South West Stone Natural Stone 'Specialist Quality Stone Importers, Suppliers and fitters'.

       Working across Devon and the South West

TRAVERTINE:

A crystallized, partially metamorphosed limestone, which because of its structure, can be filled and honed and is dense enough to be a type of marble.

In cool limestone regions, calcite-rich waters seep down through rocks to fill cavities with stalactites and stalagmites. With Travertine it is formed by tiny particles that are carried up through the watery sprays, to become almost 'a frozen river of stone caught in time' Travertines being the deposit left behind. Or in a less flowery tone Travertine is a sedimentary rock formed when dissolved calcium carbonate is deposited from hot geysers. Normally formed with air bubbles which are then filled with resin and honed to a smooth finish.

More importantly it looks great and is not expensive, obviously it is hard wearing and as an addition to a home very hard to go wrong with.

DID YOU KNOW...............

Extensive deposits exist at Tivoli, Italy near Rome. In fact, travertine derives its name from this town. Tivoli was known as Tibur in ancient Roman times. The ancient name for the stone was lapis tiburtinus meaning tibur stone, which has been corrupted to travertine.

The largest building in the world constructed largely of travertine is the Colosseum Rome. Other notable buildings using travertine extensively include the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris and the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California.

Tuscan Gold, brushed / chiselled, Opus pattern

Fab Opus Romano / slight chisell edge.4 size pattern