Everything you need to select, specify, install, and care for your Cambria quartz surfaces. Browse our curated design guides, maintenance instructions, and technical resources created by Cambria's team of surface specialists.
Explore Cambria's digital tools to help you visualize how different colorways will look in your specific kitchen or bathroom environment before ordering samples.
Step-by-step instructions for using Cambria's online visualizer to test colorways in your uploaded kitchen or bathroom photo. Tips for lighting conditions and camera angles that give the most realistic preview.
Design Tool →How to pair Cambria quartz surfaces with popular cabinet colors, hardware finishes, and tile selections. Includes curated pairings for Brittanicca, Ironsbridge, Everleigh, and Montgomery collections.
Design Guide →Technical dimensions for Standard, Jumbo, and Super Jumbo slab formats. Includes a kitchen island planning worksheet to help you determine whether seams can be eliminated given your countertop dimensions.
Technical Reference →Physical samples are the most reliable way to evaluate how a Cambria surface will look under your specific lighting conditions. Here's how to get samples and find a local authorized fabricator.
Cambria offers complimentary 6″ × 6″ physical samples by mail. This guide walks through how to request samples, how many to order for useful comparison, and how to evaluate them in your home under natural and artificial light.
Request Samples NowCambria must be fabricated and installed by a trained, authorized fabricator to maintain the lifetime warranty. This guide explains what to look for in a fabricator, what questions to ask about their Cambria experience, and how to verify authorization.
Find a Dealer Near You →A plain-language summary of Cambria's full lifetime limited warranty for residential installations and 10-year limited warranty for commercial. Includes what's covered, what's excluded, and how to initiate a warranty claim.
Warranty Guide →One of Cambria's primary advantages is minimal maintenance requirements. Here's everything you need to keep your surfaces looking showroom-new for decades.
Avoid prolonged exposure to highly concentrated caustic cleaners (drain cleaner, oven cleaner). Never use abrasive scrubbing pads. Avoid direct open flame or extreme sustained heat. Do not use cutting boards directly on the surface edge profiles without standard kitchen caution.
Coffee, wine, turmeric: warm soapy water, wipe immediately. Dried paint or adhesive: plastic scraper + isopropyl alcohol. Dried grout: diluted non-acidic grout remover. Hard water deposits: white vinegar solution (brief exposure only). Marker or ink: rubbing alcohol.
For everyday cleaning, warm water with a mild dish soap on a soft cloth or non-scratch sponge is all you need. Wipe the surface, then rinse with clean water and dry with a soft cloth to prevent water spots, especially in hard-water areas.
Cambria's non-porous surface means that virtually all spills can be addressed without permanent staining if wiped promptly. The few exceptions — concentrated bleach, drain cleaner — should be rinsed immediately with water and a mild soap solution.
Use a spray of pH-neutral stone cleaner or diluted dish soap. Apply with a microfiber cloth in gentle circular motions, then rinse thoroughly. Never allow cleaning products to air-dry on the surface without rinsing.
While Cambria quartz can tolerate brief contact with warm cookware, we recommend using trivets or hot pads as standard practice for any sustained heat source. Thermal shock from moving a very hot pan directly from the stove to the countertop is the most common cause of avoidable damage.
Unlike granite or marble, Cambria surfaces do not require periodic polishing or resealing to maintain their appearance. The surface polish is baked into the manufacturing process and is self-maintaining under normal cleaning conditions. Avoid wax-based polishes which can leave a cloudy film.
Every performance claim on this site is backed by standardized third-party testing or independently audited certification. Here is a plain-language explanation of the testing environments, methodologies, and verification pathways for our most-cited performance characteristics.
Testing body: NSF International (Ann Arbor, MI) — accredited by ANSI.
Scope: Entire Cambria product line, all colorways.
Test method: Materials are evaluated against NSF/ANSI Standard 51 protocols for chemical migration, surface cleanability, and material composition safety under repeated food contact conditions simulating commercial kitchen use.
Renewal cycle: Annual audit and re-certification required to maintain active certification status.
Verification: Certificate numbers and current status are publicly searchable at nsf.org/certified-products.
Testing body: UL Environment (Underwriters Laboratories), verified annually.
Scope: VOC (volatile organic compound) and semi-VOC emission rates from the cured quartz surface under chamber test conditions.
Test environment: Controlled climate chamber at 23°C / 50% RH per UL 2818 (GREENGUARD) standard; TVOC threshold for Gold certification is <0.5 mg/m³ (vs. standard GREENGUARD at <0.5 mg/m³ TVOC, Gold adds children's product criteria).
Application: Results used to support LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials (Furniture and Furnishings category).
Verification: Certification searchable at ul.com/gs/greenguard.
Test standard: ASTM C97 — Standard Test Methods for Absorption and Bulk Specific Gravity of Dimension Stone.
Method: Specimens are dried to constant weight at 48°C, then immersed in distilled water at 23°C for 48 hours. Absorption is calculated as (wet weight − dry weight) / dry weight × 100.
Cambria result: <0.03% water absorption — classifying the material as non-porous under standard stone classification thresholds (<0.5% = low absorption; <0.1% = essentially non-porous).
Practical implication: This is the measurable property that eliminates the sealing requirement and supports the NSF food-safety classification.
We encourage specifiers and homeowners to conduct their own evaluation before committing. Three reproducible verification pathways:
For architects, interior designers, and commercial specifiers. Cambria provides comprehensive technical documentation to support LEED certification, health product declarations, and project specifications.
Certificate documentation and emission test summaries for LEED EQ credits.
Specification Doc →Food equipment material safety certification documentation for commercial kitchen specifications.
Certification →Technical specifications for substrate preparation, adhesive selection, support requirements, and joint tolerances for countertop and wall cladding applications.
Technical Guide →Pre-written CSI 3-Part specification for Division 12: Furnishings. Ready for inclusion in project specification manuals.
AIA / CSI Format →Can't find what you need? Our technical support team is available for specification questions.
Contact a Specification SpecialistChoosing the right countertop surface is a long-term decision. The table below compares Cambria engineered quartz against the most common alternatives across the performance metrics that matter most in residential and commercial applications. Data reflects published manufacturer specifications and ASTM/NSF testing standards where applicable.
| Performance Criteria | Cambria Quartz | Natural Granite | Marble | Porcelain Tile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composition | >93% natural quartz crystals + polymer resin | 100% natural igneous rock (crystalline structure) | 100% natural metamorphic calcium carbonate | Fired clay + feldspar + silica (vitrified) |
| Surface Hardness | ~7 on Mohs scale (quartz mineral base) | 6–7 Mohs (varies by granite type) | 3–4 Mohs (highly scratch-susceptible) | 7–8 Mohs (vitrified body); DCOF ≥0.42 slip-rated |
| Porosity / Water Absorption | Non-porous (<0.03% absorption rate) | Porous (0.1–0.5%); requires annual sealing | Highly porous (0.5–2.0%); requires frequent sealing | Vitrified: <0.5%; grout joints remain porous |
| Sealing Requirement | None — ever | Annual professional sealing recommended | Every 3–6 months depending on use intensity | Grout re-sealing every 1–2 years |
| Heat Resistance | Tolerates brief contact; trivets recommended for sustained heat; thermal shock risk above 150°C | Higher heat tolerance; trivets still recommended | Moderate; thermal shock can cause cracking | High heat resistance (fired at 1200°C) |
| Food Safety Certification | NSF/ANSI 51 certified (entire product line) | Not NSF-certified; depends on sealer applied | Not NSF-certified; etching risk from acids | Varies by product; grout joints can harbor bacteria |
| VOC Emissions | GREENGUARD Gold certified; near-zero VOC | Naturally low; no certification standard | Naturally low; no certification standard | Low after installation; adhesive/grout off-gases short-term |
| Warranty | Full lifetime limited (residential); 10-year (commercial); fully transferable | Varies by fabricator; typically 1–5 years labor only | No standard industry warranty; fabricator-dependent | 10–25 years manufacturer warranty on tile only |
| Typical Cost Range (installed) | $80–$160 per sq ft installed (fabricator-dependent) | $40–$100 per sq ft installed | $60–$150+ per sq ft installed | $15–$60 per sq ft installed (excluding substrate) |
| Key Limitation | Not recommended for outdoor applications; sustained heat above 150°C can damage surface | Color and porosity vary unpredictably between slabs | Etches from acidic liquids (citrus, wine, coffee) | Grout lines require ongoing maintenance; slabs not available |
Cost ranges are indicative estimates based on 2024 North American market data. Actual pricing depends on slab size, edge profile selection, fabricator rates, and regional supply. Request a project-specific quote through an authorized Cambria dealer.