In general, Americans tend to prefer hard surfaces when it comes to installing floors. In 2011 for example, nearly 67% of of floor covering replacement jobs used hard flooring materials like hardwood and stone. In the bedroom, about 56% of homeowners prefer hardwood; in contrast, about 44% prefer carpet. If that’s not telling enough, a whopping 95% of homeowners prefer hardwood in common living areas such as the living room and the dining room. It goes without saying that for various reasons, Americans can’t get enough of hard flooring materials.
There are a wide variety of hard surface materials to choose from. Hardwood (including maple, oak, mahogany, and even bamboo), limestone, granite, marble, terrazzo, and travertine are just some of the stellar choices homeowners have. Of those listed, the latter is particularly popular. The United States imports and mines approximately 0.85 million tons of travertine a year. Travertine is considered one of the finer natural stones out there. A form of limestone, travertine is typically deposited in mineral springs. Italy is a large exporter of travertine, which makes sense considering the Italians have been using travertine as construction material for centuries. Michelangelo, for example, used travertine for the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The stone, which has a fibrous texture and generally a white or “cream” hue, can be found in hot springs outside of Italy. The U.S., Turkey, China, Hungary, Spain, Guatemala, Iran, and Afghanistan are other countries that mine and export travertine.
Homeowners with travertine floors tend to be very happy with them. But, like with all flooring materials, travertine needs to be cleaned from time to time. That is why travertine cleaning by professionals is a popular choice for homeowners. Doing a good cleaning job on travertine takes more than just a bucket and mop. Oftentimes special chemicals and techniques are used to clean travertine. Hire travertine polishers and cleaners today for your cleaning needs.
For more information about hot to hire travertine polishers and professionals, feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom.
