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QUESTION
Is Travertine Porous? - Is Travertine considered impervious? My contractor told me it was when he installed the product, but my zoning officer has informed me that I am now over my impervious coverage for my property.ANSWER
ANSWER - I'm not sure what you mean by "my zoning officer has informed me that I am now over my impervious coverage for my property."Travertine is not an impervious stone rather it is considered a very porous sedimentary stone and is known to have void spaces that are distinctive features of travertine.
The solid portion of the stone is considered vitreous and can be impervious in spots, but can range up to 2.5% absorption and be acceptable for the industry standards.
Not all travertine stones have the same physical properties. They will vary from quarry to quarry and location within the quarry. There are low grade travertine that have a lot of voids and other travertine that have few and are more like a marble. This is true for other types of stone as well.
I hope that answers your question.
Good Luck!
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I understand what the homeowner is asking, and what the zoning officer is saying, as we have also dealt with this. The officer is saying you’re over the hardcover limit on your property. Things that count as hardcover are your home , garage, asphalt or concrete driveway and sidewalks, and any stone or brick surfaces on your property. These hardcover surfaces prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground and create runoff that has to go somewhere else. While the surface of travertine is porous and can soak up a certain amount of water, the water cannot pass all the way through the stone, which makes it impervious hardcover. It’s also referred to as being impermeable. Impervious and impermeable have the same definition, “not allowing fluids to pass through”. There are installation methods that can improve the permeability of your project. Websites for paver brick manufacturers, such as Borgert or Belgard, have info on the installation methods for permeable pavers or tile. I hope your city gives you a break since it’s already installed.