Travertine: Matte or Polished?

September 03, 2014

Thinking about redecorating and changing your floors? Travertine has striking, natural beauty and is available in a variety of elegant, subtle shades. It can be installed outdoors or indoors in commercial or residential areas.


Travertine has three major finishes, polished (shiny), honed (matte), and semi gloss. Many uninformed customers are confused about which finish to choose for a particular area. The type of finish given determines how glossy or textured the surface will be. Polished and honed surfaces are smooth and strikingly shiny.

Matte Finish Travertine

Polished Finish Travertine

The most common finish for travertine in home environments is honed: a flat, smooth feel with a matte finish that mutes reflected light. The resulting tile is beautifully natural looking but not textured. Nowadays, there is a trend toward matte rather than polished floor and wall tiles in the bathroom. Matte tiles are more chic and modern and agree with updated decorations and looks.


Keep in mind that trends come and go. Instead, you might also think about which appeals to your taste more, matte or polished … Remember, you'll be attracted to it for the next century! Be sure to check the slip resistance if you are planning to use polished travertine on the floors. Many of the matte finishes have a higher slip resistance rating than the polished ones and that may help you in making a decision.

If you use polished natural stone, travertine or marble, it will have a natural but "hidden" tooth that will prevent it from being slippery, while the smooth finish will make it much easier to keep clean. It is counterintuitive, but the shiny surface that looks so elegant will actually be much easier to maintain. Elegant and clean are always in style!

If you found this article helpful then let us know in the comments section below. Likewise, feel free to share it using the share options below. Want us to cover another topic of your interest pertaining to hard surface restoration? If so, then like us and follow us on social media, and post to any of our social media profiles the topic you'd like us to discuss: Facebook Sir Grout, Instagram @sirgrout, and Twitter @SirGrout.