Outdoor flooring (West coast) - Travertine vs. Marble

[Kgvenkatesh]

Hi all, I'm torn between travertine vs. marble for our small 800 sqf patio backyard... we live in west coast so freezing is not an issue. I feel marble would be stronger, more durable and nicer but travertine would be less slippery and more warm. I'd go for brush finish look on either one. How to go about making a decision? Cost-wise the travertine we like would be cheaper by $800 vs. the marble (both on build direct), not a huge difference on our $11k backyard project. Thanks for your advice.

[jadnashua]

Travertine can have some voids in it and something like a high heel or a chair leg could crack through and open up that void making a hole. Both of them can become stained if you spill something like some red wine on them. If you have acid rain, that can etch the tile. I'll leave it to those with more field experience to add their thoughts and express their preferences. I'd be more inclined to use something like a granite with a flamed surface finish.

[Kgvenkatesh]

Thank you Jim for great inputs. I do like granite for the durability but it looks too cold and it'd be expensive, hence a no go for us, sorry, so back to my question on Travertine vs Marble. I have seen travertine quite frequently here (bay area) but not much marble... trying to understand which way to lean. Thanks again for all your inputs

[john619]

there are also some great looking travertine and marble look porcelain ceramic tiles that may be better suited to the exterior exposure

[Autoplay]

Something to consider too is,the anti-skid properties of whatever material you use. If exposed to the elements,and a person is walking/running on it while wet/damp etc....what could be the result of such?

[Davy]

I was thinking the same as Rich. I probably wouldn't use either one, even honed could be slick when running. I'd look into a textured tile or thin paver. You might look up Sunshine Pavers. It's been a while since I've installed them but they were reasonably priced and they do hold up well.

Here's a link
http://www.floridabrickandclay.com/sunshine-pavers/

[CaliGrown]

We've done a lot of travertine for pool decking in California. For traction, we apply sealant with anti skid powder mixed in. A key to having a good deck is proper slope and good drainage. We like to use deco drain because of its color and volume capacity.

[jerrymlr1]

What part of the bay area Venki? Climates vary quite a bit there. If you're somewhere that gets hot then you might look at marbella, Phillipine shellstone. It stays cool in the hot sun and is non slip. If you're in say, Tiburon or Belvedere, you have a lot more options. Travertine will last a long time. I have seen a lot of bluestone around there. It gets super hot though.