Application
Interior walls can be bonded. Exterior walls should not be.
The difference is not the panel, it is what happens to water behind it. Indoors, adhesive is fine on a stable substrate. Outdoors, the panel needs a cavity it can drain.
Travertine look wall cladding is bonded directly to a flat, stable interior substrate, or fixed on brackets with a drained cavity on exterior walls. Panel format is 3200 × 1600 mm at 20 to 30 mm, and the joint layout is set on the shop drawing before casting.
Interior: bonded
On a plastered or boarded wall that is flat and sound, a cementitious adhesive bed is enough. The panel is heavy, so the adhesive has to be specified for the weight, and the substrate has to be checked for flatness: a 3.2 m panel will not bend to follow a hollow wall.
Exterior: bracket and cavity
Outside, the panel is carried on brackets with a drained and ventilated cavity behind it. Water that passes the joint runs down the membrane and out at the base. Sealing every joint instead turns the cavity into a reservoir, which is why open or baffled joints are the default on a ventilated facade.
| Condition | Method | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Interior, flat substrate | Adhesive bond | Substrate flatness; adhesive rated for the weight |
| Interior, uneven or hollow | Bracket and rail | Bracket range against the deviation |
| Exterior, any | Ventilated bracket system | Cavity drainage, cavity barriers |
| Wet interior | Bond plus tanking behind | Tanking continuity at the base |
Where the joints land
With a 3.2 m panel, the joint pattern is a design decision rather than a consequence of the module. Align joints with door heads, ceiling lines and changes of plane, and keep the vertical joints off the centre of a narrow wall where a 1.6 m width would leave an awkward offcut.
Questions buyers ask
- How is travertine cladding installed on an interior wall?
- Usually bonded with a cementitious adhesive to a flat, stable substrate. Where the wall is out of tolerance, a bracket and rail system is used instead so the panel is set to line.
- Can it be used in a corridor with trolley traffic?
- Yes, with a filled face and a 25 mm panel. Protection during construction is the bigger risk than wear in service.
- What thickness for a wall?
- 20 mm for bonded interior work; 20 to 25 mm for bracketed walls. Thicker panels are for floors and heavy wear.
Send the drawing. We will return a joint layout.
Panel layout, area, substrate and required delivery date are enough to start. Quotation within 24 hours.