Travertine Pavers - Over Concrete by: Unique Landscapes
Travertine Pavers are one of the hottest new fads in outdoor patios and outdoor living. My company, Unique Landscapes by Griffin (In Mesa, AZ) - specializes in all aspects of paver & travertine paver installations. We've done numerous projects that involve overlays over existing concrete patios (both with tile, concrete pavers, and travertine pavers) - THE ONLY issue i've ever had with putting travertine over concrete is that they tend to "wobble" and sound "hollow" after installation if laid DRY (no sand or thinset). To counteract this end result, you can use either a light layer of sand, to help CUSHION the pavers. At Unique, we started investing in about $100 of cheap thinset, and actually dabbing a small amount of thinset to each paver prior to setting them in their pattern - it works BETTER than sand, somewhat easier (since you just apply and set) - it's 10X easier than laying tile (since pavers are more forgiving, and you don't have to worry about grout joints!)
Jun 23, 2008
Travertine Installation by: Susan
Travertine pavers are meant to be dry laid, not set over concrete. The correct installation method is to have a layer of quarry type stone, 4" to 6" thick on undisturbed ground. Masonry sand is then placed on the next layer above the stone. Then the travertine pavers get laid on top of this.
Do not lay the travertine pavers on sand on top of a layer of concrete. The purpose of the quarry stone is to allow for drainage, which the concrete will not do.
As far as installing them as a mortared project, I do not know if this can be done. I would check with the manufacturer or distributor. If you want to lay travertine on existing concrete, you might be better off with travertine tile, as opposed to pavers. Tiles are supposed to be laid in concrete. However, the existing concrete must have been layed properly and have no cracks, settling, etc.
I am not familiar with your situation, but if you are going through the expense of installing travertine, and you want to use the pavers, I would suggest removing the concrete and installing them using the correct procedure.
Once again, check with the manufacturer or distributor.
