Natural stone strength and adaptability has been used to build everything from basic
dwellings to soaring temples, for floors and walls, as sculptures and roof
tiles. Once it was the only building material available, but now, even
with the availability of many different materials, natural stone is still as popular as
ever for a wall or floor covering. Stone is quarried from where it has lain
for millions of years, cut out from veins or strata and then shaped into
blocks. It is further worked and finished according to its intended final
use – polished, brushed, honed or tumbled. Each process reveals unique
characteristics dependant on the rock from which it originated.
If you are looking for something beautiful and unique to enhance walls
and floors, natural stone is the obvious answer. Long lasting, durable,
cost effective and versatile, it’s also at home with other materials and
textures such as wood, metal, glass, ceramic and porcelain. Different
colours and finishes, and inherent features of veining and mottling are an
interior designer’s dream.
From kitchens to wet rooms, from a conservatory floor to a feature wall
– for enduring quality and fantastic good looks, Earthworks tiles are the
natural choice for modern and traditional styles alike.
There are three kinds of rock types:
Igneous – solidified magma or lava formed
after volcanic activity. Extremely hard.
Examples: granite, basalt.
Sedimentary – weathering of existing rocks
produced sediment which settled in layers and
gradually ‘lithified’ (turned to stone) by compaction
and cementation. Examples: limestone, travertine.
Metamorphic – Metamorphism is the
transformation of one rock type into another,
brought about by heat, pressure or chemically
active fluids. Examples: Marble (originally
limestone or dolostone), slate (previously
sedimentary shale or mudstone)
Textures and finishes:
Brushed – the stone’s surface is brushed with
rotary diamond pads, resulting in a textured
finish to the surface and rounded edges.
Cushioned, pillowed – where the straight
edges of a tile have been rounded and
softened.
Filled – where voids, pits and holes (a natural
characteristic of some stone) have been filled
with a resin to create a smooth surface.
Honed – a machine process which results in a
smooth, matt surface.
Lightly polished – the surface is polished to a
softly reflective sheen rather than a high gloss.
Polished – where the surface is buffed by
machine, resulting in an even, smooth and
highly reflective surface.
Tumbled – the surfaces of the stone have been
textured, worn and weathered by contact with
abrasive materials.
Unfilled – where the pits and voids within
travertine tiles have not been filled.
Travertine is a form of sedimentary limestone, made
from compressed deposits left by calcite-rich hot
springs which became, over millions of years, almost
like a river frozen in time
Travertine
Umbrian Classic
Subtly pale in colour, rustic in texture,
Umbrian Classic is our most costeffective travertine for covering floors.
Please note this travertine is a graded
selection which is suitable for
residential areas.
Finish
Filled & Honed (2 sizes)
It is usually pale, in tones from off-white to
bronze, with some inherent pits and holes
which are the result of its creation. Because
of its marble-like qualities, travertine has been
prized by sculptors for centuries.
There are three different grades of travertine,
dependent on the quality, thickness, impurities,
and sizes of pits and voids. Grade 1 is the best,
and, as with all things, it is worth paying extra
for a better quality stone that will last for years
if installed and maintained correctly.
All of Original Style’s travertine (except Umbrian
Classic, see below) is selected from Grade 1
to ensure a consistent quality and excellent
visual appearance.
In this section you will find a wide choice
of sizes and finishes – nearly all suitable for
internal walls and floors, showers and hearths.
However we do not recommend that travertine
is installed externally due to its porous nature
which makes it susceptible to frost damage.
Please bear in mind that as travertine is a
natural product with voids and pinholes, these
can sometimes appear on the surface of the
tiles after installation and use. No guarantees
can be given against this happening. Any voids
that do appear can be refilled using grout or
epoxy resin, and we suggest that this work
is carried out at the same time as the floor is
given a thorough clean before being resealed –
this is usually recommended as an annual task.