New Jersey home inspection NJ home inspectors perform  Certified New Jersey

CULTURED MARBLE / ACRYLICS (CORIAN ®) / GRANITE / MARBLE: Although commonly called "cultured marble" the name is probably a misnomer. This is a plastic resin material which is cast into desired shapes and has nothing to do with marble. Like fiberglass and plastic laminates, it will burn easily (cigarettes and curling irons) and scratch easily, but is resistant to stains. Never use abrasive cleaners on this material. Eventually, it may check or crack in the bottom of lavatories. Nothing can be done about these cracks. If the checking begins to leak replacement of the counter top may be the only solution. There are acrylic materials which look like "cultured marble" that are far more expensive and durable. One of these is Dupont Corian ®. These materials can be repaired by the homeowner if burned or scratched. The color in these materials and their usable surface extends completely through the material as opposed to a fraction of an inch of usable surface on plastic resin type materials. This allows the user to "sand" or scour the burn or scratch off the surface. Marble and granite surrounds are less common than all others with the exception of copper. Both may be installed as slabs or as tiles. The treatment of marble and granite is similar to ceramic tile except that marble can be stained. Use care with scratching or nicking the surface of this type countertop. The polished finish is not easily repaired. 

HYDRO-JET" OR "JACUZZI" STYLE TUB  HYDRO-JET" OR "JACUZZI" STYLE TUB 

The above information was provided by TWI Systems Copyright 1995-2005 1-800-553-5660