How to Restore the Shine on Cultured Marble Countertops

The cultured marble vanity top in my bathroom appears dull and lifeless. What can I do to revive and restore the shine? -Thelma

Cultured marble is made of a mixture of polyester resin, limestone dust, fillers, and pigments with a clear gel coat finish on top. While you can’t remove deep scratches that go all the way through the gel coat, it is possible to restore the surface and shine using extremely fine sandpaper and polishing compounds.

Automotive compounds are mildly abrasive materials that are used to smooth and remove blemishes from cultured marble, fiberglass, paint, or clear finishes. They’re available at auto supply stores as rubbing (red, more abrasive) and polishing (white, less abrasive) compounds.

Automotive compounds can be applied to the surface by hand with a soft, cotton cloth, or by using felt or wool pads on a power buffer, which requires much less physical effort.

If the cultured marble surface is just a bit dull, try buffing it first with polishing compound, following the instructions on the can. If polishing compound doesn’t do the trick, buff with rubbing compound, followed by polishing compound to remove any scratches left by the rubbing compound.

If the cultured marble surface still isn’t smooth and shiny, try wet sanding with 1,000-grit wet/dry sandpaper (also available at auto supply stores), followed by buffing with rubbing and polishing compounds to remove any scratches from the sandpaper.

Wipe off any residue from the compound with a clean, soft cloth, then wash and dry the top with water.

Cleaning and polishing products that are specifically designed for cultured marble, such as Gel-Gloss Marble Polish, are also available.

Good luck with your project,

Danny

Further Information

19 COMMENTS

  1. Can I obtain a custom cast solid surface shower pan which is a nonstandard size and shape and reuse my existing solid surface wall panels? I had a leak at the drain area of my shower which allowed water under the old solid surface floor and on top of the pan. I have completely removed the shower down to the studs and was able to get all solid surface panels out without damaging them. They are made of a very heany stone like substance which is highly polished on one side. I had a curb system constructed out of 2×4’s. I would like to locate a cast solid surface pan which incorporates the curb which would provide a better water seal and eliminate some caulking joints. My floor is roughly 36×49 with one corner angled off. The drain is not centered as well. I really like the heavy quality of the existing material and prefer not using acrylic.

    • Hi, Brad,
      We don’t sell construction products, but we encourage checking your local home center for these materials.
      Good luck!

  2. a few of my cultured marble shower panels are showing dull areas amid the normal glossy surfaces. I bought a spray product but it doesn’t bring back the gloss in those areas.
    Is there a product I can use or a method I can use to restore those dull areas to glossy again.
    Thank you.

    • Hi, Tom! Cleaning and polishing products that are specifically designed for cultured marble, such as Gel-Gloss Marble Polish, are available for this purpose. Let us know how it goes. 🙂

  3. how do i get a polished look and feel if i cut a rounded corner from an existing vanity ? is their a product that i can apply and then polish to get the finished look?

  4. Thank you for mentioning Gel-Gloss Marble Polish. I recently moved into a new home with marble countertops. Some of them are a little damaged. I will try picking up the product and trying it out this weekend!

  5. Our house cleaner used CLR in our cultured marble. It left stains from the blast of spray and streaks running down the walls. Is there anyway to remove these?

  6. Is there a product to restore marble counter, shower, etc. They have yellowed and are dull but in good shape. Are there businesses that restore marble.

  7. What was your answer to one of the above questions regarding spilling CLR on the countertop and it took the finish off. How do you restore the shine?

  8. I see many unanswered questions. Why have a comment section if you’re not going to follow up on any of the comments?

    • Hi, Ann!
      We can’t answer all the questions we receive due to the high volume (2 million+ monthly visitors), but we sure do our best.
      Selected questions receive a moderator’s answer, as the comments form states.
      Thanks for visiting todayshomeowner.com!

  9. MY MARBLE VANITY HAS A STAIN CAUSED BY A CLEANING LADY WHO SET DOWN A STRONG “FLOOR” CLEANER BOTTLE ON THE TOP AND IT LEFT A “IMPRINT” OF THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE ON THE MARBLE SURFACE….HELP

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