What is this grout-free material for bathrooms called?

If you are looking for an easy-to-clean shower, you’ve come to the right place! You may be wondering what kind of material would offer solid panels with no grout lines? The answer is cultured marble. Cultured marble is a man-made material manufactured from real marble dust (also known as calcium carbonite) that is mixed with a polyester resin, with pigments and fillers to add color and pattern. It is then poured behind a polyester gel coat which gives it stain and water resistance. It can be formed into shower pans, shower and tub panels, vanity tops, and bathtubs.

Cultured marble has been around since the 1940s. It has gained many different names over the years. Some of those names are engineered marble, engineered stone, cast marble, cast stone, cultured granite, engineered granite, composite marble, engineered composite, cast polymer, man-made marble, and synthetic marble.

Not Your Grandmother’s Cultured Marble

The cultured marble from the 1940’s is no more and has evolved and greatly improved over the years. The raw materials and manufacturing processes of today are more advanced, resulting in a far superior product than it originally started out as. The marble dust used nowadays comes from specific areas of the marble quarries where it is brighter, and cleaner compared to the crushed limestone used long ago. The resins have technologically advanced over the years to offer greater strength and improved durability. The pigments, fillers, and techniques now offer unique and luxurious patterns and colors to mimic the look of natural marble and granite.

You’ll find that manufacturers of cultured marble usually offer longer warranties because of the longevity and durability of their products. You’ll often see cultured marble showers and vanity tops in commercial applications such as hotels and hospitals, which speaks volumes in terms of use and maintenance.

Why not have that same grout-free material in your bathrooms at home? You can – just contact one of the manufacturers near you today to get started living grout free!