Thanks for the quick reply! It rings a bell that I now remember seeing a display of what must have been polymeric sand at a local stone suppliers. I'll head back there to find out more.
Also I'll give more thought to not worrying about dirt accumulating in the nooks & crannies, since as you point out its those unique imperfections that make natural stone so inviting.
And... I have really enjoyed reading through your website for patio & landscaping ideas. It's actually what got me inspired to go with dry-laid travertine and I'm glad I did. I already loved the look of travertine, but what made the decision easy it was your enthusiastic comments about it, including those about it staying cool in the sun and still having good wet traction. It's also a nice a reminder of past trips to Italy and especially Rome & Tivoli:-)
Thanks again,
-John
Jan 28, 2009
Tumbled Travertine by: Susan
Hi John,
Here is my opinion.
The beauty of tumbled travertine pavers is that they are not perfect. It is a natural stone, and therefore will have lots of imperfections. Actually I don't really think of them as imperfections but part of the charm.
I am sure it looks beautiful.
There are actually two issues. One is the areas where the travertine pavers join each other. Some areas might look like the joints are tight, while other areas, such as at the rounded corners, may seem to have spaces there.
The other issue is any "holes" that might be in the tumbled pavers.
I am a little unclear as to whether you are talking about one, the other, or both. So let me address everything for you.
The holes in the travertine pavers will most likely not accumulate that much dirt. Whatever does get in there I don't think will be that noticeable. In addition, you can always power wash them.
Regarding the joints, what is generally acceptable practice is to sweep the joints with polymeric sand. This is a type of sand that hardens in a short period of time, so it won't have to be redone. Most likely some of this will even get into the holes, which wouldn't be bad either.
If you have any other questions, just let me know. I hope this was helpful
