Why travertine looks the way it does.
Travertine is a beautiful, porous stone with natural pits. Three things wear it down over time, and each one is fixable in most cases.
Open pits.
The factory fill in travertine's natural pits wears away with foot traffic, water, and daily use. What started as a smooth surface begins to feel textured and reads patchy from across the room.
Etches from acidic spills.
Citrus, wine, coffee, and household cleaners react with the calcium in travertine and leave dull marks. These are etches, and they can be honed out and refinished.
Foot traffic and water.
Water and traffic slowly hone the finish flat. A once-polished travertine floor reads cloudy, and a honed floor loses its consistency.
Recommended finish varies by traffic pattern, lighting, and use. We will advise during the walkthrough.
The Pure Light™ approach.
travertine restoration
01. Travertine restoration is a multi-step craft. We hone the surface to remove damage, fill pits and holes with color-matched resin (a specialty of the marble, travertine, and limestone family that most cleaners do not offer), polish to the finish you want, and can seal or color-enhance to protect the result.
02. Cameron Stewart is the National trainer for MB Stone restoration west of the Mississippi. Every Pure Light™ technician working travertine is certified through Pure Stone Care.
03. Cleaning is not the same service. Cleaning gets a surface presentable. Restoration brings the stone back.
Restore, surpass, or change the factory finish.
Restore.
Bring travertine back to its original factory finish. Pits filled. Etches honed out. Surface returned to what it was on day one.
Surpass.
For high-gloss finishes, we can polish beyond the factory reading. On marble we validate with a gloss meter; on travertine, we validate visually against a reference finish.
Change.
A polished floor can be converted to honed. A honed floor can be brought up to a subtle polish. A penetrating color-enhancing sealer can permanently deepen the natural tone for a wet look. We recommend a test area first, because the effect is permanent.
Travertine services we provide.
Travertine floor restoration
Travertine countertop restoration
Travertine shower and vanity restoration
Travertine patio and outdoor entry restoration
Pit and hole filling (color-matched resin)
Honing and polishing (matte, honed, and polished finishes)
Etch removal
Water and mineral-deposit repair
Penetrating sealing
Penetrating color-enhancing sealing (permanent wet look)
MORE™ AntiEtch™ coating (where applicable)
Travertine transformations.
Real travertine jobs. Real Pure Light™ clients.
The Pure Light Standard™
The proof behind the standard.
700+ five-star Google reviews
~70%
Approximately 70% of our monthly jobs are repeat customers.
1 of only 2
MORE™ AntiEtch™ Certified Applicators in San Diego County.
![](data:image/svg+xml,<svg display="block" role="presentation" viewBox="0 0 48 48" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g d="M 0 0 L 48 0 L 48 48 L 0 48 Z M 47.04 24.546 C 47.042 22.9 46.896 21.256 46.604 19.636 L 24 19.636 L 24 28.931 L 36.916 28.931 C 36.349 31.92 34.647 34.451 32.094 36.153 L 32.094 42.196 L 39.884 42.196 C 44.422 38.007 47.04 31.855 47.04 24.546 Z M 24 48 C 30.48 48 35.913 45.862 39.884 42.196 L 32.094 36.153 C 29.956 37.593 27.229 38.466 24 38.466 C 17.76 38.466 12.458 34.254 10.56 28.582 L 2.575 28.582 L 2.575 34.778 C 6.524 42.611 14.618 48 24 48 Z M 10.56 28.56 C 10.061 27.091 9.803 25.551 9.796 24 C 9.796 22.407 10.08 20.88 10.56 19.44 L 10.56 13.244 L 2.575 13.244 C 0.881 16.576 -0.002 20.262 0 24 C 0 27.884 0.938 31.527 2.575 34.756 L 8.793 29.913 Z M 24 9.556 C 27.535 9.556 30.676 10.778 33.185 13.135 L 40.058 6.262 C 35.891 2.378 30.48 0 24 0 C 14.618 0 6.524 5.39 2.575 13.244 L 10.56 19.44 C 12.458 13.767 17.76 9.556 24 9.556 Z" fill="transparent" height="48.000000732421874px" id="c85pxx8_4" width="48.00000277183926px"><path d="M 0 0 L 48 0 L 48 48 L 0 48 Z" fill="transparent" height="48px" id="v92SxdVrg" transform="translate(0 0)" width="48px"/><path d="M 23.04 4.91 C 23.042 3.264 22.896 1.62 22.604 0 L 0 0 L 0 9.295 L 12.916 9.295 C 12.349 12.284 10.647 14.815 8.094 16.517 L 8.094 22.56 L 15.884 22.56 C 20.422 18.371 23.04 12.219 23.04 4.91 Z" fill="rgb(66, 133, 244)" height="22.56px" id="hEgMm5Vux" transform="translate(24 19.636)" width="23.04001243775513px"/><path d="M 21.425 19.418 C 27.905 19.418 33.338 17.28 37.309 13.614 L 29.519 7.571 C 27.381 9.011 24.654 9.884 21.425 9.884 C 15.185 9.884 9.883 5.672 7.985 0 L 0 0 L 0 6.196 C 3.949 14.029 12.043 19.418 21.425 19.418 Z" fill="rgb(52, 168, 83)" height="19.418px" id="lu_CTrY37" transform="translate(2.575 28.582)" width="37.309px"/><path d="M 10.56 15.316 C 10.061 13.847 9.803 12.307 9.796 10.756 C 9.796 9.163 10.08 7.636 10.56 6.196 L 10.56 0 L 2.575 0 C 0.881 3.332 -0.002 7.018 0 10.756 C 0 14.64 0.938 18.283 2.575 21.512 L 8.793 16.669 Z" fill="rgb(251, 188, 5)" height="21.512px" id="o9N41Q3sx" transform="translate(0 13.244)" width="10.560002771839168px"/><path d="M 21.425 9.556 C 24.96 9.556 28.101 10.778 30.61 13.135 L 37.483 6.262 C 33.316 2.378 27.905 0 21.425 0 C 12.043 0 3.949 5.39 0 13.244 L 7.985 19.44 C 9.883 13.767 15.185 9.556 21.425 9.556 Z" fill="rgb(234, 67, 53)" height="19.439999999999998px" id="wNlPBCzUS" transform="translate(2.575 0)" width="37.483px"/></g></svg>)
Travertine restoration FAQs.
Can etched travertine actually be restored, or does it need replacement?
Yes, in almost every case. Etches are honed out and the surface refinished. Replacement is a last resort.
What about the pits and holes in my travertine?
Do you guarantee the work?
How long does a travertine restoration take?
Should my travertine be sealed after restoration?
Get a free in-home travertine assessment.
We identify the stone with professional Stone ID kits, walk the surface with you, and give you an honest scope. No pressure.