Travertine Pavers

Travertine pavers have been increasing in popularity in recent years, although the use of this kind of stone has been going on for thousands of years. Historical structures, such as the Colosseum in Rome and a 1000 year old Burghausen castle in Europe are made out of travertine and have withstood the test of time.

In modern times, travertine has been used extensively for pool paving, building structures such as fireplaces and walkways, and tiling bathrooms and kitchens. The natural color and beauty of travertine makes it a timeless material that will continue to impress those that invest in it.

There are benefits to using travertine pavers, besides the great look it provides. Travertine stays cool to the touch, even in heat and sunlight. This makes it a perfect material for paving around an outdoor pool. It also is a non-skid surface, even when wet, which is important for safety around a pool.

Travertine is easy to install, and can usually be done by those with experience in laying regular pavers. Because travertine is a natural stone, it is made to uphold through time, and will not fade or scuff. It is also a great choice in a variety of climates, because it can withstand freezing and thawing without cracking.

Travertine can be cut to different sizes, and is usually offered as tile or pavers. Travertine pavers are thicker than tile, and are a good choice for paving outdoor areas. The extra thickness makes them stronger and allows them to be placed in many areas without mortar.

Landscape Architects

As you look to improve your yard and property, you might want to make it easy on yourself and hire a landscape architect. These licensed professionals can provide homeowners with great expertise when it comes to designing the perfect plan for their space.

After formal schooling and years of experience, a good landscape architect will find work easily at places such as public parks or golf courses, working in the actual design of the area. Many others own nurseries where they sell many different types of plants and spend their days helping customers plan out their yards. Still others work full-time at clients’ homes, designing their yards and coming up with a complete plan for landscaping.

It is possible to plan out your yard on your own, but a landscape architect will have a broad base of knowledge about things like what plants would look good together in a certain bed, or how to use things like brick, pebbles, marble or travertine pavers to create a walkway. These professionals might also suggest you try something you might not have considered, such as adding a cap rock waterfall, or a dry bed of recycled glass mulch. Landscape architects should know what things will work well in your area, and will know other things, such as coral rocks should only be used in very warm climates, or else they will crack.

You may be able to get this information on your own by doing your research, but a landscape architect will simplify the process for you.

Curb Appeal

For those that are looking to sell their home, or even just improve the value of their current home, one thing that can help is curb appeal. Homeowners that take the time to improve their yard and landscape, as well as the outside of their house, often find a nice return on their money. A well-kept yard and house will usually sell better than a run-down property.

Starting with the simple things, it doesn’t take much time or money to make sure the garden is free of weeds and looking healthy. Inspecting and, if necessary, replacing gutters and downspouts will improve the home, as well as installing a new front door. Planning out and installing lighting can make a yard beautiful at night. These things, while rather small, will make a big impression on those looking at the house from the curb.

Other improvements, such as painting the house and trim, will take more time and labor. If the homeowner is willing to take the time, or can hire help to do it, adding or rebuilding a patio made out of a nice stone like travertine pavers, or a fireplace out of coral rocks would add much to a home. A homeowner could also build a walkway leading to the flowerbeds, made out of colored pebbles or other stone.

One more thing that can help would be to take pictures of the yard and then use them to see what needs to be improved. Sometimes taking a step back helps us see things we tend to overlook.

How to Install Coralina Tiles in 4 Easy Steps

Coralina tile provides a beautiful, long lasting wall that's easy to take care of and is almost impossible to mark or stain. You can install wall tiles literally any place you want to be able to enjoy their beauty, but the obvious locations are in outdoor kitchens (as backsplashes or countertops) and in bathrooms and showers. Although most people think a coralina wall is difficult to install, the reality is it's not beyond the range of a handy DIY'er who is willing to spend some time understanding the process and take his time installing the wall.

Here's what you'll need:
• Coralina tiles
• Cement board or green drywall
• Galvanized cement board screws
• Fiberglass tape
• Level
• Pencil
• Tile adhesive
• Notched trowel
• Tile cutter (rented)
• Tile nippers
• Grout
• Rubber float
• Sponge
• Buckets of clear water
• Utility knife
• Silicon caulk

Preparing the Wall
Coralina tiles can be installed directly on drywall, plaster, or if they are in moist areas, onto "green" drywall or even better cement backer board. Green drywall is specifically designed for use in bathrooms. It's as easy (or as hard) to work with as ordinary drywall, but it's specially formulated to resist moisture. Its best use is in a kitchen or bathroom where the environment will get moist, but not where it will actually be exposed to water.

Cement backer board is actually made from a fiberglass mesh and Portland cement, so moisture won't bother it at all. It is available in 1/2 and 5/8-inch thick sheets (similar to drywall), and is usually sold in 32 or 36-inch wide panels 5 or 8 feet long. Cement board is cut the same way as ordinary drywall - score it with a utility knife and then snap it at the line. It's installed by screwing it to the underlying studs; place the screws about 6 inches apart and use special galvanized screws that won't rust. The seams are finished by taping with special fiberglass seaming tape. Cement board is the best thing to use in a shower installation and even makes sense if you are installing a backsplash close to a sink.

Laying Out Your Tile Pattern
Find the center of your wall and use a carpenter's level to mark intersecting plumb (vertical) and level (horizontal) lines. Dry fit the first row of coralina tiles starting at the center and working your way to the ends of the wall. You want the coralina tiles at both row ends to be approximately the same size, so you may have to adjust your vertical reference line to make them match up.

Installing the Tile
Starting in the center, on one side of your reference line, apply a coat of tile setting adhesive to an area about 3' by 3' square. Take care not to cover your lines. Spread the adhesive with the smooth side of your notched trowel and then go over it with the notched side to create ridges in the adhesive.

Firmly press each coralina tile in place and give it a slight twisting motion to be sure it makes good contact with the adhesive. As you work your way along, place tile spacers on all four sides of each tile, so your grout lines will be consistent. Take your time and work on the wall in three square foot sections.

At the end of a row or around fixtures, you'll probably need to cut some tiles. A rented ceramic tile cutter is the easiest way to make your straight cuts. Using this tool, score the cut line on a full tile and then snap the tile along the scribed line. Smooth the edge with 80 grit sandpaper (the edge of a cut coralina tile is very sharp).

Cutting irregular shaped tiles or around obstructions will require using "tile nippers." These are a heavy duty hand tool that you use to "nip" or bite off little pieces of a tile, one at a time, until you have cut the needed shape.

Grouting
After the coralina tiles have all been installed and the adhesive has set up (probably overnight), it's time to grout the tiles. Depending on the width of your grout lines, you will need to choose either sanded or unsanded grout. If the spaces between the tiles are bigger than 1/8", use sanded grout. (Sanded grout actually contains sand particles that help make the grout joint stronger.)

Remove all your tile spacers and mix the grout following manufacturer's directions (it should end up with a peanut butter-like consistency). If you're grouting in a bathroom or kitchen area, be sure your grout includes a waterproofing agent.
Using a rubber float, apply the grout at a 45-degree angle to the grout lines.
Press firmly; you want to get grout all the way down to the bottom of the seams. Work in your 3' x 3' areas to be sure you get uniform coverage of all the grout lines. Wipe off any excess grout with a wet sponge and clear water.