How to make artificial marble with your own hands. Facing stairs with marble: luxury and practicality Almost real artificial marble: manufacturing technology

The use of natural stone in home decoration is gaining more and more popularity lately. The marble staircase in the house speaks of the success of the owner, of his solvency and serious attitude to life. The use of stone in the interior is not at all a new technique in decoration - natural marble was used for decoration by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

At all times, people who have achieved success have preferred natural stone for its uniqueness and, oddly enough, practicality. Let's figure out why you should choose marble stairs for your home, where stone is still used and with what styles in the interior natural material is applicable.

Finishing stairs or floors with natural stone is a way to create a unique interior. Nature does not create identical things. Even stones from the same quarry differ in pattern and shade. Marble steps for stairs are an element of decor that no one can repeat.

A staircase with marble steps in a private house will delight more than one generation of residents with its beauty and grace.

On a note! Natural marble is slightly softer than granite, so it is mainly used in interior decoration.

Advantages of stone finish

What other properties does natural material have, which makes its use in solving flights of stairs, steps and floors so attractive:

Absolute environmental friendliness and safety.
High degree of practicality: marble is resistant to moisture, temperature changes, mechanical stress. The service life of stone finishes is several decades.
Marble is unpretentious in care. It is enough to wash the stone with ordinary water, and sometimes rub it with a polish to add shine.
Excellent compatibility of natural stone with other finishing materials such as iron casting, forging or woodcarving. Such organicity makes it possible to implement bold and interesting interior solutions.
natural aesthetics. The material created by nature itself is difficult to spoil. The color palette of natural marble allows you to create mosaic floors or flights of stairs with a combination of different shades: from bluish-snow to blue-black.

All these qualities make the manufacture of a marble staircase in your home an excellent financial investment and a unique interior solution. But still, the main advantage of natural stone is its extreme strength.

How to choose the right quality stone for steps, and what to look for will tell the video in this article.

Certain disadvantages

No material is perfect - marble is no exception. If the decision is made to embody the interior decoration of marble, you should forget about savings. The price of natural stone is always high.

This is due to the complexity and laboriousness of stone extraction, and often the cost of transporting the material.
If you want to buy marble of a certain color and texture, you may find that the quarries for its extraction are far from your region, and delivery will cost almost more than the stone itself.

The processing of natural stone is also a very laborious process. Therefore, perhaps, you should abandon the device of a stone staircase with your own hands, and entrust this matter to professionals.
Another possible drawback in the construction of a stone staircase may be its excessive monumentality. The stone is not visually light. Wide marble stairs can look very heavy, massive and visually take up too much space.

On a note! To give the structure some airiness, use forged railings for marble stairs in houses.

marble steps

Even though marble is a very expensive material, you can still cut costs by using it. It is not at all necessary to make steps for a staircase for a marble house in bulk.

You can use different options for marble finishes:

thin overlays on steps from the massif of natural marble;
facing marble tiles;
tiles made of decorative concrete using pressed marble chips;
artificial marble.

On a note! Regardless of which finishing method is chosen, only packs of material from one batch should be purchased and used. Always buy tiles with beats in mind. If you still do not meet the volume, buy more material from the same manufacturer, the same batch.

Marble overlays

Marble steps for stairs have excellent performance characteristics, but are very expensive in terms of cost. A more budget option, while maintaining all the strength of natural stone, is the method of arranging a flight of stairs with tiles with marble overlays.

This type of finish will require less money, reduce the cost of purchasing material. At the same time, these will be natural stone steps.

With a qualified performance of tile laying, the adhesive will not shine through the overlay and at the same time very reliably and firmly fix the tile on the basis of the tread or riser.

Marble chips

For facing steps, you can buy such a tile, or you can make it yourself by mixing the crumbs into a concrete solution. A crumb of marble is also ideal for creating a mosaic floor in a room adjacent to such a staircase.

To do this, prepare a solution:

In equal proportions, stone flour, cement, marble chips of large, small and medium fractions are kneaded.
After mixing 5 parts, you can add pigment if necessary.
The dry components of the solution are thoroughly mixed, then water is gradually added.
The finished composition should have the consistency of a rigid, inactive mass.

The finished mass is distributed on the floor, in accordance with the marked pattern, and leveled. Such a floor should dry under the film for a week. After drying, the surface is polished.

To install a staircase with marble chips, you will need something like a formwork that limits the size of the treads. This method of forming flights of stairs will take quite a lot of time, but at the same time, steps with marble chips will fit perfectly into interior styles such as high-tech or loft.

Artificial marble based on concrete

This material is gaining more and more popularity, because it is visually difficult to distinguish high-quality artificial material from natural stone. At the same time, concrete marble is much cheaper than natural stone.

Ready-made concrete-based marble steps can be purchased at a hardware store. And you can reduce costs even more by making artificial stone treads of the right size and shape with your own hands.

At the same time, the time required for laying treads and forming a flight of stairs is also significantly reduced. Marble concrete can be of any color and suit any style of interior.

On a note! By molding artificial stone based on concrete, you can make balusters for marble stairs.

Marble in interior styles

Interstorey marble stairs, which are very expensive to manufacture, will not fit into any space. Both the floor and steps made of natural stone require compliance with certain spatial conditions when implementing a design solution.

But otherwise, natural stone is very democratic and can be implemented in any style. Consider a photo of the most successful examples of interiors in which marble steps for stairs have become a real decoration.

An undying classic

A style that embodies pragmatism and consistency. Laying marble steps in a classic interior will emphasize the naturalness and simplicity of forms. This style is characterized by a minimum of decorative forms.

Victorian style

In such an interior, a staircase with carved balusters is necessary. Moreover, when designing stair railings, it is better to use spherical shapes.

Natural stone is expensive, especially if you want to make a countertop or shower tray out of it, and therefore DIY artificial marble seems to be a better option. Moreover, there are quite a few ways to get a reliable imitation, using a variety of, sometimes quite unexpected components and technologies.

How to get artificial marble with your own hands

What is the stone we are interested in? It has a heterogeneous color, most often with veins penetrating the entire thickness, a granular-crystalline structure. Coloring can be snow-white, pink, blue, black or gray. Less common colors: red, purple, green, yellow. The easiest way to create the illusion of marble is with gypsum, which gives a dense, non-porous mass. However, this option is unacceptable if you need a countertop or cladding in a room with a high level of humidity. Therefore, we will consider alternative methods that allow you to make artificial marble with your own hands.

The simplest technology is casting in molds from a cement-sand mixture. Cast marble is durable, waterproof and, most importantly, outwardly very similar to the real one. However, it should be noted that thin tiles will be quite fragile, and thick ones will turn out to be heavy. As a result, it is possible to make a countertop from such an imitation, but at the same time, the furniture body must be very massive in order to support the weight of the stone slab. A thinner version can be made by taking the wooden plane of the table as a basis. Next, we'll look at both options.

Almost real artificial marble: manufacturing technology

What do we need to end up with a slab of cast stone, almost indistinguishable from natural? First of all - a form of polyurethane, sand and cement in a ratio of 2: 1, respectively, water (a fifth of one share of cement) and pebbles as a filler. You will also need a dye (1% of the share of cement) and a plasticizer in the same amount. In order for the technical process to succeed, we stock up on plastic wrap, a construction mixer, a mixer or a special nozzle for a drill, as well as a spatula and a short rule.

Manufacturing technology of real artificial marble - step by step diagram

Step 1: Preparation

We thoroughly rinse and dry the form, which can be of any size, for example, just for the working surface of the kitchen wall. We prepare the solution, for which we combine cement, sand and pebbles in a dry state, mixing the components well. Pour 80% of the stored water, as well as the plasticizing composition, and continue kneading, achieving the highest possible mass uniformity. We add the rest of the water and, in unequal portions in different sectors of the container, the dye in order to achieve the least possible uniformity of the subsequent mixing of the color with the solution.

Step 2: Filling out the form

As soon as the dye has spread through the cement mass in thin veins, the composition is ready, and you can proceed to the most important phase of the process. We take the form, put it on a completely flat surface in order to exclude the bending of the bottom or walls, and pour the solution into it. Using a spatula, we clean the edges of the mold from excess, which can affect the smoothness of the plate, after which we level the surface of the mass with the rule and cover it with polyethylene.

The larger the slab of artificial stone, the higher the probability of its breakage due to internal voids. Therefore, if possible, a vibrating table should be used, and in the absence of one, when mixing, try not to lift the mixer from the mass so that air bubbles do not form.

Step 3: Getting the finished artificial stone

After about 10 days, the solidification of the mass poured into the mold will end, while there is no need to intervene in the process, as is required by other work with cement. For example, regular wetting of the surface is not required due to the fact that the solution is covered with polyethylene, which prevents the rapid evaporation of the liquid. When the plate is completely hardened, carefully lift it, turn it over and, like a cover, remove the form from the finished tabletop.

To get artificial marble, the manufacturing technology does not have to be complicated, everything can be done in an apartment. As a result, we get a product with low porosity, high resistance to a humid environment and various household chemicals. If necessary, polish the slab with transparent polish and alcohol, alternating their surface treatments. In this case, it should first be treated with alcohol, then, after drying, with polish, and, without waiting for it to dry, we again take up the swab moistened with alcohol.

How to make artificial marble in the form of an illusion

If you want imitation stone to cover an elegant coffee table, you will have to abandon the previously described technology, since thin wooden legs are unlikely to withstand the load of a multi-kilogram plate. Instead, the easiest way is to partially turn the table itself into a marble table with the help of paints, by drawing the appropriate stains on it. To do this, you need a jar of paint for the background, for example, white or green, as well as a small container of color for the pattern. On a white background, it would be more correct to draw black or gray stripes, on green or black - white.

Before making artificial marble, all cracks and chips on the surface, if any, are filled with a special water filler for wood. Next, we moisten the countertop from the spray gun so that the swollen fibers reveal all the roughness, and after the 30 minutes required for drying, we sand it as best as possible to a smooth state. Then, having cleaned the surface, we proceed to painting and apply two background layers with an interval necessary for the first of them to dry. To avoid streaks, it is better to use a brush or a foam rubber pad. After two hours, you can start applying the texture pattern.

The pattern of marble is familiar to many, sometimes it resembles zigzags of lightning on a surface dotted with many grains of inclusions, and sometimes it looks like randomly intersecting cracks. All this is not difficult to depict with a pen brush, with which you can change the thickness of the line. After waiting 5 minutes, mix a small amount of white paint with a transparent polyacrylic coating. Having dipped a wet sponge into the composition (you should definitely remove excess mixture from it), we draw along the drawing, without pressing hard and shading, thus, the lines, making them more blurry. After another 5 minutes of drying, wipe the surface with a clean cloth, mixing the colors with light touches. Another 30 minutes of drying and again we take up the feather brush, emphasizing the previously applied and already modified pattern.

After two hours, when the surface is already well dry, we take a carefully mixed polyacrylic coating and cover our "marble" with a thin transparent layer. It is advisable to leave the countertop for a long time after this to allow the film to solidify thoroughly. Next, you need to polish the surface with the finest sandpaper, clean it with a damp sponge or cloth and, after allowing it to dry, process it again with polyacrylic. Again, we leave to dry the already almost formed imitation of stone for 2-3 hours, then polish and wipe again. We apply the last layer of a transparent coating, wait for it to harden (2-3 hours), and finally polish it, after which we forget about our piece of furniture for about a week.

Material such as marble is used in various structures, such as an office building or a family home, for the simple reason that it has a high wear resistance. However, not everyone knows how to care for a marble staircase. Let's take a closer look.

Consider the practical as well as decorative functions of stairs.

Particular care must be taken when designing a stairway and careful handling when constructing various types of buildings. During the design process, it is necessary to perform high-quality calculations of all physical quantities that have a strong influence on the final application. It is important not to forget to calculate the mass of the future staircase design. In addition to the practical use of the stairs, it is important to note its good decorative qualities. When placing an order, do not forget to take into account the level of load will have to not spoil the appearance. For any product, in order to have high strength and reliability, it is desirable to use natural materials. Granite, natural stone or marble.

Stairs and steps made of marble material

Since ancient times, marble has been very famous as the most durable building material. The castles and palaces of Byzantine times are a good confirmation of this property of this material. Thanks to the high quality of the marble, the buildings and stairs have not lost their former strength. Also, the translucent texture looks beautiful in natural light. These factors are the reason why marble stairs are installed outside the structures. Steps made of marble material can fit well into the interior of a room furnished with natural wood furniture, in which there are metal or forged decorative elements.

Because marble has a sensitivity, and it is also a beautiful material. He needs good care. If alcohol, coffee or ketchup gets on the marble, it is advisable to remove them immediately. It is necessary to constantly monitor the purity of marble. To keep it clean, it is enough to sweep away the dirt with a soft-type brush, or rinse the surface with water. With regular good care, any marble product will always please the eye. In the same way, the right one will help maintain the original look.

What is forbidden to clean marble

Marble is not cleaned with various types of powders, ordinary detergents. Such substances can destroy the structure of the stone. Powders with abrasive particles can leave scratches on the stone.
Wine, juice and sauce such substances can damage the polished finish if not removed immediately from the surface of the marble.
Do not use ceramic cleaner.
Be careful not to listen to advice about cleaning marble with Coca-Cola or orange juice.

In order for the surface to be well cleaned, it is necessary to use products specially designed for the care of marble. For different types of pollution, it is required to use products suitable for this type. Such material as marble treats water calmly.

Despite being light marble may yellow over time. It is possible to mechanically repolish the coating. Also, with the help of a high concentration soap solution, yellowness can be eliminated. After applying the soap solution to the surface, it is worth leaving it there, then grind it thoroughly. Sometimes yellowed marble is cleaned with hydrogen peroxide with a few drops of ammonia. Do not forget that ammonia fumes are harmful to health.

Marble may fade, but it can be restored with a special polish designed for natural stone. Marble is also treated with beeswax, which gives the material a fresh color and a unique shine.

Compared to any other finishing and building material, marble has many advantages as a cladding solution. Among them, such important points as: strength, durability, the presence of a unique pattern, an impressive range of color options can be noted.

Marble stairs are becoming more and more common today. Also, this material is actively used for lining fireplaces, exterior and interior walls. Due to its use, a very worthy ensemble is obtained, which will represent your home exclusively in a favorable light. Any specialist will confirm this.

It is possible to decorate the staircase with marble with your own hands

Since today marble is available in a variety of colors, you can safely use it to decorate any element in your home.

For example, today it is actively used:

To equip the walls, decorate the countertops. Of course, marble cladding of stairs is also produced - the material is perfect for this;
In general, the marble staircase in the house is a very important touch, a kind of visiting card of any rich housing. This is the best evidence that the owners have excellent taste;
When people use marble finishes in their homes, they don't just consider the aesthetic appeal of the material. Strength plays an important role here. In addition, marble can be in operation for a very long time - this is also very convenient;
Facing the stairs with marble is a very good solution. You can thus create an impressive interior element that will perfectly harmonize with all other details, including those created from other building materials. That is why marble stairs fit well into the style of a variety of rooms;
Needless to say, marble stairs will fill your home with natural energy, its forces. And such a noble material as a stone will definitely once again emphasize the impeccable style of the owners, their desire for individuality.

To lay marble plates on the stairs, there are different ways.

The most popular are these:

Decoration of stairs is made with plates of various sizes;
Seamless tiles are used for finishing;
The master puts mosaic panels or something else.

Marble tiles have the following characteristics:

If you pay attention to the description of the technical indicators of marble tiles, you will find that the material can be used both for interior finishing work (for example, for facing stairs) and outside the house - that is, in external conditions;
Marble tiles, which were chosen carefully and correctly, are resistant to not the most favorable natural influences. This refers to both the climatic factor and various mechanical influences (including strong ones).

Please note: marble stairs are considered to be very functional. They are usually performed in different colors - such material has a lot of patterns and textures. That is, marble tiles can be used in general in any interior of a variety of styles.

This is often practiced these days..

Stairs made of stone and concrete, finished with marble tiles

Finishing can be done with both natural materials (you can use stone - granite, marble), and ceramic tiles. In certain situations, the surface of the stairs is simply decorated with different mosaic coatings. Moreover, the mosaic can be used both to cover the steps themselves and to finish the stairwells.

Today, a special decorative composition is often used, which includes white cement, as well as a special filler (usually marble chips).

What you should know about it:

Pigments are added to the solution - various substances, due to which its color changes to the desired one. So you don’t have to worry about the fact that the seams will stand out against the background of the masonry;
It is this design move that has become very popular in recent years. Its secret is that the gaps between the tiles are filled with a solution (or grout is used for this), the color of which differs from the shade of the tiles;
The original design of the stairs is guaranteed if you decide to use copper, brass inclusions (and in some cases even glass). In this situation, patterns and drawings will be visible on the design. To do this, the material to create inclusions is cut into thin strips (if you have to work with metal). If it is a non-metal, the material simply crumbles into elements of the desired size (for example, this is how they work with glass);
The length of one strip should be the same as the length of the step (or its height). This dimension also largely depends on what kind of drawing (or picture) you want to depict on your stairs;
It is important that the width of the strips is not greater than the thickness of your mortar.

The plate is fixed on the edge - on a pre-applied gypsum or cement mortar. This is how it is customary to work with such material.

It is also worth noting such stages - they are mandatory, if you would like a marble staircase:

Between the plates, the space is laid with a prepared solution;
On the entire surface of the step, the screed is completely;
It is customary to leave the solution for several days - so that it dries thoroughly, this is very important;
It is customary to grind the surface with abrasive wheels - so that the ladder is leveled over the entire surface;
Copper, brass or glass plates, which are built into the cement screed, stand out sharply against the background of the same color of the solution - due to this, the pattern can be seen without any difficulties.

Mosaic coating can be of several types:

With veins;
With patches;
Monophonic.

The very first option suggests that you just need to make a cement screed, which is filled with marble chips. And when everything hardens, the surface is polished - due to which it turns out to be very smooth. The cost of all the materials that will be required for such work is not high - so this option will be very economical. Even on a modest budget, you can get by.

Installing marble slabs on stairs

The decoration of stairs with marble is done by a variety of people - both professionals and novice self-taught masters. For fixing marble, tile glue or cement mortar is used here.

The solution can be obtained by mixing cement with sand in a ratio of one to three. At the same time, the right amount of water is added - without it, nowhere.

Consider the finishing process in detail:

There are plenty of different adhesives on the building and finishing materials market today that can be used for certain materials, types of surfaces. And the stove is no exception here;
In stores, these funds you will find in dry form. That is, it will be necessary to do very little - calculate how much water is required and add it. Despite the fact that all proportions are marked on the package with glue. You will also find detailed instructions there. Of course, before starting work, you should also determine what kind of adhesive is required for your surface;
It is important that the quality level of the adhesive composition complies with the current international standards - taking into account the instructions from the manufacturer. The cost of glue depends directly on what qualities it possesses.

That's right - the more reliable composition you choose for your work, the higher its cost will be.

When the purchase of all the necessary materials is completed and the tools are prepared, you need to take on the facing of the stairs with marble slabs - after all, marble stairs are very beautiful. Constructions of this kind speak quite eloquently about the social status of the owner of the house;
First of all, the surface of the stairs must be thoroughly cleaned. All dust is removed from here. After that, glue can be applied to the steps. This is done with a simple spatula - such a tool is quite enough to complete this part of the work;
It is important that the adhesive layer is not too thick - otherwise it may simply crack. If this happens, the marble tiles will chip off gradually - and you will have to refinish;
In order for the masonry to come out perfectly even, be sure to use the building level in your work. A string is pulled through each step. Small gaps are left between the tiles - no more than two or three millimeters;
A neat and even result is only possible when you use plastic crosses. It is these elements (which many people forget about during work) that ensure the presence of the desired distance;
It is enough to wait a day for the solution to dry. It is at this time that you should not use your ladder structure (do not climb or descend on it). When the work aimed at laying the tiles is completed, the marble slabs can be thoroughly washed. If this is not done, the glue will simply dry out and then it will have to be torn off (you won’t be able to wash it off with a soft sponge).

The final chord can be filling the joints with grout between the tiles. This substance provides protection of the structure from a variety of influences (for example, it reliably protects against moisture ingress).

In addition, such a tool makes marble stairs even more beautiful (like any other). Today, grout can have any color - and designers are trying to take advantage of this.

Work with grouting is carried out as follows:

First of all, you need to dilute the powder in water. Grouts are sold in powdered form. There is an instruction on the package - there you will find out in what proportions you need to mix the ingredients of the purchased grout;
When the composition is thoroughly mixed, the grout should be left alone. Just fifteen minutes is enough. After this period, the substance is mixed again;
Only after all the above manipulations can you proceed to grouting. It is best to do this work with rubber gloves. At the same time, you should also have a rubber spatula on hand. All excess grout that gets on the marble tile is best removed immediately - with a rag or a simple napkin;
And to achieve maximum accuracy, you can embroider the seams (with a simple pencil, screwdriver);
Within a couple of hours after work, the stairs can be completely washed.

At this stage, we can safely say that the marble staircase has been completely finished. The building has been refurbished and is now ready to be used. We also invite you to watch a video on how stairs are sheathed with marble. The material will be useful if you decide to complete the cladding of this level yourself.

Products that imitate natural stones have high strength, resistance to chemicals, environmental friendliness, shock and heat resistance, as well as other advantages. Artificial marble is made from concrete, gypsum and polyester resin and is used not only for facing houses, but also in the manufacture of countertops, stairs, window sills, fountains and much more.

To make artificial marble with your own hands, you need to decide on the technology of its production.

Cast marble

Polyester resin and any mineral filler (marble chips, crushed white quartz and other finely dispersed components) are used as the basis for this material. The latter allow the production of slabs stylized as granite, malachite, jasper and onyx.

To make cast artificial marble at home, you will need to prepare a solution:

Polymer concrete. To do this, mix 20-25% polyester resin with 75-80% crushed neutral mineral.
Butacryl. In this case, instead of resin, AST-T and butacryl are used in equal proportions, after which 50% of quartz sand or crushed gravel is added to the mixture.

You will also need to prepare river sand, pigment, gelcoat and plasticizer. The manufacturing technology of artificial marble from resin includes the following steps:

Gel coat the matrix for the future artificial stone and let the mold dry.
Prepare the solution using one of the methods described above.
Pour the liquid solution into the matrix and remove any excess.
Cover the mold with cling film and wait 10 hours.
Remove the finished artificial stone from the mold and leave it outdoors for a while.

The hardened stone can be further polished or left without machining.

Despite the ease of manufacture of such artificial raw materials, the casting method for the production of marble is expensive, so it makes sense to consider other methods for creating stones.

Gypsum artificial marble is a gypsum mass, mixed with a mixture of water and glue, which is polished to a mirror finish. This "toning" allows you to imitate natural minerals such as malachite and lapis lazuli.

The production of this artificial marble does not require expensive materials. You can prepare it as follows:

Knead dry gypsum and wood glue in water.
Pour the melted resin into the mixture.
Stir the composition and add pigment to it.
Stir the mixture again until natural inclusions and streaks appear in it.

Healthy! If you want to get a product of natural color, then you need to mix 200 g of white humilax, 1 kg of alcohol (technical) and 50 g of gypsum. To get a coffee shade, use orange humilax, and to create a black stone, add aniline dye.

Pour the liquid mass into the plastic matrix.
Remove excess mixture. To do this, sprinkle the solution with dry gypsum.
Wait about 10 hours and pull the finished product out of the mold.
Treat the surface of the product with potassium silicate to make the finished stone water resistant.
Dry the marble and polish it with soft felt (you can also use specialized abrasives that give the finished product a more saturated shade).
When the surface of the stone becomes almost mirror-like, the artificial marble will be ready.

Such production of artificial marble and mosaics is considered the most simple and affordable. Thanks to gypsum, the stones are very light and durable. Such products are successfully used in residential premises.

Artificial marble with concrete filler

The technology of marble production using concrete is also very popular due to the use of environmentally friendly material and the ease of manufacture of products.

To create such a stone yourself, follow these steps:

Coat the dry matrix with a smooth surface with a moisture-resistant gelcoat and wait for the mold to dry completely.
Prepare the concrete mixture and add clay or slaked lime to it.
Prepare your filler. To do this, mix 2 parts of river sand, 1 part of cement, 80% of water and add pebbles to the composition. It is also necessary to add pigment to the resulting solution (1% by weight of the mixture) and knead the composition for artificial marble for 30-40 seconds. It is recommended to mix all components in a special mixer.
Add pigment to the finished filler (you need to add it unevenly to make the finished product more realistic). After that, carefully move the liquid composition.
Set the matrix in a horizontal position and pour the prepared mass into it in small portions. This should fill all the voids in the form.
Remove excess mixture with a spatula.
Cover the surface with polyethylene and wait for the composition to completely harden at positive temperatures (depending on the thickness of the stone, it will dry from 24 hours to several days).
Remove the finished artificial slab from the matrix and process it with a grinder and a special transparent polish.

If you decide how to make artificial marble yourself, then you should give preference to gypsum or concrete. However, you can purchase ready-made material:

Ground marble (microcalcite). This raw material is made from crushed marble. This powdery substance of mineral origin is characterized by high strength and low chemical activity. In addition, the material is resistant to sunlight and does not absorb moisture.
Liquid marble. In addition to marble chips, this material contains acrylic polymers, which makes such a stone light and flexible. Such marble can be easily cut with a knife and pasted over the walls with it. It is most popular when decorating irregularly shaped rooms.

In custody

The manufacture of artificial marble differs based on the material used (more on the video). However, no matter what raw materials you choose, the stone must be properly cared for. For example, to preserve the shine of a marble surface, use a soapy solution (add 1 cap of any detergent to 3 liters of water).