Travertine, marble or quartzite ledger panels?
Updated
All three are sold as natural ledger stone, often side by side in the same catalogue, and they are not the same material. The difference shows in the colour range, in how the surface splits, and in how much sealing the wall will want.
Travertine
Travertine is a limestone laid down by mineral springs. Denizli sits on one of the best known deposits in the world — the white terraces of Pamukkale are travertine still forming — and the quarries around the city supply much of the world's trade.
It has natural pores and channels, left where gas escaped as the stone formed, and its colours are warm: ivory, beige, walnut, gold and silver-grey. Split face travertine has a soft, open texture. In our range, Classic Light, Gold, Philadelphia, Rustic, Scabas and Silver are travertine.
Marble
Marble is limestone changed by heat and pressure deep underground. It is denser than travertine, with fewer pores, and it gives the cooler colours: whites, creams and greys, often with veining. A split face marble panel looks crisper and more crystalline than travertine. In our range, Diana Royal and Tundra Grey are marble.
Quartzite
Quartzite is sandstone recrystallised into a very hard stone. It splits into thin, sharp layers and often sparkles in the light. It is the hardest and least porous of the three, and it is also the heaviest to cut. Many of the grey and rust coloured ledger panels sold in North America are quartzite or slate.
Sealing and outdoor use
All three are used indoors and out. The more porous the stone, the more a penetrating sealer helps it resist stains, soot near a fireplace, and water in a freezing climate — so travertine benefits most and quartzite least. Seal after installation and again as the sealer maker advises.
Which to stock
Warm interiors, Mediterranean and rustic styles, and buyers who want the look of old masonry tend to choose travertine. Contemporary interiors with white, grey and black tend to choose marble or quartzite. A distributor covering both usually stocks a light and a gold travertine, a white marble and a grey — which covers most of what customers ask for.
