Herbs Coastal Landscapes / Natural Stone & Travertine
Natural Stone & Travertine
Travertine, granite and limestone laid on a base built to survive Perth conditions.
What it involves
Perth sand drains quickly and compacts unevenly. Natural stone stands or fails on what is underneath it, base preparation, compaction and falls, far more than on the stone that was chosen.
Travertine is the usual choice around a pool because it stays cool underfoot and keeps its grip when wet. Granite and bluestone suit high-traffic areas and modern homes. Limestone is the local material and weathers beautifully when detailed properly. Each one has its own bedding, jointing and sealing requirements, and getting those wrong is what causes staining and movement later.
Stone is a natural product, so shade and veining vary from pallet to pallet. We dry-lay and blend across several pallets before anything is fixed, so the finished surface reads evenly instead of showing patches. Retaining above a certain height still needs engineering and sometimes council approval, and that gets identified at concept rather than partway through a build.
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Commonquestions.
What people ask about natural stone and travertine.
Is travertine too hot around a pool?
The opposite, it is one of the reasons people choose it. Travertine stays noticeably cooler underfoot than concrete or dark pavers and keeps its grip when wet, which is why it is the default around Perth pools. A tumbled or unfilled finish gives more grip again.
Does natural stone stain?
It can, travertine and limestone especially, where water sits against them or reticulation sprays them repeatedly. Laid with the right base, drainage and detailing they weather well and improve with age. Sealing helps in some situations and is unnecessary in others, and it is never a substitute for getting the drainage right.
Why does paving fail in Perth?
Almost always the base, not the stone. Perth sand moves and compacts unevenly, so a surface laid on poorly prepared ground will settle no matter how good the stone is. Retaining fails the same way, through drainage rather than masonry.
Will it match the showroom sample?
Closely, not exactly. Natural stone varies between batches and a showroom sample is a single piece. We order from one batch where we can and blend across pallets on site, so the variation is spread evenly through the surface rather than landing in one corner.
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