Travertine
ASTM C1527
Travertine is a porous, banded sedimentary limestone deposited from mineral springs, supplied to ASTM C1527 in filled-polished, unfilled-honed, vein-cut and tumbled conditions.
Reference datasheet — Travertine is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the FILLED-POL condition
Travertine tempers and conditions
Travertine is supplied in 2 conditions, soft to hard. FILLED-POL is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 2 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
sawn perpendicular to bedding, linear striped figure | Pick when a linear striped pattern is wanted; bedding planes lie edge-on so bending strength across the veins is lower and delamination risk higher. | 4 | 0.1 | 2 W/m·K | ||
FILLED-POLDefault resin/cement filled slab, polished finish | Standard interior slab/tile: pores filled with resin or cement grout then polished for gloss and stain resistance. | 6 | 2 W/m·K |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Travertine is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
TUMBLED | Tumbled paver | Surface finish |
UNFILLED-HON | Unfilled honed/brushed | Surface finish |
What is Travertine?
Travertine is a porous, banded sedimentary limestone deposited from mineral springs, supplied to ASTM C1527 in filled-polished, unfilled-honed, vein-cut and tumbled conditions. It is used for flooring, cladding and water features for its warm tones and pitted texture, with 2.45 g/cm³ density, 5.5 MPa tensile strength, 42 GPa modulus, 2 W/m·K thermal conductivity and service to 120 °C. The open vugs and calcite chemistry are the limits: chemical resistance is low (rating 38), acids etch the surface, and edges chip during machining (machinability 62). Choose granite or basalt where acid exposure or traffic abrasion is severe. Travertine has a density of 2.45 g/cm³ (0.0885 lb/in³), heavier than 85% of natural material grades. Travertine has a tensile strength of 6 MPa (0.798 ksi), weaker than 83% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.1% and the elastic modulus is 42 GPa (6.09 Msi).
What is Travertine used for?
- Flooring and wall tiles
- Exterior cladding
- Fountains and pool decking
- Interior countertops
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 0.13 kg CO₂/kg, better than 91% of natural material grades
- Conducts heat well — 2 W/m·K (1.16 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 86% of natural material grades
- Stiff — 42 GPa (6.09 Msi), better than 85% of natural material grades
- High service temperature — 120°C (248 °F), better than 79% of natural material grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 78/100, better than 77% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 0.1%, worse than 89% of natural material grades
- Difficult to machine — 62/100, worse than 87% of natural material grades
- Heavy — 2.45 g/cm³ (0.0885 lb/in³), worse than 85% of natural material grades
Travertine properties
Typical room-temperature values for Travertine-FILLED-POL; bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Travertine has a density of 2.45 g/cm³ (0.0885 lb/in³), heavier than 85% of natural material grades.
Mechanical12
Travertine has a tensile strength of 6 MPa (0.798 ksi), weaker than 83% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.1% and the elastic modulus is 42 GPa (6.09 Msi).
Thermal5
Travertine is rated for continuous service to 120°C (248 °F). It conducts heat at 2 W/m·K (1.16 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 86% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 6 µm/m·K (3.33 µin/in·°F).
Electrical1
Travertine has an electrical resistivity of 1×10⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (38/100), worse than 62% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Travertine takes about 2 MJ of energy and emits 0.13 kg of CO₂ — less than 90% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability2
Travertine's machinability is good (62/100, worse than 87% of natural material grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Working with Travertine
Is Travertine easy to machine?
Cut and profiled with diamond blades/CNC waterjet at high feed; flush coolant generously and support the slab, as open vugs cause edge chipping and blowout at hole exits.
Can Travertine be welded?
Not weldable — sections are joined mechanically with kerf/undercut anchors or bonded with epoxy and color-matched polyester adhesive.
Can Travertine be formed, bent or molded?
No plastic forming; curved elements are produced by sawing from thick blocks or by laminating thin strips onto aluminum honeycomb backing.
Travertine chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| MgCO3dolomitic fraction, varies by quarry | 0.1 – 4 | 1 |
| SiO2detrital quartz / chert | 0.1 – 3 | 0.8 |
| Fe2O3iron oxides give the warm walnut/gold tones | 0.02 – 1 | 0.2 |
| Al2O3clay impurities | 0.05 – 1.5 | 0.3 |
| organic matter / plant casts | 0 – 1 | 0.2 |
| CaCO3 (calcite/aragonite)primary mineral; travertine is a chemically precipitated carbonate | ≥ 90 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Travertine?
Pores are filled with polyester resin or cement grout, then honed/polished with progressively finer diamond pads; impregnating silane or fluoropolymer sealers are mandatory to resist acid etching and staining.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Travertine in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- C1527
- Also called
- Travertine Dimension Stone
How much does Travertine cost?
Travertine is a budget-cost natural material ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Travertine — frequently asked
What is Travertine used for?
Travertine is typically used for flooring and wall tiles, exterior cladding, fountains and pool decking and interior countertops. In short: porous stone requiring resin filling; warm-toned cladding and paving; acid-sensitive; sealing mandatory.
What is the tensile strength of Travertine?
Travertine has a typical tensile strength of 6 MPa (0.798 ksi) — weaker than 83% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 2 listed tempers.
Is Travertine easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (62/100, worse than 87% of natural material grades). Cut and profiled with diamond blades/CNC waterjet at high feed; flush coolant generously and support the slab, as open vugs cause edge chipping and blowout at hole exits.
Can Travertine be welded?
Not weldable — sections are joined mechanically with kerf/undercut anchors or bonded with epoxy and color-matched polyester adhesive.
What surface finishes work on Travertine?
Pores are filled with polyester resin or cement grout, then honed/polished with progressively finer diamond pads; impregnating silane or fluoropolymer sealers are mandatory to resist acid etching and staining.
Can Travertine be formed, bent or molded?
No plastic forming; curved elements are produced by sawing from thick blocks or by laminating thin strips onto aluminum honeycomb backing.
What is the maximum service temperature of Travertine?
Travertine is rated for continuous use to about 120°C (248 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Travertine cost?
Travertine is a budget-cost natural material ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM C1527 Standard Specification for Travertine Dimension Stone — ASTM International (2019)
- ASTM C170 / C99 / C880 / C97 dimension stone test methods — ASTM International (2018)
- Dimension Stone Design Manual — Natural Stone Institute (MIA+BSI) (2016)
- Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE) — stone products — University of Bath / Circular Ecology (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.