Travertine

Travertine is the stone most pool builders learned on, and for good reason: it stays cool in full sun, the tumbled face is grippy when wet, and the color range covers everything from pale cream to chocolate brown. This collection holds all of our travertine in one place, with the largest share being pool coping, then pavers and 2" treads. If you are weighing it against marble, our comparison of travertine versus marble for pool decks lays out the trade-offs, and the marble collection shows the alternative.

The nine colors

Light tones: Ivory is the palest and most consistent, and Leonardo sits just warmer. Mid tones: Country Classic and Autumn Blend mix cream, tan and rust in each pallet. Gray tones: Silver, Silver River and Silver Alaska run from cool gray to gray with cream banding. Browns: Walnut is medium brown with variation, Noce is the darkest. Blends like Country Classic are meant to vary piece to piece, so pull from three or four pallets at a time when laying them. The travertine color guide has side-by-side photos.

Sizes and formats in this collection

The 6x12, 12x24 and 16x24 formats carry the most colors and are the easiest to match between deck and coping. For a mixed layout, the travertine sets in the French pattern collection come as a four-piece module. Coping sizes are grouped on their own pages, for example 12x24 pool coping.

Coping profiles

Bullnose is the rounded edge most people picture on a travertine pool; eased edge is a squared profile with the sharp corner knocked down, and it suits straight-line pools and modern decks. Remodel coping has a drop face that hangs down over the old beam when resurfacing an existing pool. All three are cut from the same tumbled stock, so the deck and edge match. Bullnose is the forgiving choice on a freeform pool with tight radii, since the rounded edge hides small alignment differences between pieces; eased edge shows every misalignment, so keep it for straight runs.

Sealing and climate

Travertine is porous and should be sealed after installation with a penetrating sealer, then again every few years depending on sun and traffic. Fill-in of surface pits with grout during installation is standard and gives a smoother surface. In freeze-thaw regions, 2" material on a well-drained base holds up best, and the joints should be kept sealed so water does not sit under the stone through a hard freeze. Order from the sample page to see the tumbled texture in hand before choosing a color.