We think cultured marble showers are amazing, but there are definitely pros and cons of cultured marble showers. The more that you know the difference between a cultured marble shower and showers that use tile or natural stone products, we think you'll agree with our assessment of how amazing cultured marble showers really are.
First, it's important that you understand a little bit of what cultured marble is and how it is made. Cultured marble is a blend of various stone particles and resin which is combined with various pigments to create realistic colors and patterns that simulate the real stone. Unlike stone that comes from a quarry, cultured marble comes from a mold cast in a factory to create the specific shape and size that is needed for your shower.
The creation begins as each mold is covered with a special gel coating that bonds to the mixture of the cultured marble. This process creates an extremely durable transparent surface. After the gel coat has partially cured, the stone particles and resin are added to create the cultured marble piece. After each piece has fully cured, the items are removed from their molds and polished to a beautiful glossy shine.
This specialized creation and curing process creates a non-porous result which reduces the amount of maintenance that homeowners face each year. That means there are zero grout lines to maintain and zero sealing chores to do over the lifetime of the product.
The pros and cons of cultured marble showers are extremely important to consider if you like the look of natural quarried stone, but do not want to pay the price for installation and maintenance of said stone.
List of the Pros of Cultured Marble Showers
1. Price is a significant advantage when considering cultured marble showers
When comparing the cost of a cultured marble shower to tile or quarried stone showers, the price is significantly lower. It is one of the least expensive options on the market currently. If you choose to do a cultured marble shower, then your construction or remodeling project can be done at a lower cost. This means you can use your funds for other projects around the house or invest in some fun upgrades.
2. Cultured Marble Showers provide a true solid surface
Unlike tile, a cultured marble shower is one solid piece and does not have any grout lines that require cleaning and sealing for regular maintenance. This surface will also not exhibit staining problems like other natural stone alternatives. You can use a cultured marble shower immediately after installation.
3. The look of cultured marble is a very high-end look
A cultured marble shower will make your bathroom look like you spent a fortune on your construction or remodel project. However, a cultured marble shower is nearly 50% less than a quarried stone shower, yet it has the classic look of a quarried stone. You can increase the curb appeal of your home without breaking the bank.
4. Cultured marble showers are very easy to clean and maintain
You will appreciate the fact that a cultured marble shower is so easy to clean and maintain. To keep your shower looking like new you simply need to wiped down the walls with warm, soapy water, rinse, and squeegee it dry. It really is that simple and it only takes minutes to keep your shower looking like new for a really long time.
List of Cons of Cultured Marble Showers
1. The gel coat surface can scratch
Although our cultured marble showers are very durable, the gel coat surface can get surface scratches. The best method to prevent surface scratches is to not use any products that could scratch the surface. That is why our cleaning instructions include wiping the wall down with mild soapy water, rinsing and then squeegeeing them dry. It is important to not scrub the shower wall with scour pads or anything metal. If your cultured marble shower has some surface scratching on it, feel free to give us a call and we can see if anything can be done to get your shower looking like new.
2. Improper care can cause hard to remove build up or stains
Because cultured marble is sealed with our durable gel coats, the likelihood of the marble staining is very rare. If there is any staining it is usually a result of improper care or maintenance of the cultured marble. In the unlikely event that you do have hard water build-ups or other staining, try our instructions for how to remove hard stains from cultured marble and you should be back to new. In extremely rare cases, improper care may lead to permanent stains to the cultured marble.
Conclusion of Pros and Cons of Cultured Marble Showers
This list of Pros and Cons of cultured marble showers really show how durable a cultured marble shower can be. If you are thinking about a new bathroom construction or a bathroom remodel, I invite you to come and visit our showroom to see full build models of cultured marble showers we have on display. We know that you will find cultured marble to be an excellent alternative to tile and quarried stone showers.