Problem: Article: Look for a sealer specific to travertine, or at least suited for natural stone. Use a penetrating sealer, not a topcoat or surface sealer, since the latter kind are easily scuffed or flaked when applied over travertine. Decide whether you want a sealer with a matte or gloss appearance, if applicable. Many stone sealers do not significantly affect the appearance of the travertine, but this is not universally the case. Water-based and solvent-based sealers are both safe to use on travertine. Water-based sealer is more environmentally friendly and may apply better to travertine in damp locations. Ensure that the space you are working in is well ventilated. The penetrating sealer can produce noxious fumes. Rub in a small amount of the sealer in an inconspicuous area of the travertine. Let the sealer sit 24 hours. The wait is worth it to see if the final appearance and level of protection meets your standards. If you are not satisfied, find another sealer. To test the protective abilities of the sealer, after it has sat for 24 hours, apply a few drops of water to the sealed travertine. Blot after five or ten minutes. If the travertine does not return to its original, dry color within five minutes, the sealer may not provide enough protection. Keep in mind that you can apply multiple coats of sealer to provide additional protection. Once you've tested a sealer and are satisfied with the results, rub it across the entire surface of the travertine. Use a soft cloth, or a lamb's wool applicator to save you time on large floors. Completely saturate the pores, but avoid leaving excess sealer on the surface of the stone. If puddles form, wipe them up with a dry cloth or mop. Puddles of excess sealer may stain the stone if left to dry. Most travertine surfaces require at least two coats. You may follow the recommended number of coats listed on your sealer's label, or test the sealer once a coat is dry. To test the sealer, drop a few droplets of water in several locations on the travertine. Let sit for five to ten minutes, then blot dry. If the travertine doesn't return to its original, dry color within two or three minutes, apply another coat of sealer. Make sure that the sealer has been given plenty of time to soak in and dry before heavy traffic or use occurs. Optionally, you may buff the travertine with a cloth to speed up this process and reduce the chance of streaks from dried, excess sealer. If the sealer left streaks or trails on the travertine as it dried, there is a simple way to remove them. Apply more sealer over the streaks to dissolve the dried crust, then buff the wet sealer with a cloth. Buff until all puddles and excess moisture have been removed to avoid a repeat of the original problem.
Summary: Select a sealer. Open doors and windows. Test the sealer. Use a soft cloth to evenly apply the sealant. Wipe up puddles of sealer. Let the travertine dry, then apply second coat. Wait for the travertine to dry. Remove streak marks with more sealer.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Many people swear that a grilled steak, with a little salt and pepper, is one of nature's finest meals. Strip steaks are naturally tender, and only need to be seared on the outside to remain flavorful and juicy. Depending on your grill, you can get very different flavors from your steak: Propane: Gas grills impart little flavor on the meat, but are very easy to control. You can adjust the temperatures with a simple knob, allowing you to perfect the cooking process. They also heat up much faster than wood or charcoal. Charcoal: Briquettes light up quickly and get hot quickly, and they impart a rich, smoky flavor on the meat. Wood-fire: Wood chips, like hickory or oak, often give the best natural flavor to the meat, but they are harder to maintain and light. Many people use a mixture of charcoal and wood instead of just wood-chops. If you are using charcoal and/or wood this might take 30-40 minutes (most of the briquettes should be covered in gray ash), but propane grills will only take a few minutes. If you have a thermometer, aim to have the inside of the grill around 400F. The thinner the steak, the hotter you want the grill, since you don't want to completely cook the inside of the steak before the outside is nice and browned: 1/2 inch thick: 425-450F. You shouldn't be able to hold your hand over the grill for more than 3 seconds. 3/4-1 inch thick: 360-400F You shouldn't be able to hold your hand over the grill for more than 4-5 seconds. 1-1 1/2 inch thick: 325-360F You shouldn't be able to hold your hand over the grill for more than 5-6 seconds. There is an expression that goes, "salt and pepper are the little black dress of the steak world." Odd connotations aside, the fact is that most steaks are best with only a little bit of seasoning. Rub 1/2 tablespoon of both salt and crushed black pepper on both sides of the steak and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while the grill heats. To determine the amount of salt, think of it as a light snow on an asphalt road -- you can see the road, but the snow (salt) is covering most of it. Bigger kernels of salt, like coarse sea salt or kosher salt, will help the outside caramelize better, so avoid using fine table salt if you can. You want to sear the outside, caramelizing it for perfect texture and flavor. Slap the steak over the flame and then leave it alone. Resist the urge to poke, prod, or move it as it cooks. They should be browned when you flip them over. If they are black, the grill was too hot. Remember this when you flip the steak and lower the heat, or cook it for half the time. If they are pink, the grill was not hot enough, so try and raise the heat or leave them over the flame for another 2-3 minutes. For reference: Medium rare steaks should be grilled for roughly 7 minutes a side. Medium steaks should be grilled for roughly 10 minutes a side. Well done steaks should be cooked for ten minutes on each side, then left on indirect heat to keep cooking. Use tongs to turn the steak, as piercing it with a fork causes the juices to leak out. Move the steak to another side of the grill, one without direct flame, and let it keep cooking until the inside is done to your liking. On a charcoal grill, open or close the top vent to control the smokiness -- the tighter it is shut, the smokier the meat will get. You can use a meat thermometer to gauge the meat, or just estimate with time. Rare: 130F (54C) to 135F (57C). Remove immediately after flipping each side. Medium-Rare: 140F (60C). Sear each side for an extra minute longer than you would for a rare steak. Medium: 155F (68C). Let it continue cooking for an extra 1-2 minutes off of direct heat. Flip halfway through. Well Done: 165F (74C) Let the steak cook on indirect heat for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through. This locks in the juices and flavors, which will escape if you cut it immediately. Tent a piece of aluminum foil over the steak and let it sit before slicing into it.
Summary:
Know that outdoor grilling lends a rich, smoky flavor to your steak. Pre-heat your grill to medium-high. Rub the steak with salt and pepper while the grill heats. Place your steak over direct heat on the grill. Cook each side of the steak over direct heat for 7-10 minutes, depending on desired doneness. Remove the steak from direct heat and let it cook indirectly until desired doneness. Let the steak stand for 10 minutes after removing from the grill.