Syrian Travertine: A Buyer's Guide

Syrian Travertine: A Buyer's Guide

Buyers who look for Syrian travertine usually want three answers: what the stone looks like, which finishes and formats are available, and how it reaches their port. This guide answers them for the travertine we quarry and process in Syria, and lists what to specify so that offers can be compared on the same basis.

What travertine is

Travertine is a variety of limestone. It forms where geothermally heated water, rich in dissolved minerals, reaches the surface, and calcium carbonate precipitates as the water degases and evaporates.¹ Because it builds up quickly, layer on layer, travertine is often a banded rock with numerous voids and cavities.¹ The bands and cavities are its character, and they explain most of the choices in an order: how the cavities are treated, which way the block is sawn and which finish the surface gets.

In trade and customs terms, travertine is often grouped with marble: heading 2515 of the Harmonized System covers marble, travertine and other calcareous building stone.² Our Syrian marble guide explains what that means for an offer, and our Syrian limestone guide covers the other limestones we supply.

The travertine we supply: Silver Travertine

Our current travertine is Silver Travertine, a silver-grey travertine with layered movement, soft tonal variation and a naturally linear character. We quarry and process it in Syria and supply it as blocks, slabs or cut-to-size pieces. The photographs on its page show the unfilled finish.

• Colour: silver-grey, with soft tonal variation.
• Pattern: layered, linear movement.
• Finishes: raw, honed, antique, filled or unfilled.
• Formats: blocks, slabs and cut-to-size pieces.
• Typical uses: flooring, pools, wall cladding, facades, landscaping, steps and architectural details.

For the other stones we supply from Syria, see all nine stones and our Syrian natural stone guide.

Filled or unfilled

The cavities can be filled, usually with resin or cement, for a closed and even surface, or left open to show the full texture of the stone. Unfilled travertine is expressive on walls and facades, where light catches the edges of the cavities. On floors and other surfaces that are walked on and cleaned often, a filled surface is the more practical choice. If you choose filled, agree the colour of the filler on a sample, because it shows across the whole surface.

Vein-cut or cross-cut

Travertine forms in layers, so the direction of the saw changes the look. A vein-cut slab is sawn across the layers and shows them as long, parallel bands with a clear direction. A cross-cut slab is sawn along the layers and shows softer, cloud-like shapes without one strong direction. Our article Silver Travertine: Cross-Cut or Vein-Cut? shows both on our stone. Name the cut you want in your enquiry, together with the finish, because two slabs from the same block can look very different.

Finishes

• Raw: left as cut, a natural, slightly rough surface.
• Honed: ground flat to a smooth matte or satin surface, without gloss.
• Antique: a softly worn, textured surface with an aged look, typically produced by brushing or tumbling.
• Filled or unfilled: as above, combined with the surface finish, for example honed and filled.

Travertine has been used as an architectural stone since antiquity, and it is sawn into floor tiles, wall panels, stair treads and other shapes.¹ Whether it suits an exterior or wet area depends on the exact use, the climate and the fixing method, so tell us where the stone will go.

What to specify

1. The stone and its rock type: Silver Travertine, travertine.
2. Filled or unfilled, and for filled, the colour of the filler.
3. The cut: vein-cut or cross-cut.
4. The finish: raw, honed or antique.
5. The format and thickness: blocks, slabs or cut-to-size pieces, with dimensions and tolerances.
6. The use: floor, wall, facade, steps, pool surround or landscaping, inside or outside.
7. The quantity and the destination port.

Dimension stone is judged on colour, grain texture and pattern, surface finish, and durability and strength for the intended use,³ so agree a reference sample or photographs of the production, and the acceptable range of natural variation, before production starts. Our specification checklist covers the full list.

How to order

• Orders start at one 20 ft container, usually about 300 to 350 m² of stone depending on the thickness and format; a 20 ft container carries about 16 to 25 tonnes. Ordering by the container explains the arithmetic.
• Production typically takes about 14 days, sometimes up to around 20, before the goods are ready to ship.
• We quote FOB Latakia, CIF to your port or EXW, depending on the order and route. On FOB Latakia, our delivery is complete when the goods are on board the vessel at the port of Latakia, and sea freight and insurance from there are arranged by the buyer.
• Before loading, we send photos and video of the actual stone in your order, and you are welcome to inspect it in person. Every crate is numbered and documented, and the shipment travels with a packing list and a certificate of origin.

The factors behind a quote are set out in What Drives the Price of Syrian Limestone; they apply to travertine in the same way.

Producer or trader

Syrian travertine reaches buyers from producers that quarry and process it, and from companies that buy it and sell it on. Both can serve a project. The difference is how many steps sit between the quarry and your site, and how much you can see before loading, so ask who operates the quarry, where the stone is processed and which port it ships from. Our guide Producer or Trader? lists the questions.

Questions buyers ask

Is travertine a limestone?

Yes. Travertine is a variety of limestone that forms around mineral springs, which is why it is layered and has cavities.

Filled or unfilled travertine for a floor?

For floors that are walked on and cleaned often, filled is usually the more practical choice. Unfilled travertine suits walls and facades, where the open texture is part of the design.

Can I see the stone before it is shipped?

Yes. We send photos and video of the actual stone in your order before loading, and you can inspect it in person.

Short answers on quotes, inspection before loading, delivery, payment and export documents are in our buyer questions.