Interior designers and architects are consistently challenged with finding the right solutions to bring their client’s vision to life. It’s not just color, patterns, finish and materials; it’s also about textural elements that anchor the overall design. In natural stone flooring, the right “cut” is a part of this matrix. So here is a bit on vein cut travertine, as shown in the image at the top of this post from Marble Systems and in the two images below.
Traditionally, travertine is cut across the grain, known as “cross-cut.” It exposes a pattern with holes and cavities in the stone that are formed by gas escaping during its’ formation. There is however, an alternative procedure. When stone is cut in the same direction as the layers of sediment, it reveals elongated striations along the length of the stone. In the case of travertine this is popularly known as vein cut travertine.

via femcafe.hu
Natural Stone Flooring
In modern applications, vein-cut travertine planking is commonly found in many rectangular sizes. They can be used as a uniform, single-sized option, or by creating patterns mixing different sizes and layouts.
Today, the design professional is receiving more and more requests from clients for a cleaner, less cluttered plan. A travertine stone plank in an 18” x 36” or 24″ x 48″ facial dimension fits the bill. This larger unit architectural stone creates a minimalist feel through less jointing. Although modern technology has turned “joints” into “seams”, less is certainly still more in these instances.
The vein cut, larger pieces lend themselves well to more spacious interiors and the facial dimension contributes to the natural beauty of the stone’s pattern. It’s also easier to maintain by virtue of joint minimization, as discussed above .The finish on vein cut travertine can be honed, polished, or other. This is sometimes dictated or limited by the stone itself.
When vein cut travertine is laid in a grid pattern, the result is a cohesive high-impact style that adds depth and height to the room. Thanks for reading and please text me at 305.986.1046 with any questions or thoughts.