{"id":259,"date":"2010-07-13T09:17:48","date_gmt":"2010-07-13T16:17:48","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=259"},"modified":"2010-07-13T09:19:14","modified_gmt":"2010-07-13T16:19:14","slug":"travertine-tile-porcelain-tile-how-to-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/design_tips\/travertine-tile-porcelain-tile-how-to-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"Travertine Tile?  Porcelain Tile?  How to Choose."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Many people are choosing to remodel their homes which usually includes installing new flooring.\u00a0 Travertine and porcelain are two types of flooring that are very popular in Arizona.\u00a0 How does one choose between travertine and porcelain?\u00a0 Here are a few differences that will hopefully help you in the decision making process.<\/p>\n<p>Travertine is a natural, rustic product that is made of stone.\u00a0 As a result, colors and textures vary significantly between batches making them more difficult to match should one need to be replaced at a later date.\u00a0 The variations are due to the iron content as well as the impurities in the limestone from which it is selected.\u00a0 If one opts for porcelain instead, they will often find a smoother texture with a better variety and consistency in colors since it is a manmade product.<\/p>\n<p>The porous nature of the materials is one of their biggest differences.\u00a0 With travertine, if left untreated it will stain if it becomes wet regardless of how much or little liquid it comes into contact with.\u00a0 As a result, some experts say travertine should be re-sealed no less than two times per year in order to keep it looking new. Porcelain tiles, on the other hand, are made at a high-density level, making them almost impervious to staining through everyday use.\u00a0 It is especially good to use in high traffic areas of the home.<\/p>\n<p>Travertine and porcelain are collected, produced, and maintained in completely different ways.\u00a0 Whereas travertine is collected from a quarry and finished in such a way as to allow its use in multiple ways, porcelain tiles are made from mixtures of clay that are fired and then either glazed or unglazed.\u00a0 Many of the newer designs are also hand-painted making them excellent accents in kitchens, halls, and baths.<\/p>\n<p>Next to price, one of the most important aspects of tile selection to consider is maintenance.\u00a0 Not only is travertine susceptible to staining, but to heat as well.\u00a0 It can also scratch easily as well as chip.\u00a0 Additionally, acid, vinegar, and oils can cause irreparable harm.\u00a0 Porcelain, on the other hand, can be cleaned with mild soap that is not abrasive and soiled spots can be removed with window cleaner.<\/p>\n<p>Of course one of the most important concerns is the cost.\u00a0 As expected, travertine is more expensive due to the cost of quarry collection, cutting, and processing.\u00a0 There can also be higher installation charges for travertine due to the need for a substrate which is stronger than that required for porcelain.<\/p>\n<p>When weighing the differences between travertine and porcelain it may seem like the best decision would be to go with porcelain.\u00a0 However, realtors tend to agree that travertine adds value to any home so choosing between the two needs to be made with purpose in mind.<\/p>\n<p>_____________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p><em>iSearchD\u00e9cor is the nation\u2019s premier, no charge,\u00a0 on line, real time, matching service for consumers who seek the perfect match to local home d\u00e9cor hidden gems (unique home d\u00e9cor stores and\u00a0 experienced home service professionals). Visit us for all of your home decor needs at www.isearchdecor.com<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many people are choosing to remodel their homes which usually includes installing new flooring.\u00a0 Travertine and porcelain are two types of flooring that are very popular in Arizona.\u00a0 How does one choose between travertine and porcelain?\u00a0 Here are a few differences that will hopefully help you in the decision making process. Travertine is a natural, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[14,12,13,11],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":262,"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259\/revisions\/262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isearchdecor.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}