing it in our master bathroom and probably the laundry room, but am contemplating just getting a marble look ceramic tile for the kids floor.