Does the cultured marble countertop in your home seem dull? Do the vanities or bathtubs in your bathroom have fine scratches? Want to restore or revive their shine? Well, read on to know how to refinish cultured marble. Hopefully, you will have a clear thought about refinishing cultured marble when you finish reading this blog post.
Cultured marble looks extraordinarily beautiful in the house, but due to its daily use, it becomes prone to scuffs and other damages. So to maintain its good condition and restore its brilliance or luster, special care is required. Usually, the mineral deposits from the water sit around the cultured marble and leave a permanent stain.
What is the cultured marble countertop?
Cultured marble is a mixture of limestone lust, polyester resins, and fillers with a transparent gel coat finish. While the deep scratches always come with the gel coat. Cultured marble is usually used for kitchen or bathroom purposes.
Usually, a high temperature is required to melt the mixture and insert it into a particular area. After it dries and the temperature reduces, the countertop, sink, or bathtub gets ready. You can often coat the outer portion with gel that will provide luster, polish, and protection. You can also get the matte look.
The trend of cultured marble countertops in homes was prevalent in the 1960s, but the love affair with this marble is present to date. They are an essential part of new home construction.
Can culture marble countertops be refinished?
Cultured marble countertops are more suitable for refinishing than replacement. These are made up of marble dust and polyester resin that gets scratched, stained and chipped over time.
If you want to avoid expensive replacement, use Miracle Method. This method repairs the damaged surface and extends the life of the vanity, bathtub, and marble sink. The miracle method also allows you to change the color of the countertops at minimal expense.
Here are some of the steps to refinish cultured marble countertops. Let’s have a look at them.
- Clean the surface: Wear goggles and gloves and thoroughly scrub the countertop using Luke warm water and a suitable cleaner.
- Clear out the dust with the help of a soft-bristled brush and a sponge.
- Rinse the surface with water.
- Correcting the cultured marble countertops
To correct the surface blemishes or repair the marble cracks, use polishing powder consisting of epoxy-based glues and tin oxide. The glue repairs the cracks, and the powder fills camouflage with small scratches. Use such a product according to the given instructions.
- Tape the countertop:
Use the painter’s tape to surround the countertop, particularly around the sink. This will make sure that refinishing material or polish doesn’t remove.
- Use sandpaper:
Now it’s time to sand down the surface with suitable pressure. The main idea behind this step is to make a smooth surface. Then clean the surface gently with a sponge.
- Add primer:
Use a paint roller to distribute the primer over the entire surface evenly. Allow it to stay there for an hour.
- Spray stone finish solution:
The best way to restore the original grace and shine of the cultured marble countertop is to use a stone finish solution. It is readily available in hardware stores.
- Complete the procedure:
Put a few drops of polymer resin and evenly spread it over the countertop with the help of a paintbrush. Allow it to stand until it dry and finally coat the surface with high gloss varnish.
What does the cultured marble restoration cost?
The cost of polishing cultured marble countertops is 2 dollars per sq. foot. Acidic liquids damage the countertops, so deep cleaning processes involving high-grade chemicals and special vacuums are often used. The price of such a cleaning process is almost 0.6 dollars per sq. foot.
How much can you save from refinishing?
The size of the countertops and their complexity are the major factors that decide the amount of savings from refinishing. The replacement of bigger vanity is more expensive, so it’s better to refinish it cheaply.
How to clean cultured marble
Cleaning the cultured marble countertop is not very difficult, but one needs to be fully aware of the wrong products. Avoiding such products can prevent the risk of possible damage. Firstly, you should consider these things like
Matte or glossy finish: be careful while wiping because the finish makes visible limited scratches.
Gel coating: it is less delicate and impervious as compared to other types of coatings.
Caution: Avoid using abrasive cleaners, scratchy sides of the sponge, and anything that gets harsh on the marble. Regular clean-up:
Wet the countertop: take a clean, damp cloth and run it gently over the cultured marble. This helps you to add glaze and shine to the countertop.
Spray a standard cleaner or mild soap: choose an all-purpose cleaner having neural pH. and spray it onto the cultured marble countertop. It will prevent the appearance of scratches on the surface.
Wipe the countertop with a rag: take a rag and move your hand in a circular motion to wipe away the cleaner. Continue brushing until the surface dries completely.
Removal of Hard water stains
Use of vinegar
Vinegar is the best choice To mitigate stubborn hard water stains from the cultured marble countertops. It removes the soap scum without destroying the seal. Spray the white vinegar on the countertop and allow it to stand there for some time, almost ½ hour. Then spray the water on eth surface and clean it with a clean cloth. Avoid the use of warm water on the marble surface.
Baking soda and ammonia cleaner
For hard water stains, you might be in search of harsher cleaner. Right? Why not consider using baking soda and ammonia cleaner. For its preparation, mix 1/4th cup of ammonia, baking soda, and vinegar and add almost 8 cups of water to the mixture. Apply the solution to the stain, let it stay for 10 minutes, and wipe it off. Then, rinse the surface with cold water.
Alternatively, using the soft rag immersed in the hydrogen peroxide and allowing it to stay there overnight also cleanse the stains.
Try denatured alcohol and turpentine.
It would be best if you preferred paint thinners and turpentine in the worst condition. But before applying them, it is wise to try them in a small area to prevent severe damage. You can also seek the recommendations of professionals before using such harsh products on the cultured marble countertop.
Cultured marble countertops pros and cons
If you are planning to install a cultured marble countertop in your kitchen or bathroom, the idea of its pros and cons are essential.
Pros
Besides its great history and remarkable legacy, this marble consists of many advantages.
- Easier to cut: have you ever worked with cultured marble tiles? If yes, then you must be aware of how easy they are to cut. It cuts like a dream and allows to shape it in fancier designs without any damage.
- Look great: undoubtedly, the cultured marble countertops look gorgeous in the house. Through it, you will get your desired look. The clean material consists of simple lines that appear during the molding process. The item is the real deal for someone looking to add a high-end look in the house within the budget.
- Easy to keep clean: another most appreciable feature of this product is that it is easy to clean. The surface is highly compatible with most household cleaners. This means the cultured marble countertop gets disinfected without damaging the surface. Moreover, the non-porous nature of the marble is easy to deal with. You need to take a standard surface cleaner and thoroughly wipe down the counter.
- Durability: despite the inherent softness, the cultured marble can easily withstand high traffic. After its installation, you don’t have to deal with the corners’ wear and tear issues. This doesn’t mean that it is impermeable to damage; you must be cautious while handling heavy or exceptionally hot pans.
- Mold into different shapes: cultured marble is viable to get molded into different shapes. That means you can cut it into shapes and create different molds out of it, which can perfectly fit in a specific space. Do you have unusual spatial requirements in your house? Luckily, cultured marble can fit anywhere according to your needs. This is particularly the best material you can get at this price range.
Cons
- Removal of scratches is challenging: the molding process of cultured marble doesn’t allow easy repair. It might be challenging to remove minor scratches from this material due to resins and stone particles’ composition. You can limited repair options to seal the spot because of the availability of fewer colors and patterns of this material.
- Loves to stain: due to cultured marble countertops’ soft and porous nature, it is more susceptible to stains. Certain acidic foods can impart permanent stains on them. However, sealing it and regularly keeping up the seal helps getting rid of staining.
- Repairing is challenging: repairing cultured marble countertops is a bit difficult. However, instead of improving, replacing a marble without damaging the surrounding tiles is a great option. The overall cost of this process is also minimal.
Final thoughts
Every home décor is incomplete without any finishing. Mostly wood, stone, plastic, and metal are used for finishing. However, cultured marble is the most popular among all. It adds the panache or class to the interior décor of the home.
Learning the cleaning method of cultured marble countertops is not difficult. Just remain gentle with your marble and avoid damage or scratch. However, the professionals are also readily available that can do the job in the right manner.