Here in my store, Cambria runs $22 more per square foot...over Zodiaq, Hanstone and LG Viatera. Caesarstone is somewhere in between.

Myself personally, could find a black that I could live with for that price difference. Depending on the size of your tops, that could be $1000 to $2000 extra! But maybe pricing is different from your fabricators.

The one nice thing that Cambria does, is offer you any color and any edge at the same price. However, my fabricator now offers 6 edge profiles at the same cost for granite and other quartz brands, so this is not such a big factor anymore.

Kompy

Cancoi, I wish I knew where Lebron was going!! I hope not CHICAGO!!!lol.Okay I am back.. I am not sure of our fabricator but I could look it up if you need. They were excellant.Beyond excellant..
Skydog, What Cambria pattern do you have? I have Cranbrook. We looked at ALL of the other companies and Cambria just looked more natural to us.
Gotta say my neighbors are having a 4th of July party and I am sitting on my deck. They are doing karaoke and I am thinking of calling the law!!LOL. Bad singing at its best..How many people think they can sing " Paradise by the dashboard lights" Meatloaf..Whoa funny

Doonie, how much did the Silestone run you in comparison to the Ceasarstone? I took another look at it on their website and there were a couple of colors I probably should take a second look at, including the Yellow Nile.

sivyaleah,
I will have to dig up my paperwork on the Silestone. I don't remember the price and we had some changes to my inital order.

I really love the Yellow Nile. It is a very soft light yellowy beige. I was able to see it initially at a Home Depot. I went with a local fabricator who works with the 3 cm thickness. Home Depot only has the 2 cm thickness.

Thank you all for your feedback. eastbaymom, thanks for the link to the Cambria search. I did try the search at the top of the page and didn't find anything relevant, so your link was very helpful.

sammi06, like you, I'm very interested in a product made in the USA, hence the attraction to Cambria - the only quartz product made here. My original surface guy told me the company was 'diametrically opposed' to the Cambria business model, but I've come to realize that's their business issue, not my purchasing issue. I'm willing to pay a little bit more for Cambrian Black vs. a Silestone or Caesarstone product. I also like the Cambrian Black best of all.

For anyone interested, Hallmark in the Chicago area is doing the fabrication work. I saw their work in the kitchen shop that sells the Cambria. I couldn't even see the seam!

FYI to joyjoyjoy, Cambria is 93% quartz as well. Based on what I've read, I believe any product needs to contain 93% quartz to be considered a quartz countertop and have the desired properties of quartz.

And, yes, I have spent more time on this countertop than any other feature in this kitchen. We just got a big surprise when our contractor called to say the cabinets are being delivered this Saturday. Yikes! Time to pack the kitchen and prepare for demo.

Good luck with packing up, Price138! I hope that all the big things go smoothly with your kitchen install.

Decisions! Decisions!
It's hard to pick a color let alone a company.

Where do you look at samples?
Can't seem to find a store on Long Island that sells Quartz.
Help!!!!
I want quartz in my bathroom instead of granite.

I chose Cambria because they had a light color that matched the other products we were putting in. Very natural. Been there about 3 years and no problems. We live in Washington State and the fabricator/installer was excellent. Knew all the tricks to make the install of our stainless steel sink go so smoothly. Good Luck.

I am a fabricator.

Regarding the various quartz brands; ALL are made on the same machines purchased from a company in Italy so from brand to brand there is VERY little difference in the actual material. Much more important is the expertise and professionalism of your fabricator.

Specifically regarding Cambria; Cambria markets their product as a "premium". It is often $15 - $30 per sq. ft. more then quartz alternates so IMHO the only time it's worth the substantial premium is when one of Cambria's more unique colors is your one and only choice.

A note regarding the Cambria more exotic colors with some movement: if you choose one of these make sure you layout your kitchen parts on the slabs. Some of the slabs of new colors include areas which have very little color or inclusions. To my eye they are totally unacceptable but are not considered a defect by Cambria.

oldryder makes a very good point re: looking at the Cambria slabs. We did this with the fabricator (at their suggestion) because the quartz we chose, Cambria Canterbury, had alot of color variation and we were going to need 2 pieces seamed together for the length of our kitchen counter. We were able to find 2 slabs that were very similar in color and movement ( we wanted it with the black less dominant). The fabricator did a great job with the match and seams.

ksudac:

You need to get a copy of the Cambria Fabrication Manual. I can tell you right now your top cracked from fabricator error; the radius in the corner must be 3/8" minimum. I can tell from the photograph it's much less. That's from the Ceasarstone specs, but they're all the same.

Lay a level across the "L"; it must be on plane even if it isn't perfectly level.

They can't argue with their own documents.

P.S.:

Check out the radii in the pictures in this thread as compared to yours: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg031201573904.html?36

Here is a link that might be useful: Specs

This post was edited by Trebruchet on Tue, Feb 25, 14 at 19:09

What Company is LG ksudak mentioned?

jrws: I don't understand your question.

jrws: LG Hausys is the company name. Viatera is their quartz product line.

Thank you..that's what I was trying to figure out from the comment above that mentioned a company called LG: "My advice, stay away from Cambria my parents went the LG (it looks really really good) and my in-laws went with Ceaserstone (they LOVE it), both are happy with the product and both cost less then my Cambria." Appreciate all the replies. J

Huge Cambria fans over here! Besides having a great product, their service is impeccable...now. A year or two ago they were moving their factory and expanding and lead times got all screwy. Now, they are great. We recently went to their headquarters, they run a tight ship. They are also a family owned company, and their products are made in the USA. Two amazing, awesome things. Their pallet is extensive and all of their colors are the same price! So it's easy to quote.

We took LG out of our showroom. Ceasarstone is good too... but they do not have as many options as Cambria.

I got thrown out of the Cambria booth at the last trade show I attended.

"Don't come back" were the exact words.

I just built a new home and used Cambria for my kitchen and laundry room. After only 6 months, the quartz cracked 10 inches from wall.. I never put anything hot from the oven or cooktop on the countertop but Cambria refused to stand behind their product. I've never seen poorer customer appreciation for a high end company like this. I bought White Cliff, a solid white but it has specs of gray stuff that is within the quartz but shouldn't be (picture included). Obviously, they have a problem with their quality control. They are making a product they cannot and will not stand behind. Beware! I would highly advise buying from a different company.

Cris:

Sorry, but we need more pictures and explanation. This could be fabricator error, and not Cambria's fault.

99.9% of he time, when a counter breaks, it is fabrication error. Either the cabinets were not leveled properly, or the tops were shimmed improperly. that has about as much to do with Cambria as you blaming the wheat farmer for the hair in your bagel.

"99% of the time it is fabricator error" This is inaccurate. Certainly fabricator errors can cause cracks but material defects resulting in cracks are much more common than .01%. As a fabricator I have seen material failures in quartz products many times during fabrication. As an example a quartz slab will occasionally split a long skinny chunk off parallel to a saw cut. They'll also occasionally crack at the sink rail during the process of cutting out and polishing the sink. Of course the end user never sees these defects but they are proof that quartz slabs can be far from perfect. If a quartz Countertop is properly installed and a Crack develops the logical conclusion is a material defect. If a fabricator is specifically approved by the supplier then the slab producer still is responsible even in the event of a fabrication induced failure.

" If a fabricator is specifically approved by the supplier then the slab producer still is responsible even in the event of a fabrication induced failure."

Only if that fabricator has followed the manufacturer's fabrication and installation instructions.

Cambria sent their technician who spent about 2 hours taking pictures, checking to be sure the quartz was installed correctly and found the cabinets to be level. The explanation the Cambria representative gave my fabricator, was that since it happened over the Thanksgiving weekend, I must have set a turkey roaster on the countertop, which is totally untrue and makes no sense in respect to where the crack is. I agree that it is untrue and unreasonable to say that 99.9% of the time Cambria only cracks due to fabricator error. In my case, the product itself was the problem.

"Only if that fabricator has followed the manufacturer's fabrication and installation instructions."

Agree ... and Cambria is quite specific about their approved fabrication details. Any competent fabricator knows very small radius inside corners create a stress riser that is a perfect place for a crack to start. This is why inside radius corners have a minimum spec.

Cris - sorry for your problem. "The explanation the Cambria representative gave my fabricator, was that since it happened over the Thanksgiving weekend, I must have set a turkey roaster on the countertop," is total bullshirt and not what a company with any integrity would do. Hopefully your fabricator will stand behind the project even if Cambria will not.

How close is the crack to a duplex receptacle? You may be able to ruin his theory with that information.

Hi, Cris. We appreciate you reaching out. We're saddened to hear about your experience and would like the opportunity to discuss it with you. A member of our Leadership team, Arthur Hartman, will be in contact with you on Monday.

I am reviewing Cambria verse Caesarstone and other manufacturers. After reading a few threads with Cambria not repairing issues I am very dismayed. My favorite so far is Cambria Brittanica. A friend installed Cambria a year ago - today I noticed a terrible slice (like a wood splinter) and she said they tried after installing and said that was the best they could do (it is terrible). --That alone is causing me to have to go back out and shop again - to find something I like less that will hold up better.

The Chinese have ripped off Brittanica as shown here at Coverings '17. Minnesota is a heck of a lot closer for warranty calls though:

We
are happy to hear that many of you have either purchased or considered Cambria
for your project. With 141 designs and a new Matte finish to choose from, the
possibilities are endless! Cambria is nonporous, meaning it does not absorb
odors and moisture, and unlike granite, never requires sealing. This makes
Cambria incredibly easy to care for, just a simple wipe down with a soft cloth
and water, adding a mild soap if you desire. Cambria is also incredibly
durable, a 7 on the Moh hardness scale, it is resistant to chipping and
scratches. We offer a Lifetime Limited Warranty which includes full replacement
on manufacturing defects. Should our customers experience concerns not covered
under the Lifetime Limited Warranty, our Customer Care Team is always here to
help and will send out a Cambria trained technician at no cost to our
customers. Any further questions, please call our Cambria Customer Care at
866-226-2742 as we would love to speak further with you.

@swhite100, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts
with us and considering Cambria Brittanicca for your project. Brittanicca is
such an elegant and bold design that is beautiful in any space! Cambria
consists of 93% all natural quartz which makes Cambria more resistant to
scratching and chipping than most other natural stone surfaces. However, when
this normal wear and tear does occur, we are always here to help! We would like
the opportunity to connect with your friend so we can hear more about their
concern. If they could connect with our Cambria Customer Care at 866-226-2742
and request to speak with Mandy, our Supervisor. We would also love to speak
with you about your project and any other concerns you may have.

Too bad these numerous Cambria complaints over the years weren't all posted in one thread so we could see just how widespread the problems are. Seldom do I read about problems with other companies' quartz.

I don't understand what the slice is that swhite is referring to, why you consider that normal wear and tear, and how Cambria will always be there to help when it occurs. Normal wear and tear is what companies use to avoid honoring the warranty. Who is writing these posts for Cambria? You're doing more harm than good!

I had originally read that Cambria had such a wonderful product and customer service but yes, mayflowers, the number of problems I've read about since starting to think about what I'll select is really disturbing. I've been reading everything and researching, and now I'm actually afraid to put anything on the stupid counters. The Verde Butterfly granite I have now has been flawless over years of heat and abuse (I thought, "It's a rock! It won't get damaged!" and it didn't) but I really wanted one of the lovely marble look-alikes this time around and I can't figure out if ANY of these manufacturers are better than the others.

Lisa:

You need context. Cambria is a major player; of course they're going to have more complaints, maybe the most compared to others. I'd wear that like a badge of honor if i were them.

I've posted about problems with Silestone and the distributor running away from their responsibility to defend the brand. It isn't the complaints, or even the amount of complaints, it's the amount of complaints compared to your volume and percentage of the market share and your response to those complaints.

I suppose, but aren't you the guy who said that really none of them are preferable? Just find the pattern you like and go with it? I think you were talking specifically about the marble-ish patterns.

LIsa:

Yes, I've said that most engineered stones are essentially the same from a composition standpoint and stand by that assessment, however, there is a lot of difference as to how different manufacturers defend their brand, which is my point here. Cambria can't make everyone happy, neither can I, but we will pay the public price to defend our respective brands.

my kitchen will be ready soon

Just love your kitchen! Did you do white or gray back splash? the name of Cambria you used beautiful!

will get you the details,

I am looking at Cambria. Your floor and cabinets similar in color to mine. What Cambria did you use? It is beautiful. I have granite now and pattern is too busy.

I was about to buy Cambria and found a link with employee feedback regarding their deplorable treatment from the management team. Unhappy workers mean less than quality products, hence the downgrading of their products and their customer service took a hit with such unhappy employees. The employees didn't have many options for other work in the area. Customers were getting substandard Quartz. After reading about all the problems extensively, I could not in good conscious continue with my purchase.

Check out www.stonefabricatorsalliance and see how Cambria establishes a "partnership" with fabricators in an area where they have no fabrication facilities. When they do build their own shop, they terminate the "partnership". The price one pays for vertical integration, apparently.

I'm betting their lack of requiring drug testing is a result of their turnover problem which is a problem created by poor management. They go through so many people so fast, if they excluded the druggies, they'd have no one in the pool.

Those folks need to unionize.

I am a fabricator. Cambria's foremost expertise is in marketing. Their advertising presents their product as a "premium" version of engineered stone when for all intents and purposes it's material properties are virtually identical to every other quartz brand made on Breton process lines.

For years they were the best at introducing new colors that more closely approximated popular granite colors. This advantage has disappeared as other quartz manufacturers have developed similar capabilities.

There are many other choices for quartz that will cost less so IMHO the only reason for using Cambria and paying their typical premium price is when they have a color that is uniquely suited to your overall design.

Thank you for your comments on
this thread. We have addressed many of them in a statement above. If you have
additional comments or concerns and would like to speak with someone
specifically, please send us a message with your contact information or contact
our customer care team at 1-866-Cambria.

I am looking for a quartz product and trying to decide between Silestone, Caesarstone and Cambria, However, after reading the comments here, I am wondering if Cambria should be considered. It would maybe be good to talk with someone from Cambria to ease my concerns. My contact information is Lisa at lychang8@yahoo.com.

Cambria IS the only engineered quartz that is made in the USA. The quality is just as good as any other similar product (such as Ceasarstone or Silestone.)

I have Cambria coming to visit me Thursday, and I pray I get someone with honest common sense. I've attached three photos. From the look of the underside....it appears to me, (a novice) that it was already repaired or had previous issues. I would have never even seen it, except for the crack. I've had it just over a year.

@SaraDixon- if you are having a person that works FOR Cambria coming, it means two things. #1- your stone was sold to you (and perhaps fabricated) by a certified Cambria dealer. and #2- you'll be in great hands. We've sold Cambria for many years and have had one maybe two small issues (a spec of wrong color in the stone). Not only were the issues handled timely (even during a holiday), each customer was thoroughly impressed and satisfied. Cambria personnel is expertly trained and stand 100% behind their product. You also have to understand that Cambria is the manufacture of material. There are other elements at play here- like the fabricator/installer/designer. I wish you the best of luck with your issue Sara! But if Cambria is coming, you don't need it.

As for potential Cambria customers, you should all know that since September 2018 they now have a LIFETIME Warranty. This is a warranty that can be passed down to new homeowners if you ever sell your house and the warranty covers any sort of bill that may be inquired during the warranty process (plumber, contractor etc) You can read more about this warranty here: https://www.cambriausa.com/customer-care/warranty/

No other quartz company has a warranty like this. We have sold and do sell other quartz manufacturers, but Cambria no doubt is the best (not only because it is made in the USA, and because of their phenominal warranty) but because of what you get for the money. You'll spend more on Silestone, Zodiaq and Ceasarstone and you won't have the same color options, or even quality in some cases, for the price.

I toured two Cambria factories in Minnesota last year. One manufactured the slabs and the other was a fabrication facility. At the end of the fabrication line there was an inspection department. I was very impressed. Each top was fully inspected several times each...with a crew of white gloved women. Each top was looked at under several different lights as well (ie. fluorescent, LED, incandescent...etc). I find it hard to believe your top left the factory with a repair, in fact, I would put money on it that this happened during transportation or installation. Let us know what they say.

I will do that, thanks for the info!