Honing Lippage on Travertine Floor

by Kevin Scott
(San Antonio, Tx)

QUESTION:

I had Travertine floor tile installed and the tiles were not level. There were 1/16th to 1/8th inch edges in some areas.


The installer assured me that this was normal and that he would grind the travertine tile edges upon completion of the job and once sealed we would not be able to tell the difference. (Have you stopped laughing yet?)

As you can imagine this floor looks horrible. My daughter broke into tears when she saw it. (It was a house for her.)

Can the floor be repaired once it is laid? Can it be honed in place. Who does that and what does it cost?

ANSWER:

Lippage can be a challenge, but should be very minimal on a correctly installed travertine floor tiles.

So, fire the installer. Travertine tile setting is a snap compared to re-finishing. So, if this guy can't even install a decent tile floor he has no chance of correcting his inept job with grinding and refinishing.

Travertine flooring can be repaired (ground down, refilled and re-honed) in place, but it's a job requiring significant skill and experience and specialized equipment.

Your only option is to hire a travetine maintenance and restoration pro that you check out diligently. You want the very best you can find if you want a flat, smooth floor.

Just having the tools and a bit of knowledge of the process is just enough to trade lippage for other problems.

Cost of stone repair will depend on a variety of factors, but it will be expensive. You may consider getting some quotes for complete tear out and re-install to compare to re-finishing.