Travertine is one of the most durable tile and paver options on the market, but even with the utmost care, some homeowners may experience damage to their travertine tile due to excessive wear and tear or accidents. However, it’s easy to repair or replace a damaged tile with DIY travertine installation.
Using colored caulk or epoxy that matches the shade of your travertine tile, it’s possible to repair small cracks. While you might not see a thin crack at first, after a while it will become more prominent as dirt gets caught in the crack and darkens it. Here’s how you can go about repairing the crack and making your travertine tiles look as good as new.
Clean the area thoroughly
Before you start the filling process, you’ll need to make sure that the crack and the surrounding travertine tile is completely clean. Use a natural stone cleaner to wipe the tiles that have cracks and rinse them with water.
You may also need to use a toothbrush or another small brush to scrub the crack itself to remove debris. A vacuum cleaner can ensure that all of the particles are removed.
The area should be completely dry before you start working to fill the crack, so try using a blow dryer if you want to finish the travertine installation immediately or just let it dry overnight.
Prepare the cracks
In order to fill the cracks and make the material you use stick to the sides, you’ll need to prep the crack by evening out the surfaces and roughing them up a little so the epoxy or caulk has something to grab on to.
DoItYourself.com recommended using a razor blade for small cracks or a nail file for larger cracks, then using the tool to rough up the edges of the crack. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust afterward.
Fill up the cracks
The next step is to fill the cracks with either caulk or epoxy. You’ll want to be sure to choose a filler that will perfectly match your travertine tile so the repair is seamless.
Depending on what material you use to fill the cracks, you’ll need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for preparation, whether it’s mixing the epoxy or caulk or preparing the caulk gun.
Now squeeze the epoxy or caulk into the crack, and use something like a toothpick to push the material down into it to make sure it completely fills the crack. It’s okay if the caulk or epoxy overflows, as you can clean up the excess with a putty knife, razor blade or damp rag.
When the crack is filled, make sure the excess epoxy or caulk has been scraped off and that the surface of the tile is level. Now you’ll need to let the travertine tile dry overnight, and don’t let anyone walk on it if it’s floor tiles you repaired.
Once the epoxy or caulk is dry and the cracks are repaired, you should clean your travertine tile as usual and then seal the area that was repaired to protect it in the future.
