Travertine restoration
Travertine is a porous limestone full of natural voids. On Oʻahu it lives on lanais, pool decks, showers and great-room floors, and it collects dirt in every hole and dulls under foot traffic and acidic cleaners.
Common problems
Open holes trapping grime, factory fill popping out, gray traffic lanes in a honed floor, etching from cleaners and citrus, mildew and algae outdoors, and salt film near the ocean. Tumbled travertine outdoors often just needs a serious clean and re-seal; indoor filled travertine usually needs honing to bring the color back.
Restoration steps
Deep clean with stone-safe alkaline cleaners and extraction. Fill open holes with color-matched cement or resin fill. Hone to a uniform finish and polish if the stone was polished originally. Seal with a penetrating impregnator to slow stains and make cleaning easier. Outdoor stone gets a breathable sealer that does not trap moisture.
Lanais and pool decks
Exterior travertine takes red dirt, chlorine, leaves and sun. We clean and re-fill, then seal with a product that will not go slick when wet. A maintenance clean every year or two keeps it from ever looking neglected again.
FAQ
Travertine questions
My travertine holes keep collecting dirt. Can they be filled?
Yes. We fill open voids with color-matched fill and finish flush, which is the single biggest improvement in cleanability for a travertine floor.
Does sealing travertine make it waterproof?
No. A penetrating sealer slows absorption so spills can be wiped before they stain. It does not stop etching from acid and it does not make outdoor stone waterproof.
Can you clean a travertine shower?
Yes: soap scum, hard-water film and mildew removed, etching honed out, grout cleaned, then sealed. Glass enclosures are not part of our work.