The difference between Travertine and Precast

Whether you’re looking to implement either of these construction materials to finish off a floor, to add a bit of visual interest to an exterior or interior space, or just want to really make specific design elements in your home or office pop, you’ll want to know the difference between travertine and precast concrete solutions to make sure that you're choosing the right one for your specific needs.

Though they can look shockingly similar (on purpose), there is a world of difference between travertine and precast materials. By the time you’re done with this quick guide you’ll understand those differences, what each brings to the table as far as construction materials are concerned, and which one you’ll want to use in your next big project.

Ready to jump right in?

Composition

Let’s start off with travertine.

A natural stone material (actually a form of limestone), travertine is an absolutely gorgeous natural material that comes in a variety of colors and completely unique designs – all of which are created by Mother Nature herself.

Very porous unless it has been polished to a mirror like finish, travertine is incredibly popular as a flooring material, but is also used in a wide variety of interior and exterior design projects as well. It also happens to be a pretty delicate construction material (like limestone, it’s pretty lightweight and can be fragile if abused), and carries a bit of a luxury price tag.

Precast, on the other hand, is a concrete solution made up of sand, water, and concrete mixtures (as well as a handful of other additives and elements) and can take just about any shape or form.

Because it is so flexible, it’s become one of the most popular construction materials on the planet, especially in industrial or structural settings. On the flip side, precast concrete can actually be designed specifically to mirror the travertine aesthetic – giving you the best of both worlds. You’ll get the look of travertine without the delicacy over their or the steep price tag).

Flexibility

Travertine is soft enough to be cut into a variety of shapes, sizes, and designs, and can also be polished so that it has an incredible slick and smooth finish.

However, it’s nowhere near as flexible of a construction material as precast concrete – and it never will be. Precast concrete solutions can be shaped and molded into just about any configuration unimaginable, and can also be colored, stamped, or dyed to create some pretty visually interesting components.

Also, precast concrete has a certain strength and structural stability that you’d never get out of travertine, no matter how hard you tried.

Cost

At the end of the day, it’s almost always going to cost you more to implement a travertine-based project than one that leverages precast concrete – but this may not always be the case.

Sometimes you’ll be able to score an incredible deal on travertine tile or travertine material, and you’d have to be at least a little bit crazy not to go for the real deal if it suits the rest of your project criteria.