StonePly Residential makes it easy to use real quarried marble in your bathroom shower.

Natural Granite vs. Cultured Granite
When remodeling your shower, you may be struggling to decide between going with natural granite or using cultured granite because you heard it could save you some money but offer a similar look. This article provides you with information on both types of shower materials, including the benefits of each type as well as how StonePly Residential’s granite shower kits combine the best of both types of materials.

Natural Granite
Natural granite comes from quarries and is made from mica, feldspar, silica and quartz. It is an igneous rock that comes from volcanic material that has cooled, producing a wide selection of colors, patterns, and speckle. No two pieces of granite are alike, which creates a unique look for your bathroom shower. Its beauty is difficult to replicate even with today’s technology.

Being a natural product formed of the earth, granite is strong and highly durable. Granite’s beauty can be expected to last for generations because it stands up to all kinds of elements. This also helps granite add to a home’s equity.

Granite tends to be an expensive material to use because a specific color or pattern may be rare. What makes it costly though is the installation. It is thick and heavy and requires special equipment to cut and shape the pieces to fit your bathroom.

Cultured Granite
As an alternative to natural granite, cultured Granite is a man-made material that combines polyester resin, a catalyst, fillers and pigments. It is mixed up and put in molds that have been coated with clear gel, which gives the cultured granite a tough and durable surface. It can be produced in a wide range of colors.

This man-made material is durable, resisting chips, dents, abrasions, mildew, water and stains under normal use and with proper maintenance. It costs less than quarried granite and offers a seamless look. Cultured granite is fairly easy to clean and maintain.

While cultured granite may achieve a look similar to that of real granite, it doesn’t add to a home’s value like the addition of natural quarried stone.

Granite Shower Kits and Custom Granite Showers
Our shower kits and custom granite showers provide an excellent alternative to cultured granite by making natural granite simpler to work with. The StonePly Residential solution uses a thin sheet of natural granite and applies a lightweight but highly durable and flexible material to this sheet. It looks like natural granite because it is natural granite but since it is not as thick, the StonePly material is easier to cut, shape, handle, transport and install. This gives you natural granite for your shower but at a much lower price.

Other advantages include a seamless look with no grout lines, easy maintenance, and long-lasting beauty. Plus, you can enjoy the same low maintenance as cultured granite without concern that the material will become vulnerable to water.

You can enjoy one of StonePly’s granite shower kits that are great for standard size shower spaces. Or, if you are looking to create a more expansive shower for your master bath and have special measurements, we can create a custom granite shower for you.

Order Your Shower Now!
To get an estimate for your new granite shower you can reach the StonePly Residential team at 903-259-6478 or via email at sales@stoneply.com. You can also opt to fill in our contact form: https://www.stoneply.com/en/contact-us/.

Marble showers from StonePly Residential are beautiful and superior in every way.

Real Marble vs. Cultured Marble
When you decide to remodel your shower, there are many options to choose from when it comes to the materials to use. While you may think marble is beautiful, you might also believe it is too expensive and rule out it for cultured marble. However, there are differences to consider and you may be surprised by the misconception that marble is too expensive.

Marble
Marble is a natural stone that is classified as a metamorphic rock. This means that it has changed from one type of rock to another after being exposed to heat and/or pressure. In the case of marble, it started out as limestone that was then changed through a recrystallization process from this heat and pressure.

It is known for its natural beauty with unique veining that is hard to replicate; no two pieces of marble are exactly the same. Marble is often highly prized because of its aesthetic beauty. When used in a home, marble may help to improve the value of the property.

Marble may stain easily if it is not sealed properly when it is installed. It does need to be wiped down as water spots tend to form if left with standing water.

Marble can be difficult and expensive to repair if it chips or cracks, but with proper care and its overall durability, this rarely happens.

Cultured Marble
Cultured marble is a manufactured product made of acrylics, resins, pigments and marble dust. This man-made product can be molded or formed into any shape. It also can be created to look very much like real marble in small samples, but it often has veining that looks too perfect and uniform and some colors of cultured marble tend to look like plastic. When used in showers and baths, the cultured marble undergoes a process that lines it with a gel coating to protect it from water.

Like marble, it offers a seamless construction so that you do not have to look at grout lines like tile. This reduces the cleaning and maintenance involved. The cultured marble is typically less expensive than marble because it does not have to be quarried, transported, and cut.

Cultured marble does not have to be resealed because it is not porous. This means it can resist staining and just needs a shower cleaner to maintain it. Overall, it is durable and not likely to break or chip. However, it is vulnerable to scratching so care needs to be taken with cleaning and regular use.

Our Marble Shower Kits and Custom Marble Showers
If you prefer marble for its higher level of beauty but are looking for something affordable and low maintenance, we have the solution. Our marble shower kits and custom marble products can provide what you are looking for.

Our solution uses natural marble that has been cut into a thin sheet and adhered to a high-strength backing material. The reduction in weight is significant, helping to save you money on the cost of transportation and installation. The high-strength backing also offers durability that goes over and beyond what is usually expected with quarried stone. We even offer marble shower kits that fit standard size shower areas. Or, if you need a custom size, our marble products easily install directly over the old shower walls.

Order Your Shower Now!
To get an estimate for your new marble shower you can reach the StonePly Residential team at 903-259-6478 or via email at sales@stoneplyresidential.com.  You can also opt to fill in our contact form: https://www.stoneply.com/en/contact-us/.