Silver travertine crazy paving, tumbled, in random pieces roughly 200mm to 600mm across at 20mm thick. Silver travertine runs cool grey with soft banding, so it gives you travertine’s texture without travertine’s usual warmth.
The Cool Travertine
Most travertine is beige. Silver is the grey one, and it is the reason this crazy pave gets specified on contemporary builds where a Classic or Ivory would look too traditional. Against charcoal render, black frames and grey decking it sits naturally, and around a pool it keeps the water looking blue rather than green.
Because it is tumbled rather than sawn, the edges are softened and the surface lightly worn, which is what stops a crazy pave looking like broken tile.
Pores and Grip
Travertine has natural surface pores. On a crazy pave that is an advantage: the pores drain and grip, so a wet pool surround stays safe. Grout takes up some of them at installation and the rest stay as texture.
Seal before grouting. Unsealed travertine holds grout in its pores and the haze is very hard to remove, more so on a grey stone where it shows as a pale film.
Laying and Quantities
Crates cover 23sqm. Allow around 15 percent over your measured area for trimming, more than square pavers need. At 20mm this goes on a concrete base with adhesive; it is not a driveway stone.
Sort the crate by size before starting, set the largest flags first and work the smaller pieces into the gaps. On a cool grey stone a mid-grey grout tends to look better than white, which can make the joints dominate.
Related Stones
The same silver travertine comes as cut pavers and tiles, so a crazy paved courtyard can run into a cut-stone terrace in matching stone. Other cool crazy paves are Valas in pale blue-grey marble and bluestone for a darker grey. Full range on the crazy paving page.
Samples are free. Direct import into Keysborough, Melbourne, with freight quoted Australia wide.
