CULTURED MARBLE
SOLID SURFACE
What is cultured marble?
How do I clean cultured marble tops?
How easily does the product scratch?
Is gloss finishing the only finish you offer?
Are the other finishes you offer more expensive?
What colors are available?
Can I get a countertop, tub surround and bathtub to match?
Will cultured marble burn if my curling iron touches it?
What is the life expectancy of a vanity top in my home?
My old cultured marble top has cracks in the bowl. What causes this?
How hard is a vanity top to install?
What is the maximum length I can get a vanity top?
Can we get a corner sink, banjo sink, or L-shaped sink?
Can I put a steamer unit in a marble shower?
Does the drain in my shower have to be centered?
How large can we make our shower?
Q. What is cultured marble?
A. Is a manmade polyester product with a Clear gel coat finish.
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Q. How do I clean cultured marble tops.
A. You can use any non-abrasive household cleaner to clean cultured marble tops. Each top or panel has a clear gel-coat finish applied, during the fabrication process, to resist most chemicals and stains.
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Q. How easily does the product scratch?
A. Almost all products scratch. Some of the finishes that we offer are more forgiving than others. We recommend the slate or shale finishes for less noticeable scratches.
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Q. Is gloss finishing the only finish you offer?
A. No, we also offer 4 other finishes, Slate, Shale, Texture, and Matte.
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Q. Are the other finishes you offer more expensive?
A. If you are ordering a custom size top, panel, or tub, all of the finishes are the same price. If you order a standard size top that you would like a different finish other than gloss the top will be priced as a custom top.
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Q. What colors are available?
A. We can pour any of our 24 standard colors, 3 onyx colors, 7 stone colors or 6 ice colors on any of our 5 finishes.
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Q. can I get a countertop, tub surround and bathtub to match?
A. Yes, we offer all of the items you would need for the bathroom, right at our facility. You can choose all the same color or mix and match colors to accent the various items.
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Q. Will cultured marble burn if my curling iron touches it?
A. Yes, but it will take more than just letting the iron touch it. The longer the iron or hot item sits on it the more it will discolor the gel coat. We recommend setting your curling iron on a hot pad to avoid this.
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Q. What is the life expectancy of a vanity top in my home?
A. Under normal use, a marble top could last from 20 to 30 years or longer, depending on the care you take with the product. I have seen marble tops that I poured when I first stared working with the product in 1989, that are sill in great shape.
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Q. My old cultured marble top has cracks in the bowl. What causes this?
A. This is called thermal shock. This is caused by age of the product, an insufficient amount of gel coat sprayed in the bowl area, or by quick temperature change in the bowl many times over. This is noticeable in most motels or hotels from people dumping ice into the sink, and then turning the hot water on to melt the ice.
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Q. How hard is a vanity top to install?
A. Depending on the application, these tops are not difficult to install. If your vanity top is open on both sides, all you have to do is scribe it to the back wall, glue it to the cabinet, and have the plumbing hooked up. If the vanity top has a wall on one side, then you have to scribe it to the back wall and side wall. If it is between two walls, it can be more difficult. (Scribing = fitting the marble top to the wall by grinding it with a belt sander.)
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Q. What is the maximum length I can get a vanity top?
A. We can pour a vanity top up to 12 feet long with up to 5 bowls in it. These are typically found in commercial applications like campgrounds or restaurant bathrooms.
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Q. Can we get a corner sink, banjo sink, or L-shaped sink?
A. We specialize in custom products, so this is no problem. Just remember that in some applications, we will have to put a separate backsplash on instead of an integrated splash.
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Q. Can I put a steamer unit in a marble shower?
A. Yes, we have fabricated a lot of steam showers over the years with no problems.
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Q. Does the drain in my shower have to be centered?
A. No, But the closer to center the drain is placed, the better it will drain.
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Q. How large can we make our shower?
A. The possibilities are almost endless. We can pour a maximum panel height of 12 feet & maximum panel width up to 60 inches, but then we just set the panels side by side and cover the seam with a marble trim piece. Our largest shower to date is 60” deep by 110” long with 2 drains in it, and it is wheel chair accessible.
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What brands of solid surface do you carry?
How does solid surface compare to a stone surface like Marble or Granite?
How does solid surface compare in cost to other types of surfaces?
What are the best ‘applications’ that you would use solid surfaces for?
How do I clean solid surface countertops?
Can we have a gloss finish on our solid surface countertops?
Can I use a stainless steel drop-in sink or an under-mount sink rather than a solid surface sink?
How easily does the product scratch?
Can I lay a hot fry pan or cake pan directly on the countertop?
What happens if my solid surface countertop cracks or breaks?
How easy does this product stain?
Do I have to worry about bacteria growth?
Will I see seams in my countertop?
Can I mount a garbage disposal to a solid surface sink?
How do I drill for the faucet?
Can you do a solid surface shower in my home?
Can you use solid surface in a restaurant kitchen?
Q.What brands of solid surface do you carry?
A. We handle 6 of the major brands of solid surface: LG Hi-Macs, Formica solid surface, Gibraltar, Earthstone, Staron, & Avonite.
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Q. How does solid surface compare to a stone surface like Marble or Granite?
A. Solid surface is not as hard as some types of stone, therefore it will scratch mildly and can be burnt if a pan sits on the surface. The pros for this surface is that it is non porous so it does not have to be treated like real marble or granite, and if you do scratch or burn it, it can be sanded or repaired easily.
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Q. How does solid surface compare in cost to other types of surfaces?
A. Solid surface is a little more expensive than plastic laminate, but is considerably less expensive than Quartz surfacing or real marble and granite. There are different brands of solid surface, so price compare them to see what brand best fits your budget or décor.
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Q. What are the best ‘applications’ that you would use solid surfaces for?
A. Solid surface fits well with just about any type of application, from kitchen to bathroom. We have fabricated desk tops, kitchen tops, vanity tops, showers, tub decks and surrounds, window sills, fireplace surrounds, and many other things. Give us a call to see what we have to offer.
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Q. How do I clean solid surface countertops?
A. We recommend that your use Soft Scrub to clean your countertops to help keep the matte appearance, and keep the small surface scratches off.
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Q. Can we have a gloss finish on our solid surface countertops?
A. Yes, but we don’t recommend going to a gloss finish on the countertop. The gloss finish will show scratches more than a matte finish.
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Q. Can I use a stainless steel drop-in sink or an under-mount sink rather than a solid surface sink?
A. You can use any type of sink that you want.
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Q. How easily does the product scratch?
A. Almost all products scratch, but solid surface scratches can be sanded out by the homeowner most of the time. If the scratch is deep, then we will come to the home and sand it out using our vac sander for a small fee.
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Q. Can I lay a hot fry pan or cake pan directly on the countertop?
A. No. The standard temperatures that solid surface will withstand is 225 Degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature may be different depending on the brand of product that you choose. A trivet or hot pad is recommended when setting any hot pans directly on the countertop.
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Q. What happens if my solid surface countertop cracks or breaks?
A. All solid surface carries a 10 year warranty, except for LG Hi-Macs, which carries a 15 year warranty. If your countertop should break or crack during the warranty period, we will come to your home and fix the problem at no charge, as long as it is deemed a warranty issue.
NOTE:This is not a common problem. Solid surface is a very durable product.
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Q. How easy does this product stain?
A. Solid surface is a nonporous product that will not stain easily. Most stains can be removed with simple household cleaners, or if this is not effective, you can use bleach for a short time, followed by a mild cleanser, then water cleanup. This is all outlined on the solid surface companies’ website, or in their brochures.
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Q. Do I have to worry about bacteria growth?
A. Again, solid surface is a nonporous product, so you do not have to be concerned about mold or bacteria.
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Q. Will I see seams in my countertop?
A. Solid surface is a very unique product that is seamed with color matched glue. You may, in some instances see the seams, but they are inconspicuous. These seams are then sanded out so you do not feel them.
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Q. Can I mount a garbage disposal to a solid surface sink?
A. Yes. The sinks will withstand the weight of a garbage disposal with no problem.
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Q. How do I drill for the faucet?
A. We will drill the faucet holes into the countertop as long as you have your faucet on site when we come to install the tops.
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Q. Can you do a solid surface shower in my home?
A. Yes, we have fabricated a lot of showers over the years. We can order in a pre-molded solid surface shower base, or pour a cultured marble shower base and use the solid surface for the wall panels.
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Q. Can you use solid surface in a restaurant kitchen?
A. Yes. Solid surface is one of the recommended products for a commercial kitchen because it is nonporous.
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Please feel free to call or e-mail us any other questions that you might have.
Patricia@ClassicMarbleWorks.com
Or
David@ClassicMarbleWorks.com
Phone # 605-787-5201 |
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