When you are doing a tile project really the most important part is the edge. If you don’t have a nice clean edge then the entire job looks cheap and unfinished. The most effective tile to use when finishing the edge of your travertine project is a travertine bullnose tile. You have probably seen these tiles without out even knowing it. They have a rounded edge instead of the normal cut edge so you see the finished face instead of the inner portion.
You find these types of tiles in two different applications. First, as the top line of the wall. Normally the tile is laid with the bottom course and then the next and then the next. They are each spaced in order to get a consistent grout line for horizontally and vertically. These spacer will be different sizes depending on the width of the grout desired. You don’t need to worry about the edges of these tiles because the grout covers them. The very top course, though, does not have grout. There needs to be some way to have a finished look at the top. This is where the bullnose comes is. This tile has one edge ground round and smoothed. This gives a very nice finish to the tile project. The bullnose can also be applied to the last vertical tiles if they don’t end in a corner.
The second application is at the edge of a counter top or work top. Without the rounded edge of these finish tiles the corners would be very sharp and people could get hurt if they fall against them. Often times the counter top will have a trim tile on the front that is rounded and then the horizontal face tiles are laid up to that face tile. It is also effective to lay a standard tile on the front and then have the horizontal bullnose travertine tile over lap the face. Either method works and it is mostly a matter of personal preference.
If you are going to do a travertine tile project then be sure to get an ample supply of these trim tiles for the edges.