Travertine Pavers and Freezing in Cold Weather

by Dale
(Cleveland Ohio)

Would you install travertine pavers in Cleveland, Ohio around a pool deck? I'm worried about them freezing and popping.

ANSWER

I think they would be fine. The nice thing about them is they should be dry laid and therefore you won't have any joints cracking. If anything were to happen, they can easily be replaced. Do not use polymeric sand in the joints. This can crack. Use stone dust.

Last winter was a very bad one in New Jersey. It snowed and snowed. Ice repeatedly formed on my patio and then it thawed, as a cycle for a good part of the winter. My patio is brick and it is dry laid. There were times it heaved so much that I thought that the entire patio would have to be relaid. However, once the snow stopped and the ground thawed, it all settled back to normal.

Whether you are installing the travertine pavers yourself or a contractor is doing it, make sure it is done absolutely correctly. You must excavate the area down about 4 to 6 inches. Since it is a pool area, I would go the 6 inches.The ground beneath this excavated area should be undisturbed soil. Often this is not the case in a pool area since there was excavating going on for the pool. This ground then must be tamped down in 12" layers, or you can replace it with stone for quite a distance down. This will be an added expense but will help create a base to eliminate settling of the stones.

On top of this a loose stone base is applied in the 6 inch area that was excavated. Then a stone dust or sand base is applied, then the pavers, and then the joints are filled. You might find these pages on my sight helpful.

Travertine Pavers There are other related links on this page.
Paver Installation This applies to travertine pavers also.
Building a Patio
Travertine Pavers Q&A Some travertine paver questions from other visitors and answers.