Should you use marble for showers? It’s a common question during bathroom design and/or remodeling. Marble is a stunning material, durable, and available in a nearly infinite range of colors and patterns. This makes it a versatile, elegant, and popular choice for luxury showers. But will it hold up? And what’s the difference between cultured and natural marble?
Since they’re not quite the same, we believe the best way to make your decision is to look at the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
What is the difference between cultured and natural marble?
Real marble is a natural, luxurious, metamorphic stone extracted from the Earth and therefore a more expensive choice than its counterpart.
Cultured marble on the other hand is a man-made material made of roughly 75% natural marble dust, combined with synthetic resins, dyes and coated with a protective gel, making it a more budget friendly, but still a fabulous alternative.
When it comes to the aesthetics, real marble stands out with its uniquely formed patterns and a range of options in custom surface finishes even after application. Cultured marble’s finish is factory printed in different patterns; it can be manufactured polished, textured, or antiqued, but can never be refurbished to a custom finish after.
That said, cultured marble does resemble real marble and looks endlessly elegant in its own way. Those who choose marble for showers typically use smaller and often unpolished tiles for the floor surface, since any polished finishes in showers floor tend to be slippery.
This brings us to our next point, the strengths and weaknesses of marble as a shower choice.
Pros and Cons of Natural and Cultured Marble
Pros of Natural Marble
Classically beautiful
Strong and long-lasting
Increases the value of a home
Natural polished finishes, and endless finish customization
Never out of fashion
Essence of luxury
Cons of Natural Marble
More expensive than cultured stones
Some are porous, so spills must be wiped
Surface and grout require expert maintenance
Requires expert proper installation
Polished tiles (especially larger ones) are slippery when wet
Pros of Cultured Marble showers
Long lasting
Unique aesthetics
Looks like real marble
Budget-friendly
Doesn’t need sealing
More durable
Cons of Cultured Marble showers
Quality depends on manufacturer
Can be scratched easily
The finish can not be refurbished or restored
Goes out of style
Polished tiles (especially larger ones) are slippery when wet
When you use marble for showers, don’t forget maintenance.
In order to get the best out of your investment, proper maintenance is essential. A few minutes after use, and a professional visit every few years is all that’s needed to ensure excellent long-lasting quality.
When you use marble for showers, particularly natural marble, taking proper care of both the stone and the grout will ensure it stays in good condition and avoid water infiltration.
Daily Care: Neither material is immune to scratching, chipping or staining, and both are sensitive to certain chemicals and cleaners, which makes pH neutral cleaners essential. (Learn more about cleaning marble, and recommended products, in: How to Clean Marble Showers & Countertops (tersomr.com).)
Professional Protection: Even the best constructed showers will require periodic protection. For instance, one rather-common issue, that we have affectionately named the “Waterlogged Shower™”, occurs when water seeps into micro-fissures in the grout. This inevitably leads to real trouble with mold, mildew, staining and more, if not taken care of immediately.
TERSO MR® recommends professional maintenance every 1-2 years. The main indicators you’d want to keep an eye out for are:
Staining and/or discoloration of the stone
Darkening in areas where tiles meet
Musty or mildew smell
Grout fissures (often too fine to be visible without magnification)
We go more in-depth about the proper maintenance and what to look for in:
TERSO MR®’s shower solution system - Waterlogged Showers™ - has worked out three packages to help you maintain the quality of your beautiful bathroom or shower, which you can learn more about in the link below.
Whichever type you choose, you won’t regret the decision to use marble for your shower. Cultured or natural, will both add value to your home. We hope that this article will help you choose the best for your needs, and understand more about how to maintain it. We encourage you to dive into the other articles on our website for further information. And if you have any questions about the professional care of marble, TersoMR® will be more than happy to answer any of your questions!