Travertine or marble: what are the differences?
Travertine and marble are both limestones, and are often confused. Yet they have neither the same history, nor the same look, nor quite the same character day to day.
Two stones, two origins
Travertine forms near springs of water rich in limestone: as the water evaporates, it deposits the stone layer by layer, and gas bubbles leave its characteristic pores. Marble is a limestone transformed deep underground by heat and pressure: it is denser, crystalline, often veined.
The look
Travertine has a matt, warm appearance, in sand, cream or honey tones, with horizontal lines and visible pores (filled or not depending on the finish). Marble is smoother, often brighter, with pronounced veining; a white marble gives an interior a more graphic feel.
Day to day
Both stones are limestones: they are sensitive to acids (lemon, vinegar, wine, limescale removers), which dull the surface. Wipe up quickly, use coasters, and apply a water-repellent treatment once or twice a year. A fully filled travertine is as easy to clean as a polished marble.
Weight and price
Their density is similar (around 2.4 to 2.7 tonnes per cubic metre): a 180 × 90 cm tabletop in 2 cm weighs about 80 kg in both cases. At NEVA, the Thasos table in white marble, 180 × 90 cm, is €1,480, compared with €1,290 for our travertine tables of the same size.
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