Types of rock
Travertine is also a sedimentary rock, which is made up of layers of calcite formed from the accumulation of organic matter in hot springs and spa areas. The stone has a natural honeycomb structure, where water has flowed through the material. It is a very strong stone, which when cut into tiles exposes the small holes on the surface. These holes can be left unfilled to leave a natural texture or they are pre-filled with a very hard resin and honed smooth. Small holes may appear on the surface of the tiles over time; this is part of the charm of this ancient stone. The best quality travertines have a high density, which means the holes in the honeycomb structure are smaller. There are many colours of travertine from beige travertino classico, golden travertine, red and yellows, silver, blues and whites from Italy, Turkey, Iran and Mexico.
See Spanish Tile info for more details on ceramic walls.
Stone is not inherently cold. On the contrary, stone is wonderful at heat transference and retains heat for long periods. If you have a well-insulated house with modern central heating then a stone floor will normally be a few degrees below the ambient temperature of the room. The floor temperature will also depend on what is underneath the floor (i.e. the subfloor) and how well insulated it is.
