acrylic walls with microban vs cultured marble

11 years ago

We are redoing our small only 62 year old bathroom. We have talked to 5 contractors and have it narrowed down to two. One is offering cultured marble walls and the other acrylic walls with microban. So the choice is really between the wall materials that will be used in the tub surround. The price for the two are about the same. The warranty on the cultured marble is a year vs the acrylic walls with microban which is lifetime. Can anyone chime in with which product would be more durable over time as far as looks and water tightness.
Thanks

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Comments (5)

User
11 years ago
If this is an acrylic solid surface, where it is solid/patterned all the way through the material, like a Corian, then that is much superior to the cultured marble. Cultured marble has a gelcoat finish where the pattern and color does not go all the way through, and it can be damaged by some cleaning materials and methods. With a solid surface acrylic type material, it can be buffed out to be renewed. It's a "lifetime" choice for your shower surface. If it's a very thin acrylic type wall panel, the kind that kinda "flaps in the wind" it's so thin, then the cultured marble would be a better choice than that. It's not a renewable surface however.

Did you not want a tiled surface? With the new grouts with built in sealers, it's care is about as easy as that of a panel wall system.
charlesmartorelli
Original Author
11 years ago
The acryilic is 1/8 thick and the cultured marble is about 3/8 thick.
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llcp93
11 years ago
Price out a solid surface, like Corian, and see how your costs compare. It is a much better alternative. I agree with Live-wire.
jakkom
11 years ago
We have a cultured marble - actually cultured granite, but same stuff, really - shower stall: custom-molded base, two slab walls, molding trim and inset shelves.

It was installed in 2003 and my DH calls it "the best thing we've ever done to this house". Considering that when we bought the house, we gutted it and remodeled/replaced over 90% of it, that's a strong endorsement...and I agree.

I clean both with a sponge and a few sprays of cleaner. Literally takes less than 90 seconds for each. They are BY FAR the easiest to maintain of anything in our house, hands-down.

Bathroom vertical surfaces don't get the wear that kitchen counters do. In the kitchen we have Swanstone counters, but it was much cheaper to do both bathrooms with cultured granite surrounds.
leeann56
11 years ago
There is nothing easier to clean or more durable than a cultured stone product. The newer gel-coats are extremely scratch resistant and there is no grout. There is no need for a microban treatment because the product is sealed so it cannot absorb soap scum or mold and mildew. The acrylic liners with microban are a thin veneer and will not last near as long as cultured marble.