Travertine facade in Batumi: choice, installation and care

Travertine facade: why people choose it

Travertine is a sedimentary stone in warm beige, silver and walnut tones, with characteristic pores and a layered pattern. On a facade it looks calm and expensive, holds its colour well in the sun and suits both modern and classical architecture. That is why a travertine facade has become a frequent choice for villas and boutique hotels by the sea.

Travertine has one feature that must be considered from the start: it is porous. Pores and cavities hold water, dirt and salt, and outdoors this is handled through the surface finish, panel thickness and fixing. In Georgia travertine is mostly imported from Iran and Turkey, and we choose the variety, tone and finish from samples of the specific batch.

Which travertine to use outdoors

• with filled pores: the cavities are filled with resin or a tinted cement paste, so the surface is smooth and collects less dirt;
• honed or matt rather than polished: polish quickly loses its shine in sun and rain;
• at least 3 cm thick for a rainscreen facade, otherwise the panel is fragile at the edges and fixing points;
• vein cut or cross cut, depending on the desired pattern, but all panels of one wall from one cut;
• with a data sheet for water absorption and, for mountain houses, frost resistance.

Tumbled travertine with open pores and chipped edges is beautiful in a patio and on a plinth, but on a tall wall it collects dust and salt. We suggest it for small areas.

How we fix travertine

At height we hang travertine panels on a ventilated facade subframe with clips or with concealed undercut anchors in the back of the panel. Behind the cladding there is mineral wool insulation and an air gap through which moisture escapes. That way a panel does not depend on adhesive, and in a seismic tremor each one holds on its own fixing. How the subframe works and why it is aluminium by the sea is described on the ventilated facade page.

On the plinth and small areas of the ground floor travertine can be laid on adhesive with mechanical fixing, like other natural stone. This method and the choice of other rocks are covered on the natural stone facade page.

Layout and tone matching

Every travertine panel has its own pattern. Before installation we lay the batch out on site, sort the panels by tone and pattern and draw which panel goes where. We take particular care with panels by the entrance and on the main elevation. Reveals and sills are made of the same travertine with a drip groove underneath, and corners are mitred or show the edge, as decided in the design.

Caring for travertine by the sea

After installation and drying the facade is treated with a water-repellent impregnation that does not close the pores to vapour. It is renewed every few years. Travertine can be washed with water and a neutral cleaner, but acid cleaners and rust removers must not be used: travertine is a carbonate stone, and acid dissolves the surface. For villas where the facade should look like new for years, it is convenient to include the upkeep in villa management.

How much a travertine facade costs

Travertine on a ventilated facade subframe with insulation and materials costs from 530 ₾ per m²: aluminium subframe, mineral wool with membrane, 3 cm panels on clips, impregnation. Natural stone cladding on adhesive with anchors from 385 ₾ per m², travertine itself as a material from 81 ₾ per m². Plinth cladding from 300 ₾ per m², water-repellent treatment from 19 ₾, scaffolding from 18 ₾ per m² of facade. The final cost is set after choosing the travertine batch and agreeing the estimate.