Hi,
We are building a new house and are trying to design the master shower. My biggest question is: How wide should the curb be? Most seem to be 4 inches. Is this a standard size? The door is a frameless pivot glass door. I don’t think that matters but you never know. The tile will probably be travertine.
Cold in Iowa
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I would size the curb to make efficient use of the tile. If the curb is four inches and you add tile outside and in you won't get three pieces out of a 12 by 12 tile. Minor issue but something to think about.
I had considered using travertine in my shower and rejected the idea after my tile guy warned me that I could have problems with it if I used it in a steam shower. The travertine my wife had picked out had unfilled voids that would allow water to get behind the tile. With natural stone you can get unsightly mold within or behind the tile, iron deposits rusting and other unpredictable results if the stone stays in contact with water for prolonged periods. If your travertine has had all voids filled and the shower is well ventilated this may not be an issue.
Just be aware of the limitations of travertine or any other variation of limestone before making your final selection. It is going to etch to varying degrees if you use and acidic cleaner. This doesn't have to be a problem but you may end up with different textures/sheen in different areas over time and use. If someone tells you a sealer will prevent this worry get them to give you a written guarantee that they will repair/replace your tile if the sealer fails to live up to the claims they have made for it.
Good luck, Karl
PS, I ended up going with granite slabs in my shower
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It just doesn't matter!
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