Marble countertops are available in different varieties and if you are familiar with the trends right now, cultured marble is being hyped up by a lot of people. Let’s see what is the difference between cultured marble and natural marble countertops.

Cultured Marble Countertops

Here is what you should know about cultured marble countertops.

How Are They Made?

Cultured marble is marble, but it is not mined out naturally. It is a manmade material. The way by which cultured marble is made is by compaction of pulverized and crushed marble, combined with different resins, making it non-porous. Once the slab is ready, it is covered with a very hard gel-like consistency top coat, which acts as a protective seal.  This top coat makes cultured marble a very strong and durable material. It is a very famous material used but people normally forget about it among the sea of other kitchen countertop materials.

Similar To Granite

Cultured marble is very similar in strength to granite and the best part about it is that it is less expensive than granite countertops. On top of that, it is also less expensive than actual marble, which sounds even more amazing. However, strong doesn’t mean that it is the best.

Easily Damaged But Waterproof

Cultured marble is not rock hard and it can be damaged under high impacts like exposure of high temperatures, sunlight and scratches. But what makes up for all these damages is that cultured marble is completely waterproof thanks to the gel protective coat. You can reapply this coat throughout the life of your cultured marble countertops to ensure that they remain waterproof and strong.

Less Heat Resistance

It is also suggested that you don’t put hot pans and pots, cut things directly on the surface and bag too hard on cultured marble, because every material has its extreme strength, after which it is bound to become brittle and weak. Cleaning cultured marble countertops is also very easy and there is no need for use of special cleaners, soap and water work just as fine as any other cleaning agent.

Natural Marble Countertops

Now that we have cultured marble out of the way, let’s talk about the beautiful and elegant rock, marble.

How Are The Made?

Real marble is mined from the depths of the Earth and it is considered as a very luxurious material. It’s made from the natural marble rock.

Cost

Speaking of luxurious, this material is also heavy on the budget. Marble countertops are a reasonable investment for your kitchen and most people consider it to be a very expensive and royal material.

Beautiful But Fragile

Real marble, as luxurious as it sounds, looks as beautiful as well. The subtle veining and marble patterns make the rock look extremely beautiful against any countertop surface. But beauty doesn’t cut through for long, marble is a very fragile material and even the slightest of impact and banging can lead to a lot of damage and chipping. The most common damage in marble countertops are chipped edges. Marble is also very susceptible to scratches and it is not recommended at all to cut things directly on the surface of marble.

Costlier Than Cultured Marble

The price of marble is also much higher than that of cultured marble making cultured marble a better option for people, who can get reasonably priced marble countertops with the added strength and protection.

Need Sealing

Regular marble is also a very porous material and it should not be left wet for a long time and this is why it needs to be sealed, whereas with cultured marble, there is no need to seal it. Marble countertops also have a problem with seams showing a lot more. This is not a problem with cultured marble as it is usually made to size. You also can’t use abrasive and chemically harsh materials on marble, as it will get damaged and become brittle easily. Regular marble also needs a lot more care and maintenance than cultured marble.

There you have it! Now you know all of the big and small differences between cultured marble and regular marble. Cultured marble is surprisingly more popular than regular marble, making it a favorite material for kitchen countertops. You can talk with a marble and granite countertop installer Durham NC before choosing the right material for your kitchen.