Cambria Countertops

Cambria countertops are made of approximately 90% pure quartz and 10% resins and color pigments. They are made by Cambria, one of the most trusted manufacturers of kitchen and bathroom countertops in the United States.

This company was founded in 2001 by the Davis family, which supplies the cheese requirements of Kraft Foods in the amount of about 1/3 billion pounds per year. They are originally based in Eden, Praire, Minnesota but now have several branches in Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta and Indianapolis. The production of their manufacturing facilities is about 225 tons of quartz countertop surfaces per day.

These surfaces are also called engineered stone because they do not occur naturally but are man-made. Their internal and surface structures are designed and produced by man. But they can even surpass natural stones in strength and durability. They also exhibit the style and elegance of granite countertops. When the surfaces come out of production, they are already highly polished and smooth. They will not allow harmful bacteria to deposit and multiply in their surfaces because they are highly non-porous. With these exceptional properties, cleaning and maintaining Cambria countertops is very easy.

Types Of Cambria Countertops
These countertops are available in 83 colors which are classified into six collections. Representatives of the company will give valuable advice on the best colors and best edge profiles for your current set-up. Here are some of the collections you can choose from.
• Cambrian Collection – this collection has 10-quartz patterned, strong colors ranging from charcoal gray to light tan. The colors are not solid but have specks of other colors to give depth and movement to the surface.
• Quarry Collection – there are 28 colors in this class. These colors include green, red, gold, terra cota, gray and brown. There are also various tans and shades in between these colors. They also have deep vein patterns.
• Jewel Collection – there are only 5 colors in this class. The colors range from deep black to spotted grays and white. The colors are subdued which projects an image of delicate elegance.
• Classic Collection – only 4 colors comprise this collection. There are two types of blues, one pure white and one bright red. Their surfaces can mimic sandstone, limestone and granite.
• Desert Collection – there are 15 colors in this class. The colors are also subdued, and the vein patterns are not very distinct. The names of the colors are Cambrian Black, Hazelford (dark brown), Templeton (light gray), White Cliff, Clyde (median tan), Yorkshire (green tinged tan), Greystone Sanford, Devon (medium gray), Sussex (medium brown-gray), Cherrybrook (deep brown), Oakhampton (reddish brown), Dover (as in the Cliffs of Dover), Cuddington (light tan) and Fieldstone. In addition, the other collections have these colors as their complement.
• Marble Collection – there are four colors in this collection. They all have the appearance of marble with vein patterns and specks that are typical to marble. The colors include off-white with blue vein patterns, a light tan and two deep tans.

Advantages Over Other Countertops
There are several advantages of Cambria Countertops over other types of countertops. Below are some of these advantages.
• They are harder than natural stones because pure quartz crystals are harder. Granite is only about 40% to 50% quartz and its surface density is not consistent.
• It is highly non-porous preventing water and dirt seepage. Granite, although a hard stone, is more porous than Cambria Countertops.
• They are more flexible. You can choose from a variety of design, style and color options. Unlike granite slabs, you are not limited by what is available in Cambria Countertops.
• They are very easy to clean and to maintain.
• Unlike granite countertops, there is no need to reseal or re-laminate Cambria Countertops. They come out of production already highly non-porous with glossy and shiny finishes.
• Your food preparation will be safe from germs. Because of their highly non-porous surfaces, there is no opportunity for harmful bacteria to multiply on their surfaces.
• They are more affordable than other quartz countertops because they are made in the United States. Other quartz countertops are made and shipped from Europe to the United States making them more expensive.

Care And Maintenance
Cambria Countertops are very hard and strong and their surfaces will retain their smoothness for years. There is no complicated cleaning and maintenance required. You only need to wipe off water and dirt every time you see them on the surface. They need no periodic sealing and laminating.

But you need to protect the surface from hot pots and pans. These countertops do not fare well with sudden heat changes. Therefore always use trivets or pot holders to protect the surface from their hot temperatures.