travertine flooring on damp concrete floor

[hostelgirl]

I have afew questions. I got flooded and rather than go for a new carpet i am thinking that if we got a stone floor, it would be easier to sort should another flood occur. The house is a bit below ground level and we have had problems previously with a bit of what i think must be ground water/water tables when there has been a heavy rainfall. It doesnt cause too many problems, just dries out over a few days.
If we get a travertine floor installed and we buy the travertine (the proper thick, unfilled stuff) how much should we be paying to do an area 11 metres by 11 metres approx and how long would it take?
Also, re the ground water issue, someone suggested getting ground sheets and securing them down first then laying the flooring on the top of these. Does this sound feasible? If not, what do you suggest? How much would this cost? We are a bit clueless. My partner is a gardener and has laid patios and stuff before but nothing like this. This flooring is very expensive so i don't want him to mess it up!

[DTWCeramics]

Hi Hostel,

I personally would not lay travertine down as a floor covering if flooding is a problem. It is a highly porous stone.

Perhaps look at a through bodied porcelain tile instead? These are much more suitable to the application, cost around £30/m2 for a decent tile, and will be much easier and cheaper to maintain in the long run.

Ensure that that ground is fully dried (get in an industrial heater) before any tile installation.

Cheers!

Matt

[hostelgirl]

What about slate? We quite like that.

[DTWCeramics]

Natural slate flooring is also a great choice, just make sure that it is fully impregnated before the water comes down again!

RE: Slate, feel free to check out some of our bits, I can arrange for a cut piece to be sent to you if you require (although it's pretty much just a piece of slate!!)

http://www.tiles-ceramic.co.uk/?cPath=6_73 < Hope this helps.