Let’s be honest for a second. Whether you are moving into your very first rental apartment or you’re fixing up the family home you bought back in the seventies, looking after a property is hard work, it needs time, care and sometimes investment as well.
In Sydney, our homes are exposed to different weather extremities like scorching heat and sometimes flash floods too. One day it’s a pleasant day and the next morning there can be flash floods.
Because our weather is so unpredictable at times, the paving material we use for our floors needs to be incredibly tough and durable. You don’t want to spend your weekends scrubbing tiles or painting decks or filling the cracks in concrete paving. That is exactly why so many people are tossing out fake, plastic materials and going back to old-school, yet trendy and sustainable option of paving.
Moving Inside: Finding the Right Feel
Walk into most brand-new builds these days and everything feels a bit like a hospital. It’s all perfectly flat laminate or cheap ceramic squares that look entirely soulless. They scratch if you drop a fork, and they look old within a couple of years. Real stone doesn’t do that.
Look at the natural stone tiles Sydney families are buying right now. The whole appeal is that they aren’t perfect. Since the material comes straight out of the ground, every single piece tells a different story. You might get one tile with a soft cream swirl and the next with a rugged streak of grey.
If you are a young person starting out, it gives your place a cool, industrial, minimalist look. If you are a grandparent, it just feels classic and expensive.
Plus, it is a lifesaver in January month. Stone stays cool even when the sun is shining and it helps you in thermal insulation, that keeps the inside cool helping you have a check on electricity bill. And if you have dogs, grandkids, or people spilling drinks at a housewarming party? You just wipe it up. No stains, no trapped dust, and no stress.
What About the Backyard?
Backyards are common in Australia and since they are exposed to sun and heat, its gets even trickier to decide what materials suits the project area well. Due to constant exposure to the heat, sun and moisture in the air the paving material if not chosen wisely can crack easily, that will result in frequent replacement. Choose a paving material that can withstand the Australian heat is really important and that’s where Natural Stones come to your rescue.
This is where outdoor travertine tiles Sydney backyards feature so much really come into their own. If you haven’t seen travertine before, it’s a beautiful natural stone with veins on the surface, known for being cool underfoot perfect to withstand the Australian heat. It’s ideal for pool surrounds and open areas.
Here is the secret: it doesn’t absorb heat. On the contrary man-concrete tiles or pavers or wooden decks gets hot easily and are not a preferred paving material for outdoors. Travertine keeps the underfoot cool, it bounces the heat back literally. Offers a natural drip to the surface, you can run on it barefoot and, it will still be able to support you in the scorching Aussie heat.
Something That Actually Lasts
The best part about real stone is that it gets better with age. Cheap synthetic stuff looks great on day one and gets worse every single year. Stone does the exact opposite. It settles into the garden, gets a lovely, weathered look, and easily lasts longer than we will.
Think about it this way: choosing real natural stones is the best choice you can make, no matter your age. For a 22-year-old, it means a trendy and durable party spot to throw a barbeque diner. For a 70-year-old, it means having a durable paving material that will require less maintenance and almost zero replacement if maintained well, that ultimately increases the value of the property overtime.