Travertine in NJ? Need experiences and help stat! Ty in advance!

[LaureenE]

Hello everyone! Please forgive me if this post is redundant. We need to decide our paving material for pool deck and patio in the next 48 hrs. PB/GC suggests to use travertine from Elegance by NT Trading(Turkey) for small pool patio and adjacent tiered patio(1000sf total) but will install anything we choose. We have a short sloped yard so pavers will cover all 95% of usable space. I have searched fairly extensively and did read some pros and cons and suggestions regarding base/installation or travertine but a lot of the responses I came across were from warmer climates(although climate change seems to be coming fast and furious to NJ). We will have SWG. We have been looking into the pros and cons of the travertine for 2 years and despite hours of research and sleepless nights, I/we feel no closer to a decision that has to be made STAT. The color travertine we are considering is Ivory bc our house is tan. Other options are Techo Blu 60 Champlain Grey or possibly a Unilock product. We like the rustic look. I love the ivory travertine newly installed however I'm not confident it will look like that in a few years. My concerns about the travertine (and especially the ivory) are the following:
1) Looking dirty(I'm ok with rustic look but not filthy)
*** We have a ton of trees around and worried about pollen staining
2) Sand getting washed out of pits, expanding joints, breakage
3) Weed control in joints
4) Is the ivory too light??
5) Maintenance for all of the above....
I know no product is maintenance free but this is an issue for us as time is very limited for both hubby and I.

Thanks in advance!

 

[ajw22]

Where in NJ are you?

You have valid concerns about the travertine. I would also be concerned about how it hold up in winter freeze thaw cycles.

I think long term you will be happier and have less maintenance with Techo or Uniblock.

 

[Bperry]

Hello everyone! Please forgive me if this post is redundant. We need to decide our paving material for pool deck and patio in the next 48 hrs. PB/GC suggests to use travertine from Elegance by NT Trading(Turkey) for small pool patio and adjacent tiered patio(1000sf total) but will install anything we choose. We have a short sloped yard so pavers will cover all 95% of usable space. I have searched fairly extensively and did read some pros and cons and suggestions regarding base/installation or travertine but a lot of the responses I came across were from warmer climates(although climate change seems to be coming fast and furious to NJ). We will have SWG. We have been looking into the pros and cons of the travertine for 2 years and despite hours of research and sleepless nights, I/we feel no closer to a decision that has to be made STAT. The color travertine we are considering is Ivory bc our house is tan. Other options are Techo Blu 60 Champlain Grey or possibly a Unilock product. We like the rustic look. I love the ivory travertine newly installed however I'm not confident it will look like that in a few years. My concerns about the travertine (and especially the ivory) are the following:
1) Looking dirty(I'm ok with rustic look but not filthy)
*** We have a ton of trees around and worried about pollen staining
2) Sand getting washed out of pits, expanding joints, breakage
3) Weed control in joints
4) Is the ivory too light??
5) Maintenance for all of the above....
I know no product is maintenance free but this is an issue for us as time is very limited for both hubby and I.

Thanks in advance!

Concrete Pavers and solid concrete seem to be the only other options and pavers have most of the same concerns above.

 

[LaureenE]

Where in NJ are you?

You have valid concerns about the travertine. I would also be concerned about how it hold up in winter freeze thaw cycles.

I think long term you will be happier and have less maintenance with Techo or Uniblock.

Thank you....I really appreciate the feedback. I am in Monmouth County. Honestly...we're going crazy. Naturally we love the look of natural stone but don't want to make an expensive mistake. We've talked to a few of this PB clients and they seem happy with the travertine but some haven't gotten back to me(red flag?).

 

[Toxophilite]

I have 2,400sf of silver travertine. When first installed, almost wanted to have a no shoes, nothing on, policy. Now, it's just a nice looking slab I use and occasionally powerwash like my others or my drive. It's just not that delicate. As for the pocks and holes, that's what makes it travertine, and no, they do not stay full of the paver-sand but makes the character for me, so I don't re-sand. I've had a few things deposit rust stain, but never failed to clear up with spot treat. Pretty much anything that can affect it will also affect any cement product.

 

[JJ_Tex]

We have Ivory Travertine and would absolutely do it again. Obviously we are in different climates (I'm in the Dallas area), but it has required no maintenance for the past 3 years. I do have plans to hose it off good this weekend for a light cleaning since it is porous which collects some dirt/debris over time. This will be my first time doing it, so its certainly not an annual task for me.
Other than that, we have had no weeds, issues with sand eroding, joints showing, etc.

Here is my build pics is you want to take a look. Hope that helps:

And another DFW pool

Judging by the first pic, it looks to just be a skimmer top/cover. Pavers look great, too.

www.troublefreepool.com

Edit - Here are some pics I took just a few minutes ago (3 years after install). I think it still looks new, but you can see a small amount of debris that has settled in some of the pitting, which I will hose off this weekend hopefully.

 

[LaureenE]

I have 2,400sf of silver travertine. When first installed, almost wanted to have a no shoes, nothing on, policy. Now, it's just a nice looking slab I use and occasionally powerwash like my others or my drive. It's just not that delicate. As for the pocks and holes, that's what makes it travertine, and no, they do not stay full of the paver-sand but makes the character for me, so I don't re-sand. I've had a few things deposit rust stain, but never failed to clear up with spot treat. Pretty much anything that can affect it will also affect any cement product.

Thank you so much for your detailed response. I'm taking it all in and I completely I understand about the pocks and holes giving it character if you will. I agree!! My concern really is 1)the Ivory being so light....I really like the silver and would hide more but sadly wouldn't match our house. 2)My biggest concern....we are in New Jersey where the only people who are recommending travertine are a select few contractor and direct sales folks. Even the retail outfits that sell it don't recommend it around here. Our PB says it's fine.

 

[LaureenE]

We have Ivory Travertine and would absolutely do it again. Obviously we are in different climates (I'm in the Dallas area), but it has required no maintenance for the past 3 years. I do have plans to hose it off good this weekend for a light cleaning since it is porous which collects some dirt/debris over time. This will be my first time doing it, so its certainly not an annual task for me.
Other than that, we have had no weeds, issues with sand eroding, joints showing, etc.

Here is my build pics is you want to take a look. Hope that helps:

And another DFW pool

Judging by the first pic, it looks to just be a skimmer top/cover. Pavers look great, too.

www.troublefreepool.com

Edit - Here are some pics I took just a few minutes ago (3 years after install). I think it still looks new, but you can see a small amount of debris that has settled in some of the pitting, which I will hose off this weekend hopefully.

View attachment 482349

View attachment 482350

Wow...thank you JJ_Tex! That was so nice of you to take pics!!! I love that and especially the smaller format. I'm also relieved to hear this has been low maintenance for you! Do you get a lot of pollen with those trees? Spring in my yard means everything here is covered in yellow/green sticky dust...thanks again so much!

 

[JJ_Tex]

Wow...thank you JJ_Tex! That was so nice of you to take pics!!! I love that and especially the smaller format. I'm also relieved to hear this has been low maintenance for you! Do you get a lot of pollen with those trees? Spring in my yard means everything here is covered in yellow/green sticky dust...thanks again so much!

Glad it helped. We get a decent amount of pollen from that tree (oak) which all ends up in my pool in the spring.
I've been to NJ a few times and recall a lot more pine trees than here. I think pine trees are a bit messier than oak, but I still wouldn't see pollen staining or building up on the travertine.

 

[LaureenE]

Glad it helped. We get a decent amount of pollen from that tree (oak) which all ends up in my pool in the spring.
I've been to NJ a few times and recall a lot more pine trees than here. I think pine trees are a bit messier than oak, but I still wouldn't see pollen staining or building up on the travertine.

Thank you again.....yes....my entire small yard is lined with pine trees. It's truly beautiful but is indeed right on top of our pool/patio. But again....good to know pollen from oak isn't big problem....