Tiles are one of the most important elements of interior decor. They act as the base for the rest of the decor and impact the choice of furniture and other elements. For example, people with black-coloured tile floors often opt for bronze showpieces and off-white furniture.
These elements make their space look classy and luxurious. The same is true for bathrooms. Our bathrooms are spaces wherein we unwind and relax after a long day. That’s why people prefer choosing tiles like travertine look tiles for these spaces
These tools not only look great aesthetically, but also have other benefits. Let’s explore more about them below.
What Are Travertine-Look Tiles?
Travertine-look tiles resemble actual travertine stone tiles, but are instead made from ceramic or porcelain. These tiles have the same veiny or textured look as naturally made travertine tiles, which makes your space look earthy.
Additionally, unlike actual travertine tiles, you do not have to worry about maintaining them.
What Are The Types of Travertine Tile Finishes?
These tiles are available in a variety of finishes, which you can choose from for your bathroom as per your preferences, namely:
Matte
These finishes make the tiles look soft and powdery, and create a relaxed ambience. You can use them in your bathrooms if you want to create a spa-like ambience. Matte finishes also ensure the longevity of your travertine-like tiles.
Honed
Honed finishes make the floor look smooth and flat. It makes your bathroom or home look luxurious due to its understated elegance. These finishes are also ideal for ensuring a less slippery surface.
Tumbled
These finishes give off an earthy, rock-like look and offer some protection against slipping. They are ideal if you want to make your space or bathroom feel like a cavern-like space.
Polished
Polished finishes make your tiles quite glossy and shiny. So, they are ideal for bathrooms or spaces with low traffic or usage. That’s because the reflective surfaces can cause visual distortion and lead to accidents.
Why Are Travertine Look Tiles Great for Bathrooms?
Travertine-look tiles have quite a few advantages over natural travertine tiles that make them ideal for bathrooms. Let’s explore them below.
Moisture Resistance and Anti-Infection
Natural travertine tiles are porous in nature. That’s why they have a tendency to absorb water in humidity and moisture-centric areas like bathrooms. On the other hand, travertine look tiles, especially those made from porcelain, are non-porous and do not absorb water.
This ensures that they are less prone to water damage and mould. So, using these tiles also helps you protect your health from mould-related infections. You may also opt for timber look tiles in this regard, as they are also water resistant.
Easy Maintenance
Travertine effect tiles can also be maintained easily, unlike natural travertine tiles. That’s because they are not porous. They have a water absorption rate of less than 0.5%.
So, they don’t need to be sealed with waterproof grout to prevent water from entering their gaps. You will need brooms, mops, clean water, scrubbers, and mild detergents to keep your travertine look tiles clean.
The first thing you must do is use the broom to sweep away all the crumbs and dust that have gathered on the tiles. After that, you would have to clean the tiles with the mop and water.
Once you’ve done that, you should use a microfiber or dry mop to dry the floor. As you can see, all these things won’t take much time.
Slip Resistance Options
Because they are made from ceramic or porcelain, travertine-effect tiles are also quite slip-resistant. The degree of slip-resistance can be determined by the slip rating or R-values.
These R values start from R9 and go all the way up to R13. Take a look at the slip resistance ratings table below to understand more:
| Rating | Recommended For Which Type of Area | Examples of Recommended Areas |
| R9 | Dry areas | Corridors, Living room, Bedroom |
| R10 | Mildly or occasionally wet areas | Bathrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens |
| R11 | Frequently wet areas | Bathrooms, toilets, and outdoor patios |
| R12 | Frequently wet areas | Bathrooms, swimming pool walkways, garden paths |
| R13 | Commercially wet areas | Chemical factory walkways, warehouses, and food production centres |
Table 1: Slip resistance ratings table
So, you should choose travertine effect tiles with ratings of between R10 to R12 for your bathrooms. This will also be helpful in case you have any seniors in your home.
Aesthetic Appeal
The various finishes of travertine look tiles ensure that your bathrooms look aesthetic and warm. You can choose to layer these tiles with different accessories based on the finish. For example, say you have white-coloured polished travertine effect tiles.
You could then opt for black-coloured bottles and decor to complement the white and create an understated, luxurious look.
Alternatively, if you had matte finished travertine effect tiles, you could opt for mellow yellow-coloured lights. These lights would soften the space and create a relaxing atmosphere.
You could also consider layering the space with timber look tiles for a composite look.
Where to Use Travertine Look Tiles in the Bathroom?
You can use travertine look tiles in the following areas in your bathroom, as seen in the table below:
| Area | Type of Travertine Effect Tile You Could Use |
| Shower walls and floors | Polished finished travertine look tile for shower walls and tumbled/honed finish travertine effect tile for shower floors |
| Bathroom walls | Polished finished travertine look tile |
| Bathroom floors | Tumbled/honed finish |
| Vanity areas | Matte finish or polished finish, depending on your preferences |
Table 2: Areas where travertine effect tiles can be used in bathrooms
In Review
Travertine effect tiles are an excellent choice for bathrooms due to their durability, affordability, and elegant look. They make your space look earthy and warm without the unwanted maintenance hassles that come with natural travertine tiles.
You can use these tiles for your bathroom’s shower areas, flooring, and walls.
Ready To Transform Your Bathroom?
Thinking of upgrading your bathroom? Get in touch with a reputed supplier of travertine effect tiles near you today!





