Telling The Difference Between Quality Cultured Marble And Poor Quality

Cultured marble is still a relatively tough surface but it can be scratched easily and is also susceptible to damage from extreme temperatures.

Telling the difference between quality cultured marble and poor quality.

Cultured marble is simulated marble made from a resin compound and ground up marble. Overall as an industry we are trying to get away from the term cultured marble. The cultured marble comes in slabs that are cut to fit the exact dimensions of your shower area. Many consumers don t want cultured marble in their homes because of its reputation for being an old product that cracks easily.

Cultured marble is a slightly dated blanket term for manufactured marble granite and onyx. Thus everything you read above about cultured marble vs marble is also true of cultured marble vs onyx. Also ask for the marble s hardness factor. If a stone has a high hardness factor yet seems to have fiberglass resin fill or fissures this is a poor quality tile of that stone.

What s interesting about marble grading is that it falls into four different rating categories identified a to d. In a head to head between cultured marble and quartz the latter is the clear winner when it comes to durability. The below chart provides a graphical comparison of 6 common vanity top materials. These ratings are on a scale from 0 poor 10 excellent.

Ask for the marble s complete name. Natural marble natural granite engineered stone solid surface cultured marble and laminate. The cost of cultured marble is about 40 less than the price you would pay for a natural quarried stone. Thassos aaa for example is a higher quality of stone than standard thassos.

The naturally nonporous surface of quartz makes it resistant to scratches heat though lowes recommends that you still use heat. The result is a solid panel that looks like marble but installs like a fiberglass panel. When two products contain similar characteristics such as cultured marble and solid surface countertops you may be faced with a challenge to. Cultured marble vanity tops vs.

Oh and yes they do also make cultured onyx in the same way that cultured marble is made with all the same characteristics except that cultured onyx has a translucent quality to look like real onyx. Ratings are provided on key features which should be considered prior to investment. Molding is installed around the edges of the panels to complete the. The a classification is the highest quality and d is the lowest in terms of that particular marble slab s soundness or how easy it is to work with from a fabricator s or an installer s perspective.