- Consumer Use and Care Manual - Cultured Marble
- 1) Add caulking as necessary from shrinkage or from settling of residence.
2) Rain-X applied by hand with dampened soft cloth every 6-8 months – prevents hard water build-up, reduces scratching & maintains luster. Allow quick & complete water runoff.
3) Avoid gritty abrasive cleaners (any dry powders), bleaches or acetone based nail polish. Use only mild liquid soaps.
4) Hand wipe or buff any scratches incurred during normal use with similar paste wax using a feathering method.
5) Items not to be used or placed on marble:
a. Razor blades to remove any foreign material
b. Cigarettes placed on edges
c. Any acetone based cleansers
d. Old style Polaroid negatives, including curing lotion
e. Use only silicone for replacement of faucets or drains
INHERENT PROPERTIES
Cultured marble manufacturing is a very imperfect science. We have instituted many procedures to insure a consistent product. Below are listed several inherent characteristics that are beyond our control.
HAIRLINE SCRATCHES
Whether they are inward or outward are considered normal, customer maintenance is recommended to buff these scratches out as necessary.
IRREGULAR GRAINING OR COLOR
For each square foot of marble an exact percentage of pigment is added. Although they may be disbursed in a wide range of graining, this effect gives each product a character of its own. Gem State Marble cannot control the results of either color or graining.
GEL COAT
Gel coat, the outermost skin is prone to varying degrees of inconsistencies:
a. Orange peel effect, caused by temperature drying
b. Ripple effect caused by shrinkage
c. Stress marks, which are also caused by shrinkage
d. Dimples caused by impurities in the chemicals or catalyst
SPECKS OR IMPURITIES
Specks or impurities are considered normal, lampblack which is mined with limestone (our basic material) are inherent. These specks filter down during the mixing stage and are impossible to identify prior to manufacturing. Very large stones are removed prior to delivery.
THERMAL SHOCK
Rapid changes of temperature from 50 to 70 degrees F may cause cracking. This effect can be controlled by keeping marble at room temperature – 65 to 80 degrees F and controlling water heater temperature to approximately 120 degrees F. 
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