Valencia Honed Travertine Hexagon Mosaic Wall & Floor Tile

Yes. Marble, travertine, limestone and onyx are porous stones, so they should be sealed with a good impregnating stone sealer before grouting and again once the grout has cured. Sealing before grouting is the step most often skipped, and it is the one that stops grout haze staining the face of the stone. In a shower or wet room, expect to re-apply the sealer every couple of years.

By the box. Each box contains five mesh-backed sheets, and the coverage per box is listed in the specification for this product. Work out your area in square metres, divide by the coverage per box, and round up — then allow around ten per cent extra for cuts, wastage and a few spare sheets for future repairs.

Yes. A sample swatch is £2 and is posted to you, which is the sensible way to judge natural stone against your own light, paint and sanitaryware. You are also very welcome to see full sheets in our Ascot showroom, where you can lay them next to the rest of your scheme.

No, and that is the point of natural stone. Veining, tone and the density of markings shift from block to block, so your sheets will be their own thing rather than a copy of the photograph. Order the whole job in one go so it comes from a single batch, then open several boxes at once and shuffle the sheets as you lay, which spreads any variation evenly instead of leaving it in patches.

Yes, provided the stone is properly sealed and the substrate is sound and tanked. Mosaics are particularly good on shower floors because the dense grout joints give grip and the small pieces follow a fall to the waste without needing cuts. Bear in mind that a polished finish is considerably more slippery underfoot when wet than a honed, tumbled or brushed one.

Yes. Natural stone conducts heat well and is one of the better surfaces to lay over underfloor heating. Use a flexible adhesive and a flexible grout, leave the system off until the adhesive and grout have fully cured, then bring the temperature up gradually over several days rather than all at once.

Where a cut falls between pieces, simply part the sheet with a sharp knife through the mesh backing. Where you need to cut through the stone itself, use a wet cutter with a continuous-rim diamond blade and take it slowly — natural stone chips more readily than porcelain. Turn cut edges towards corners and internal angles so the factory edges stay on show.

A fine, unsanded grout is best for the narrow joints found in mosaic sheets — sanded grouts can scratch a polished or honed surface as you work them in. Seal the stone first, choose a grout tone close to the mid-tone of the stone unless you actively want the pattern outlined, and clean the faces as you go rather than letting haze set.

Use warm water and a pH-neutral stone cleaner. Keep anything acidic well away — limescale removers, vinegar, lemon and most bathroom sprays will etch a dull mark into marble, travertine and limestone within seconds. Avoid bleach and abrasive pads too, and wipe up splashes of wine, oil or toiletries promptly rather than letting them sit.

Please do. Our family-run showroom is at 67 High Street, Ascot, and stone is one of those materials that really does need to be seen rather than scrolled past. Bring your paint colours and a photograph of the room and our team will help you work through it. Call 01344 620211 if you would like to check we have a particular mosaic out on display.