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Marble countertops have long been used and admired in homes for the natural beauty that they bring. However, having such beauty in your home comes at a cost, as the natural stone requires a lot of maintenance. If you like the look of marble, but do not want to deal with the maintenance requirements, perhaps you should consider cultured marble. Cultured marble vanity tops will bring sophisticated looks to your bathroom while not being as difficult to maintain as regular marble.
What is Cultured Marble?
Cultured marble is a manufactured material that is made by combining polyester resin, marble dust fillers and pigments. Cultured marble is designed to replicate the look of marble, while offering the benefits of being non-porous and customizable.
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How Much Do Cultured Marble Vanity Tops Cost?
The prices of cultured marble can vary somewhat, depending on where you live and where you buy. On average, the cost of cultured marble vanity tops ranges between $30 and $100 per square foot. This means that some types are less expensive than various types of marble, while some can cost more.
Pros and Cons of Cultured Marble Vanity Tops
Before making a decision to purchase, carefully think through the following pros and cons of cultured marble vanity tops.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Non-porous | Appearance |
Stain Resistant | Excessive Heat Can Cause Damages |
Customizable | |
Low Maintenance | |
Easy to Clean |
Pros
Non-porous
One of the major benefits you will receive from a cultured marble vanity top is that the surface is non-porous. This means that it will not need to be sealed to protect from damages like marble and most other natural stone surfaces do.
Stain Resistant
One of the results of cultured marble being non-porous is that the surface is stain resistant. This can be helpful in the bathroom, where you may spill something like toothpaste.
Customizable
Since the material is manufactured, cultured marble can be customized. This can be a major advantage to any homeowner because you will be able to get a countertop that looks exactly how you want it to.
Low Maintenance
A cultured marble vanity top is a very low maintenance surface for the bathroom. This can be good if you are not someone who wants to worry about special care for your countertop.
Easy to Clean
Out of the many pros that cultured marble vanity tops have, it is also an easy to clean surface. To clean the surface, all you will need is any household cleaner that is not abrasive. For comparison, marble will require specific cleaner that will not harm the stone.
Cons
Appearance
While cultured marble offers many stylish options, some homeowners feel that it does not compare to the beauty of actual marble. There are many who feel that cultured marble has a plastic look to it. Whether you are a fan of the appearance or not is purely a matter of personal preference.
Excessive Heat Can Cause Damages
Something to note is that the quality of cultured marble varies. If you purchase a type that is of lesser quality, it may become more susceptible to damages from excessive heat. An example of excessive heat in the bathroom is placing hot hair styling tools on the surface.
How Does Cultured Marble Compare to Actual Marble?
While it may be manufactured, cultured marble comes in many attractive styles that replicate the look of real marble. However, there is nothing quite like natural stone, so marble will likely always have the advantage in the minds of homeowners when evaluating appearance. If you are looking for the easier of the two options to take care of, the comparison is not even close. Cultured marble is significantly easier to take care of, which can make it the ideal choice for you. The table below compares the prices of both cultured marble and actual marble.
Cultured Marble | $30 to $100 per square foot |
Marble | $40 to $100 per square foot |
How Does Cultured Marble Compare to Quartz?
If you are looking for manufactured stone vanity tops, quartz is another one of your top options. Quartz, much like cultured marble, comes in many different beautiful styles that can visually enhance your bathroom space. Quartz vanity tops are made by combining roughly 90 percent quartz mineral with around 10 percent polymer resin. These numbers fluctuate depending on the specific brand but will always be in a similar range. The following table compares the cost of cultured marble to the cost of quartz.
Cultured Marble | $30 to $100 per square foot |
Quartz | $50 to $120 per square foot |
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What Factors Influence the Price of Cultured Marble Vanity Tops?
There are several factors that have an impact on the cost of cultured marble vanity tops. These factors include the cost of removing your old countertops and installing the new ones. These numbers will depend on the cost of labor wherever you live.
Installation Process
If you think that you may be able to save money by installing your new cultured marble vanity top yourself, that will not be the case. To avoid damage or injury risks, you will need to hire a professional to install the vanity top. Although it will ultimately push the price of the project up, you will be glad that you hired a professional to do the work.
Cultured marble is a great choice for a vanity top. The material can provide the look of marble while being much easier to maintain. If you think you want to choose cultured marble for your new vanity top, carefully review the factors analyzed in this guide.
National Average
$4,000
(30 sq.ft. of moderate countertop with eased edge, undermount sink, and no backsplash)
Cost to install kitchen countertops varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). Get free estimates from countertop installers in your city.
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