Am I being over critical on travertine paver install?
Dana
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
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Dana
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Can I put pavers right over concrete walk?
Comments (21)Concrete pavers tend to effloresce. This is a problem for most manufacturers of concrete products. Attaching concrete pavers using grout or a concrete mix will trap water (when it is applied) in between the pavers causing the paver to turn white, especially around the edges of the pavers. My experience with an "overlay" has given me a new approach. I suggest to cut holes in the existing concrete walkway where the water stands or puddles for a drainage effect before you start your project. Next, lay a filter fabric over the areas you have cut. Then you need to install some (course) washed concrete sand. This allows for proper separation of moisture so the paver doesn;t wick the moisture causing the surface to effloresce. Then lay the paving stones over the screeded sand using an edge restraint along the edges to keep the stones together. You may need to build up to the edges dus to the height difference. This is the only way the you will ensure that you will not get ugly white stains on the surface of the paving stones. Water is the biggest threat to any paving job....See MoreTravertine Pavers
Comments (0)I have a 700 sf patio that I would like to lay a Travertine floor on. I live in Pittsburgh, PA and have been calling all over the country for prices. I can get the product locally for $7/sf and up. Or, I can get it from several places in Floriday for under $3/sf. Even afer freight cahrges, it is still substantially less expensive to order from Fla. However, I am being told by the local folks that the quality is not the same on all Travertine pavers and the freeze/thaw cycle up here might reek havock on the stuff from Fla. I understand that there will be some quality differences between the material coming from different quarries in Turkey. But, are the differences that extreme? Is it worth it to save $2000 on the project? Thanx in advance...See MoreTravertine pavers for driveway
Comments (7)I know there are several companies in New Jersey that have done travertine driveways, so it can be done. On paper, the compressive strength of the travertine is fine for driveways, but I don't think it's a project I would want to do and expose myself to liability. The thinness of the paver is the concern, as yard pointed out. And the bigger the paver, the more susceptible it is to cracking, so 6x12 is the absolute biggest I would even consider. The critical part of the install is going to be making sure there are no voids under the pavers. A void near the center of a 12" paver is a weak point that'll crack. For that reason I would probably lean towards doing them mortared on a slab. Just know that because it's so soft and porous, you may get a lot of efflorescence, which is one more thing to deal with. Reading up on stone industry white papers, I recall seeing that travertine pavers were rated at anywhere from 5,000-10,000 psi compressive strength. That's a huge range, but it makes sense based on the wide variation in quality I've seen. If your source has done testing, that's great. If your source is one of $3/sq ft places, I would hesitate to park a Big Wheel on that driveway....See MoreAm I being Hyper-Critical of this Tile Work...?
Comments (34)There are a lot of good tile contractors out there. Just not in each and every location. There are ways of finding them that go beyond personal recommendations from other homeowners who may not really be able to judge if they received an actual quality job on their project. Most of your better quality tile contractors will belong to an industry association, and/or have certification from industry organizations. The time away from income producing jobs to get that education and certifications is costly. It raises the rates for those weeks that they are available for work. Being industry recognized also allows labor rates to be raised. The overhead costs of running a legitimate small business cannot be emphasized enough. Licensing, insurance, software, memberships, that all adds up. Great contractors are expensive. Poor contractors are even more expensive. No one wants to do a job twice. Or three times. Usually, someone who has had a disaster goes straight for the cream of the crop to fix it. Some unfortunately, due to costs, end up making the same mistake and hiring based on cost rather than demonstrable knowledge and ability. This link gets shared a lot. Because it’s things that homeowners don’t know to talk about. The answers determine the difference between a Tile Professional, and a “tile guy”. https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/homeowners-guide-to-hiring-qualified-tile-installer...See MorePellini Stone Design
8 years agoDana
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