Travertine Pavers Installation Specifications

Site Preparation

• Proper site preparation is essential for installing travertine pavers. If the pavers don't have a solid, sturdy base below them, they could sink, crack or incur other damage. The first part of preparation requires that you remove all the dirt and turf (topsoil) from the area you are paving. The travertine resource Travertine Tiles recommends that you compact all of the remaining ground materials using a mechanical compactor. The next step is to pour a base material on top of the compacted ground, which could be crushed stone or gravel. According to the paver resource PaverSearch, this base layer should be about 4 inches deep. You should then compact your base materials and pour sand on top. The sand will be the bedding that you set the travertine pavers in and should be approximately 2 inches deep. As with the previous layers, you should compact the sand layer after you pour it.

Paver Pattern

• People often create patterns with their travertine pavers, which they accomplish by varying the sizes and shapes of the pavers. Many of these patterns have their own names and specifications. For example, as Travertine Tiles notes, the French pattern uses alternating arrangements of four different paver sizes: 8 inches by 8 inches; 16 inches by 8 inches; 16 inches by 16 inches; and 16 inches by 24 inches. Alternatively, the mini-French pattern uses alternating arrangements of pavers that are 4 inches by 4 inches; 8 inches by 4 inches; 8 inches by 8 inches; and 8 inches by 12 inches.

Laying Pavers

• Installing travertine pavers correctly requires that you start in a corner of your space and work your way out of it. You should place each consecutive paver as close as possible to the previous one, without disrupting the pattern or causing overlap. Use a rubber mallet to tap the pavers in place.

Cutting Pavers

• If you must trim or cut a travertine paver to fit in a section of surfacing, measure the amount to cut and mark it on the paver. Then, use a chisel and hammer to etch or score the line permanently into the paver. This will make it easier for you to cut the paver with a power splitter or power saw.