How to Attach a Cultured Marble Panel to a Wall

Measure the wall area that you will cover with the cultured marble. Measure the width of the wall at the top and bottom of the wall. Measure the height at left and right corners. Most walls are not perfectly square, and you may have to scribe the cultured marble to the wall to match any contour.

Using the belt sander, carefully remove some of the width or height of the cultured marble sheet to match the wall's actual dimension. If the wall measurements are more than three-eights inch different from one corner to the other, the sheet should be sized to match. If the wall dimensions are within one-quarter inch of one another, the sheet need not be scribed. The caulk will finish the seam at the corners of the wall.

Wipe the back of the cultured marble sheet with a clean rag dampened with denatured alcohol. The rag will remove any manufacturing dust and prepare the sheet for installation.

Test fit the sheet. Press it into place to verify that the wall area is smooth, free of obstructions, and that the sheet will fit into the proper place. Testing the fit before covering the back side with adhesive will prevent a mess if the sheet doesn't quite fit and has to be pulled out of place after you have applied adhesive.

Apply a heavy bead of silicone caulk to the back side of the sheet. Make a sweeping “S” shape, and apply a liberal amount of adhesive to the entire sheet. Use light-colored or clear 100 percent silicone caulk.

Press the cultured marble sheet to the wall, and prop the sheet in place using 1-by-3 furring strips. Use the small wood boards and create angled braces that will prevent the cultured marble from shifting while the caulk dries.

Remove the props after the caulk has cured for three or four hours. Using the same type of silicone caulk, in a color that closely matches the marble panels, apply a bead of caulk around the perimeter of the marble sheet. Wet your index finger with water, and slowly draw your finger along the corner, pressing the caulk into the corner seam. Your finger will smooth the caulk, and any excess can be removed with a clean, dry rag.