Substance

• Besides marble dust, cultured marble consists of limestone, fiberglass resin and color pigments. The marble dust helps give cultured marble a shine and appearance similar to real marble, but cultured marble requires easier care.
  
  

History

• According to the website Ask the Builder, cultured marble was first available in the 1960s from small suppliers. Today the industry is regulated by the International Cast Polymer Association, which started a certification process so consumers can trust the quality of products.
  
  

Uses

• Cultured marble's main advantages occur in kitchens and bathrooms, where real marble is difficult to maintain. Stains from oils, water and acids that can etch the surface of natural marble are not a problem with cultured marble.
  
  

Care

• Cultured marble can be cleaned with any non-abrasive cleaner. Calcium deposits are dissolved by spraying them with distilled white vinegar then letting the vinegar soak for 45 minutes before rinsing the surface.
  
  

Casting

• Because cultured marble is a synthetic product, it can be cast in any shape using a mold. This means the final product has no seams, resulting in a leak-free product without tough-to-clean seam lines that aren't in natural marble.