DIY Cultured Marble installs
 

Does anyone know where to look for info on working with cultured marble.
I'm interested in learning about polishing and smoothing cuts. And
how to join pieces together (I think they glue them with something and
then polish).

Anyway, any leads on the information would be appreciated. I just had
some panels installed in my shower and it looked pretty easy to do so I
think next time I will do it myself.

On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 13:39:09 GMT, User Example
wrote:

Does anyone know where to look for info on working with cultured marble.
I'm interested in learning about polishing and smoothing cuts. And
how to join pieces together (I think they glue them with something and
then polish).

Anyway, any leads on the information would be appreciated. I just had
some panels installed in my shower and it looked pretty easy to do so I
think next time I will do it myself.

I don't think cultured marble can be seamed in the field. Has to have
a seam cover or molding. It is not like solid surface which can be
glued, then sanded and polished to look seamless. The pretty is only
on the surface with a type of gel coat that is put in the mold before
they pour. My experience is that most cuts are made where they can be
covered with a molding or butted to a wall.

Frank Boettcher wrote:
On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 13:39:09 GMT, User Example
wrote:


Does anyone know where to look for info on working with cultured marble.
I'm interested in learning about polishing and smoothing cuts. And
how to join pieces together (I think they glue them with something and
then polish).

Anyway, any leads on the information would be appreciated. I just had
some panels installed in my shower and it looked pretty easy to do so I
think next time I will do it myself.


I don't think cultured marble can be seamed in the field. Has to have
a seam cover or molding. It is not like solid surface which can be
glued, then sanded and polished to look seamless. The pretty is only
on the surface with a type of gel coat that is put in the mold before
they pour. My experience is that most cuts are made where they can be
covered with a molding or butted to a wall.


My bathroom has a counter top that wraps around a 3-sided corner. It is
probably a good 12' in length at least. I can tell that it was made of
3 pieces because I can see a slight variation in the color where there
would be a seam. There is no actual seam, just a difference in color
from one area to the next. I don't know where they did the actual
seaming but something happened somewhere. Just curious.

On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 15:24:05 GMT, User Example
wrote:

Frank Boettcher wrote:
On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 13:39:09 GMT, User Example
wrote:


Does anyone know where to look for info on working with cultured marble.
I'm interested in learning about polishing and smoothing cuts. And
how to join pieces together (I think they glue them with something and
then polish).

Anyway, any leads on the information would be appreciated. I just had
some panels installed in my shower and it looked pretty easy to do so I
think next time I will do it myself.


I don't think cultured marble can be seamed in the field. Has to have
a seam cover or molding. It is not like solid surface which can be
glued, then sanded and polished to look seamless. The pretty is only
on the surface with a type of gel coat that is put in the mold before
they pour. My experience is that most cuts are made where they can be
covered with a molding or butted to a wall.


My bathroom has a counter top that wraps around a 3-sided corner. It is
probably a good 12' in length at least. I can tell that it was made of
3 pieces because I can see a slight variation in the color where there
would be a seam. There is no actual seam, just a difference in color
from one area to the next. I don't know where they did the actual
seaming but something happened somewhere. Just curious.


Cultured marble is made to the job by pouring a slurry into a mold.
The molds are usually typical but adjustable for size. Maybe your
installer had an adjustable wrap around mold for the countertop or
maybe there is some new technology that I'm not aware of. Most bath
countertops (and mine is no exception) has the back splash molded in
and then additional pieces are molded separately for the side splash
pieces. However the seam is evident in these.

I learned a good deal about it when my installer quit on me and I had
to finish it. He had already molded all of the pieces and delivered
them, but hadn't installed them all. Included a shower pan, shower
walls, tub surround and island, and vanity top.

In all the research I did, including quizzing installers, I never
heard of seamless field seams with cultured marble. Or of sanding and
polishing. If that is true it would be great because you could do
cultured marble and have solid surface (corian) results at about 25%
of the cost.

I think you're describing solid surface, as far as I know cultured
marble cannot be seamed as you describe nor can it be sanded or
polished.

All major solid surface manufacturers require special training and
certification to purchase sheet goods. You may find a smaller
manufacturer that will sell to you. There are many small-time
operations that produce polyester sheets, poly is a pain for an
experienced fabricator for a number of reasons, acrylic is way better
for the less experienced, but I think acrylic requires more
infrastructure so you probably won't find some guy making it in his
garage.