Travertine Sintered Stone: The Travertine Look, Engineered
Reviewed by Team Asetica · Sydney · Perth · Melbourne · Updated June 2026
Travertine sintered stone is a fired surface that replicates the warm, organic look of natural travertine — the soft beige tones and flowing, layered movement — without the porosity. Natural travertine is soft, pitted and very porous, so it needs filling and sealing and etches with acids. Travertine-look sintered stone is non-porous, hard and acid-resistant, so it keeps the aesthetic with none of the upkeep.
Travertine has surged back into Australian interiors for its warm, earthy character, but natural travertine is one of the least practical surfaces to live with. Sintered stone solves that — Asetica's Travertino Pearl captures the look in a surface engineered for real kitchens and bathrooms. Here is how it compares and where to use it.
- Travertine sintered stone replicates the warm, organic travertine look — with no pitting, filling or sealing.
- Natural travertine is soft, porous and acid-sensitive; sintered stone is hard, non-porous and acid-resistant.
- Works on benchtops, vanities, shower walls and outdoors, where natural travertine struggles.
- Asetica's Travertino Pearl delivers the travertine aesthetic in 12mm and 20mm.
Love the travertine look? View Travertino Pearl at full slab size and order free samples at our Sydney and Perth showrooms. View the Collection →
What Is Travertine Sintered Stone?
Travertine sintered stone is a large-format slab made by compressing natural minerals and firing them above 1200°C into a dense, non-porous surface with no resin. The warm travertine tones and flowing, banded movement are fired into the slab with inorganic pigments, so they run true and stay colourfast. The name describes the look — the soft beige, cream and grey character of classic Italian travertine — reproduced in a material engineered to outperform the original. Asetica's Travertino Pearl is the travertine look in the Techlam range.
Travertine Sintered Stone vs Natural Travertine
The look is closely matched; the performance is not. Natural travertine is a soft, porous limestone with open pits across the surface; travertine-look sintered stone is hard, sealed and inert. The table compares them on what matters in a home.
| Property | Natural Travertine | Travertine Sintered Stone |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Natural porous limestone | Fired mineral slab, no resin |
| Surface | Pitted — needs filling | Smooth, dense, no pits |
| Sealing | Required, regularly | Never |
| Etching / staining | Etches and stains easily | Resists both — wipes clean |
| Hardness | Soft (Mohs 3–4) | Hard (Mohs 7) |
| UV / outdoor | Weathers outdoors | UV-stable, warranted outdoors |
| Best use | Feature floors, low-traffic areas | Benchtops, vanities, splashbacks, outdoor |
Where to Use Travertine Sintered Stone
Because it is non-porous, hard and UV-stable, travertine-look sintered stone works anywhere you want the warm travertine aesthetic but could not risk natural travertine. Kitchen benchtops and islands are the primary use — the soft movement suits a warm, organic kitchen and the surface shrugs off wine, citrus and hot pans. It also suits splashbacks, bathroom vanities and shower walls, where natural travertine would absorb moisture, and outdoor kitchens, where it is warranted and natural travertine is not. Available in 12mm and 20mm, with large slabs that let a benchtop and splashback run in one continuous piece.
Specifying the travertine look? Order complimentary samples of Travertino Pearl or download the spec sheet for your fabricator. Visit the downloads page or call 1300 161 388.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is travertine sintered stone real travertine?
No. Travertine sintered stone is a fired surface made from natural minerals that replicates the warm tones and flowing movement of natural travertine. It looks like travertine but is non-porous, harder and needs no sealing or filling, so it performs far better in kitchens and bathrooms.
Does travertine sintered stone need sealing?
No. Travertine-look sintered stone is non-porous, so it never needs sealing or filling. Natural travertine is soft and very porous, with natural pits that must be filled, and it needs regular sealing to resist staining and etching.
Can travertine sintered stone be used in bathrooms and outdoors?
Yes. Because it is non-porous, UV-stable and frost resistant, travertine-look sintered stone suits bathroom vanities, shower walls, outdoor kitchens and alfresco areas, where natural travertine would absorb moisture, stain and weather.
Travertine vs sintered stone, which is better for a benchtop?
For a benchtop, travertine-look sintered stone is better because natural travertine is too soft and porous for kitchen use, scratching and staining easily. Sintered stone keeps the travertine aesthetic but is hard, non-porous and acid-resistant, so it handles daily cooking without marking.
More guides from Asetica:
- Calacatta Sintered Stone: The Marble Look Without the Maintenance
- What Is Sintered Stone? Properties, Uses and Comparisons
- Taj Mahal Sintered Stone: The Smarter Alternative to Quartzite
Asetica Surfaces is a trade sintered stone supplier serving architects, builders, stonemasons, cabinet makers and designers across Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. Our team draws on hundreds of completed benchtop, splashback and facade projects and a European manufacturing partner that has produced sintered stone since 2007. Every guide is checked against current Australian standards and the engineered stone regulations in force since 1 July 2024. See the range at our Sydney (Padstow) and Perth (Subiaco) showrooms, or call 1300 161 388.
See Travertino Pearl in person or order free samples.
View Collection · Sydney Showroom · Perth Showroom · Download Spec Sheet