Travertine Rusting??

[Wirbs]

We are building our first pool and we have something that no one has been able to answer so thought I would ask you guys. Have you ever had travertine rust after installing?

We have about 1200 sqft of Silver travertine installed and there is about 8-10ft strip in one place that has started to rust since it was installed. Because it’s so prevalent in this one spot only it doesn’t seem right and is not really attractive. Anyone had experience with this or have any thoughts? We are asking the PB to consider redoing that section because it doesn’t seem right. Including pics of the general area and the pieces in question. I also think the pictures don’t really do it justice.

 

[JJ_Tex]

Stone doesnt rust, but that metal piece in the picture can. What is that and is it rusting?

 

[kimkats]

What is right over that area? Also what is right under it?

Stone does not rust so...............it has to be coming from something else.

 

[Louie956]

I would say that the metal structure that is in the picture is releasing rust from the inside and when it rains it is spreading out around that area. Might want to remove that structure and check through the inside of the square tubing.

 

[Wirbs]

Stone doesnt rust, but that metal piece in the picture can. What is that and is it rusting?

I have heard there are iron elements within the travertine and that might be what is “rusting”.

The travertine went in a few weeks ago and didn’t look like that when it was first laid down. The pile is the screen and it just went in this week but the stones have been changing colors for days. Underneath is just gunite.

 

[Wirbs]

I would say that the metal structure that is in the picture is releasing rust from the inside and when it rains it is spreading out around that area. Might want to remove that structure and check through the inside of the square tubing.

This was occurring before that was put in just this week

 

[Wirbs]

What is right over that area? Also what is right under it?

Stone does not rust so...............it has to be coming from something else.

Gunite underneath and nothing above. The screen just started to go in this week

 

[kimkats]

So here is an idea. Get some cheap vitamin C tables. Crush them up and mix them with a little water to make a paste. Put the paste on the rust and let us know what happens.

 

[JJ_Tex]

If it was truly the travertine rusting, I would expect it to be across all of your travertine or at least pieces through your entire deck.

Are you seeing that, or is the rust concentrated to a certain area? The pictures look like just in 1 area.

 

[Wirbs]

So here is an idea. Get some cheap vitamin C tables. Crush them up and mix them with a little water to make a paste. Put the paste on the rust and let us know what happens.

Ok so I did this and I think it did lighten it. I left the paste on for 30 minutes.

 

[Wirbs]

If it was truly the travertine rusting, I would expect it to be across all of your travertine or at least pieces through your entire deck.

Are you seeing that, or is the rust concentrated to a certain area? The pictures look like just in 1 area.

No it really is just very prevalent in one spot. I thought it might be that those pieces had more iron in them and since they were cut and put next to each other that might be why it’s so prevalent there only ?‍

 

[kimkats]

It does seem quite a bit lighter on at least two spots! SWEET! I would keep doing the Vit. C treatment to get it all gone!

 

[Andrew69]

Could be a couple of things
Do you have any trees over hanging the area that drop leaves?
If so, could be tannin stains

The travertine may also have traces of manganese and something could be causing the manganese to leech out.
Acid will cause that to happen

Either way, treatment is the same.
Use a deck cleaner as per instructions and that will lighten the stain. The active ingredient doing the work is oxalic acid and you may be able to find that neat. Will be quite a bit less expensive

 

[sktn77a]

The vitamin C test does suggest iron. Are you sure it's not leeching in from somewhere nearby?