If you are like most people, when you first see a beautifully installed travertine patio your first instinct is to want one for your own home. While this is perfectly natural, and a very good decision, there are other benefits to travertine besides its eye-catching beauty.
In fact, many people who have a travertine patio installed only learn about these hidden benefits when they actually start to use the outdoor living space. What they started out getting for its earthy and welcoming look quickly turns into a patio they wonder how they ever lived without.
Cool and Soothing
If you have ever been on a concrete patio, even one of the new designs with beautiful etching and lovely designs, you will notice they are very hot when the sun is directly on the surface.
This because concrete and other man-made materials do not absorb the heat, rather they hold it on the surface or reflect it up. When sitting on these patios this reflected heat can increase the temperature considerable, especially close to the surface.
A travertine patio, on the other hand, is a natural stone. The natural stone absorbs and dissipates the heat, remaining warm to cool to the touch depending on the ambient heat and the sunshine. However, there is no reflected heat, and it is possible to walk comfortably across the surface, even barefoot, without discomfort.
Designing and Landscaping
With a travertine patio, landscaping elements such as rock retaining walls, water features and even gardens and walkways can all blend and complement each other in ways that man-made pavers or paving options simply cannot. It will create the look of a beautiful garden area, or a more sophisticated and elegant patio, and you can dress it up or down depending on your needs.
A travertine patio is a perfect match for both wood, wicker and wrought iron furniture and accessories. Wood and wicker create a very natural and even Zen type of space while wrought iron can range from classic to very modern, all depending on the style you select.
Finally, what you will come to appreciate more with each passing year, is the durability of your travertine patio. Each paver will retain its color, never fading or crumbling, but remaining beautiful, vibrant and practical as long as you have the property, and for many years past that.
