Travertine and porcelain are currently very popular choices when it comes to pavers. Both have elegance, style, and a clean cut look, following modern trends. And in the subject of travertine vs porcelain pavers, many times the amount of information and variables can overwhelm homeowners.

So, in this article, we aim to present you with a simple and concise guide to better understand this matchup. That way, you can decide which of the two fits your project better.

So let’s get right to it.

Travertine vs Porcelain

What does it even mean to compare two different paver materials? What do we look for in a paver?

The first thing that comes to mind of many homeowners is durability. And they are not wrong, durability is one of the things you absolutely need on a paver.

And then comes the window shopping, where design is the most important thing to consider.

Found a durable material with the right looks? Now it’s time to consider the maintenance, and that includes what are the practices when it comes to cleaning and sealing the pavers.

And finally, once choices are more locked in, price is usually the next point of comparison. And here typically there’s a difference of approach between homeowners, we’re going to talk about that later.

So when we compare travertine vs porcelain pavers, these are the things we are thinking about.

It is important to understand that travertine and porcelain are very different types of material. While travertine is a form of limestone, similar to marble, porcelain is a type of manufactured ceramic material.

Durability

On that aspect, neither one of them comes ahead.

Both are very durable materials that can last for years without scratching or chipping, as long you take good care of it. But if we are talking about resistant in other areas rather than the “physical” one, then we start having a difference.

One of the principal aspects of this battle is that travertine is a porous material, while porcelain is not. That will influence more than once when comparing the two.

Being non-porous, porcelain doesn’t absorb water and is impervious to spills, stains, and free-thaw cycles. Whereas travertine, when not properly sealed, can easily be damaged by those things.

So, if we’re talking exclusively about physical resistance, both are similar. But if we expand the conversation to durability as a whole, porcelain pulls ahead.

Design

Porcelain also pulls ahead here.

Both materials have a wide array of options of colors and designs. You are certain to find something that will fit your project on that aspect, going for either one of them.

Porcelain, however, goes a step beyond and, being a manufactured material, can be made to simulate natural stone and even wood.

While that may not matter for homeowners who are not after that look, just knowing you have those options gives porcelain an edge in design.

Maintenance

Once more, porcelain gets ahead here. And this time it gets really ahead.

When we talk about maintenance, we also talk about the sealing, and that is a very important factor.

To even consider travertine as a good option, you have to be ready to seal it. Otherwise, its porous surface will absorb any form of liquid that comes in contact with it.

In a day-to-day cleaning, neither is a problem. Simply sweeping them with a broom or dusty mop will do the trick. It is when we talk about deep cleaning that things get complicated.

Complicated only for travertine, because cleaning porcelain couldn’t be easier. A simple solution of warm water and any pH-neutral solution will do the trick for porcelain.

As for travertine, a cleaning product designed for stones is required and, due to its porous nature, products can’t rest on top of travertine for too long, even if it is sealed.

Porcelain is one of the easiest materials to care for, while travertine needs planning and more investment to be properly maintained.

Price

And finally, we get to the price, which is what actually many people consider the most important, to the point of basing their choice almost exclusively on it.

And here is a piece of advice important to understand the price of pavers. Pavers are an investment.

When thinking of pavers, you must think long term cost benefit. Acquiring what is cheaper initially will not always be a good choice. Pavers should, ideally, last for up to 10, 15 years, if not more. Any option that gives you less than that is not a good option at all.

But between travertine vs porcelain pavers, porcelain gets the lead again.

Travertine is a natural stone, one of the most expensive materials you can go for in a paver, and the price shows. Travertine usually costs between $5 and $15 per square foot, but some options can go as high as $30.

Porcelain on the other hand stays around $2 – $3 per square foot on the low end and $7 – $10 on the top end, with some options going a little higher.

For a material with easy maintenance that does not need further investment in sealing, porcelain clearly gets the lead over travertine in the price category.

Travertine vs Porcelain: Comparison Table

	Travertine	Porcelain
Durability	Physically resistant, but prone to stains due to porosity.	Physically resistant and impervious to stains and spills.
Design	Wide array of colors.	Can be made with almost any color or design, including miming natural stone.
Maintenance	Requires sealing and cleaning products designed for natural stone.	No need for sealing and one of the easiest materials to clean.
Price	Averaging between $5 and $15	Averaging between $2 and $10

Travertine vs Porcelain: Professional Help

It is clear that porcelain gets the lead over travertine. At least in that battle, travertine has too many “buts” to win.

In either case, one of the best courses of action when planning a hardscape project is to ask for professional help. They can help you not only decide which material will be the best for you, but also help you with the installation itself.

And speaking of professionals, you happen to be around the Sarasota and Manatee Counties, in FL, we here at Eagle Pavers are the best professionals in the area. We’ve been serving the community for over 14 years with a high rate of satisfaction.

Call us right now at +1 941-210-4192 or email us at sales@eaglepavers.us. We’ll be happy to hear from you.