Does Travertine Deck Need to Be Sealed?

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M

My2Sense

0
Feb 28, 2015
3
Pembroke Pines
Hello TFP Nation:

I'm new to this forum and in the process of building my first pool. Very happy to have found this site. My question involves whether my Tumbled Travertine Deck needs to be sealed or not. I've heard and read conflicting information and am not sure which way to go. We are in Southeast Florida and our pool will have a Salt Water system. My preference would be not to seal it if it can be avoided. I'd be curious to hear from those who have experience either way. Thanks!
 
Hi My2Sense,
welcome to TFP.

Travertine when used around a saltwater pool should be sealed. There are some great sealers out that that willi not attract from the natural beauty of the stone. Travertine is porous, so in addition to protecting the stone from errosion by salt, it also protects the stone from staining by mold, stains from spilled drinks and food, etc.

As a maintenance task, you will need to reseal it periodically.

Here is a link that accurately describes what the effect of saltwater on travertine (or any other soft stone) are.
http://www.travertinemart.com/travertine-pool-coping/travertine-pavers-and-salt-water-erosion

hope this helps,
 
I appreciate the feedback, Divin Dave! I'd be curious if there are any forum members who have a SWG and have gone without sealant to hear what their experience has been. One of my concerns with sealing that I've heard about is that it causes the Travertine to become slippery. Thanks!
 
My travertine is sealed. I was less worried about the effects of salt water and more worried about spills. It is not slippery at all. It has excellent grip under foot. I have tumbled travertine. I always thought honed travertine would be slippery but I have a friend who just remodeled his home and did his entire bathroom, shower and all, in honed travertine. He said it is not slippery at all. My brother was worried about bringing his kids over to swim because of the travertine. After one visit he and his wife remarked about how cool it was and how good the grip was. So go for it.
 
You can always take your chances with Travertine & saltwater. Maybe you win, maybe you don't......and maybe you don't even have SWG pool.

When it comes to organic matter, there is no wager: With Travertine & Red Wine, the red wine wins ever time. Forever.

We have small children and frequent guests, so if I had Travertine, it would be sealed.
 
I have tumbled travertine in my master bath. Color enhanced and sealed, and it isn't slippery. I then again, I don't run around the bathroom like kids might around a pool. Now a honed/filled travertine word probably be much slipperier (is that a word?)

Sealed travertine should look about the same as the travertine does when it's wet, btw. Color enhancing sealers do a little more to pull out the color and grain of the stone. We've had beige, noce, and even pewter travertine, and color enhanced all of them.
 
Some travertine tends to be a little slippery but some is not too bad. I have seen it used around salt pools with minimal problems with no sealer. However, the pools were not used frequently and did not get a lot of splash-out.

Travertine is a good looking product if it is done properly. Try to get samples so that you can check the texture with and without sealer. If you're going to get a lot of splash-out, consider using a good sealer like DuPont sealer for around salt water pools.
 
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