Cambria Counter Top Guide

Engineered stone counter tops, like the Cambria counter top, are a man-made product combining natural quartz (an element found in granite) mixed with a binding resin. Hence the name... "quartz counter top." This process forms a very hard and durable surface that is similar to granite.

Good choice. Cambria counter tops are great for your kitchen countertops, kitchen backsplash, kitchen island, bathroom vanity, wet bar or wine cellar.

Other brands such as Zodiac and Silestone make essentially the same product as a Cambria counter top. They are all engineered stone counter tops made pretty much the same way.

Silestone is by far the leader of the market with more distributors, a more efficient production process and more colors to choose from, but the look, feel and function of the product isn't any "better" than the others.

Deciding which product/company to buy will likely come down to color choices and availability from you local fabricator or distributor. Silestone offers more colors but, Cambria and Zodiac have different colors so you may want to check out all three companies.

Frankly, Cambria has had some production issues recently due to problems getting their machinery calibrated propertly. This has caused inconsistencies in their colors and delayed delivery times. However, they are working hard to correct the matter and should have it straightened out soon.

Cambria Counter Top Colors

Over 30 countertop colors are currently available from Cambria in a broad range from whites to tans and browns to greens, blues and blacks.

Pattern. Like Silestone and Zodiac, a Cambria countertop has a very uniform pattern. When compared to granite, engineered stone counter tops can seem kind of boring considering granite has an almost unlimited variety of patterns and colors to choose from.

Preference. Many people, however, prefer this consistent pattern over the entire countertop surface. And one advantage is that Cambria counter top slabs can be easily matched up without a shift in the pattern or color that sometimes happens with granite.

Care & Maintenance

Resistent Not Invincible. Cambria counter tops are extremely resistant to chemicals, heat and scratching (just like granite). But, they are not heat or scratch proof and can be damaged by intense heat, prolonged heat from say a crock pot or certain chemicals and food products such as, wine, vinegar, tea, juice, coffee, soda, some fruits and vegetables if these substances are left to dry.

Really, it's not much to worry about. The truth is that you would have to try pretty hard and be very neglectful to do any real damage, but it is possible, so . . .

Always use cutting boards for food prep, trivets under hot pots and pans and wipe up spills before they dry.

Daily cleaning is a snap. Hot water and a sponge are sufficient for keeping things tidy. For more thorough cleaning use a sponge and a non-bleach glass and surface cleaner.

I like Simple Green the best. It�s near neutral pH makes it safe on any surface except... marble, limestone and travertine.

Do not use abrasive powders such as Comet or abrasive scratch pads.
For more Do�s & Don�ts and general countertop maintenance, go to
Care & Cleaning

Cambria vs. Granite

It's All Marketing. Despite marketing efforts by makers ofengineered stone to try and convince you otherwise, there isn�t any significant difference regarding performance, function, cleaning or price between granite and Cambria or other brands of quartz counter tops.

More on Quartz vs. Granite including cleaning and sealing can be found at countertop comparison.

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