Travertine Pool Decking Pros and Cons

It just hit mid-July and the summer’s scorching heat is making you retreat to the confines of your air-conditioned living room, but with summer vacation, the kids are desperate to play outside, which is why you keep hearing the phrase “I’m bored.” Sound familiar? At this moment you’re probably putting together a list of responses and dreaming of finally building that swimming pool for the backyard so that the family can once again enjoy the sun and heat that summer so generously provides.

If you’ve finally made the jump to designing the pool for your backyard, travertine is a perfect choice for pool decking, not only for beautiful aesthetics but also for functional reasons that will keep you in the pool area for long hours. You’ll no longer hear the phrase “I’m bored” again because both you and your kids will be pleased with your choice of a travertine designed pool area. Besides our gallery, there are plenty of travertine pool deck photos online to help you with ideas.

Travertine Pool Decking – Pros

There are several pros when it comes to designing your new pool with Travertine pool deck. Read our list and find out if it works for your space.

Non-Slip Surface

One of the biggest concerns when it comes to swimming pool surfaces is if it will prohibit children from slipping and falling on a wet surface. The outer surface of your pool is bound to get wet, but with travertine’s porous nature, the water is absorbed making it not slippery.

The holes that are naturally occurring as a part of travertine’s facade easily retain the water that is pushed to the surface while you’re enjoying the pool. The absorption also makes it more difficult for water to remain in puddles or flood the inside of your house. It is also a good choice if you’re in a place with high amounts of rain, the travertine pool deck once again will prohibit any runoff or flooding.

Heat Resistant

If safety is an important issue for you, a travertine pool deck has you covered. Not only does it prevent slips and falls due to its non-slip surface, but also it is heat resistant.

If you live in an area with temperatures exceeding 85 degrees, have no fear – travertine decking will keep your feet cool. Travertine transfers the cool, low temperatures from the Earth underneath while reflecting the sun’s rays. The movement of cool air allows travertine’s surface remains cool to the touch, which is great when you want to have BBQ’s or play in the pool midday without the worry of people burning the bottoms of their feet.

Durable

Not only is travertine good for safety, but it is also well known for being durable and can withstand high heat. It doesn’t matter how high the temperature gets in your city, travertine is naturally made to last. There is sometimes confusion between indoor travertine (or travertine tile) and outdoor travertine (or travertine pavers) but the type of travertine that is used for pool decking is travertine pavers, which are thick and durable.

This is also true in extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain or sleet.

Rocks, spills, shoes, or whatever it may be that you want to move by the pool also won’t damage travertine decking. The durability makes it an easy choice when you want to enjoy your backyard and won’t get ruined when you have parties, bbq, or move patio furniture near the surface.

Travertine Pool Decking – Cons

Travertine drives a hard bargain. It looks nice, won’t get ruined easily, can withstand the heat, is great for safety, and is extremely functional when it comes to design – but there is one drawback for travertine pool decking, and that is that travertine pool decking is its porous nature.

Sealing is an Option

Unfortunately, one of the cons of travertine is, although the pores make it easier to absorb water (which is beneficial during hot summers), this can be a disadvantage if your pool decking is near loose soil, where dirt can get trapped in the pores.

This will reduce the natural beauty of the travertine. Although this may seem problematic, you can keep your travertine decking looking beautiful year-round by sealing it once every 3-5 years.

Sealing travertine is not required, but many installation professionals will seal the stone to ensure their customers enjoy the look of that natural travertine and its pores for years to come.

If you consider that the Roman Coliseum has stood the test of time, and it is made of Travertine, you shouldn’t worry about the material breaking down. Travertine stone is one of the most durable and beautiful applications that a home or business owner could invest in.

If you have any questions about which travertine is right for you, or want more information about the types of travertine for your next swimming pool or other project, feel free to contact a Travertine expert at Texas Travertine: (855) 588-7272.