Why choose Cambria Quartz over Granite?

Take a moment and consider how often and in what ways you used your kitchen counter top this week.

You probably used it quite a bit. You likely prepared food on it, cut on it and perhaps even dropped groceries or heavy pots on it. And, that’s ok. If a countertop is made of quality materials, it can usually handle normal abuse.

Most people believe the highest quality material for countertops is natural granite. After all, it’s incredibly durable. But several blended natural stone products such as Cambria quartz beat GRANITE in every category and offer a surface that can handle just about any normal wear and tear you throw at it.

1. Durability - On the Mohs scale of hardness, quartz is one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals. In the non-precious stone class, it is the hardest. Cambria quartz products are 93 percent quartz bonded in acrylic resin; whereas, granite contains only 40 to 60 percent quartz making Cambria quartz countertops harder than granite and less likely to scratch.

2. Coloration - Because Cambria quartz products are engineered, during the bonding process pigments are added to the resin,they are available in more than a hundred colors and patterns. Granite slabs are entirely the result of how nature made them.

3. Consistency - Cambria quartz surfaces are also engineered to be consistent throughout and to match the sample your counter top specialist provides you. On the other hand, as granite counter tops are made in nature, pattern and color differences occur that can often be difficult to match across different slabs.  

4. Cleanliness - Unlike granite, which is porous, the combined quartz and resin composition of Cambria quartz products are non-porous. As a result, you can use your Cambria counter top to prepare food without fear of bacteria or mold taking hold. Clean-up is also a snap, as Cambria is stain resistant and easily cleaned with warm soapy water.  

5. Safety - Besides being safe for food preparation, Cambria is also simply safe to have in your home. Unlike many modern products that release hazardous chemicals into the air over time, Cambria quartz surfaces do not release radon and are GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality certified as safe low-emitting products.

6. Repair - Cambria has a lifetime warranty on their material. Granite does not offer this on their counter tops. There is a 15 or 20 year sealer available but that is not 100% guarantee to prevent your counter tops from any stains.

Please contact Empire Surfaces at (904) 268-6332 ext. 204 with any questions, pricing or bids you may need.

Thank you for your time,

Edward Bennett

Cambria Island 6cm (What do you think)

What do you think of having the island in your kitchen with a laminated 6cm edge? Do you like or think it is to thick? Would you do the perimeter counter tops in a different color so the island stands out?

Let us know what you think.

Cambria Care and Maintenance.

Product Care & Maintenance

Maintaining Cambria is easy. Simply wash with a soft cotton cloth and warm water, use a mild soap if desired.

DO NOT expose, in use or otherwise, Cambria to abrasive or strong alkaline or acid or free radicals or oxidizers or the like (whether high, neutral or low pH) cleaners. Various chemicals are corrosive and/or erosive in their ability to attack any structure including Cambria. Be very aware of these potential damages to your surface.

Cambria IS NOT heat proof, chemical proof or fracture proof in any form. Be aware of damaging exposure to these potential damaging acts upon your Cambria.

DO NOT use or expose Cambria to such products including, but not limited to bleach, oven cleaners, Comet®, Soft Scrub®, SOS®, products with pumice, batteries, paint removers, furniture strippers, tarnish or silver cleaners, or the like. DO NOT use abrasive or harsh scrub pads. DO NOT apply any sealers, penetrants or topical treatments to Cambria under any circumstances. Such products will wear off and cause the gloss to appear dull or inconsistent. Contact Cambria for further information by calling 1-866-Cambria or by completing the CUSTOMER SUPPORT FORM.

1. Cambria is pure natural quartz. Variation in the natural stone (quartz) color, pattern, size, shape and shade are inherent and unique characteristics to be expected with this Product. This does not affect the Product performance in any manner.
2. Color blotches are intended and designed into many designs to enhance the natural beauty. Samples are small select cuts from a slab; they do not exhibit all the characteristics of a design and therefore are not fully representative of what will be installed. Product will not be replaced due to these variations.
3. Cambria is durable and more resistant to surface damage than other stone. However, all stone can be damaged by force and no stone is chip-proof. Objects hitting edges particularly at sinks or dishwashers may cause chips. Though a minor knife slip will dull the knife and not harm Cambria, no stone surface is scratch-proof. Surface markings are more visible on monotone designs than multi-colored surfaces.
4. Cambria is not a seamless Product, seams are visible. Where there are seams the product pattern and shade can change.
5. Natural stone surfaces can be damaged by sudden and/or rapid change of temperature especially near the edges, as well as direct and/or sustained heating of the top. Cambria may not withstand the direct transfer of heat from pots and pans and other cooking units such as electric frying pans and griddles, and some crockpots or roaster ovens and heat lamps. Therefore, the use of a hot pad or trivet is always recommended to prevent heating the Product.
6. Cambria is not a structural support Product. 2cm and 3cm Cambria thicknesses are for countertops and must be supported. 1cm thicknesses are for surface finishes such as walls, tub and shower surrounds and fireplaces; horizontal applications such as a tub deck must be completely supported as well.
7. Semi-polished finishes (1cm) will not shine and will soil and appear to stain from soiling.
8. Cambria installation is optimized when walls and cabinets are properly prepared for installation. This includes but is not limited to structurally sound, straight, level and square walls and cabinets, lack of which may cause poor installation and poor seam fit, or inconsistent countertop overhang and placement.
9. Cambria installation does not include qualification of any sink or stove cutouts (any cutouts), faucet hole locations or cabinet sizes. Cambria IS NOT responsible for verifying if sinks, stove or other cutout appliances, cabinets and faucet hole locations fit together well, or at all. This is the responsibility of the owner, general contractor, or the like. Cambria will fabricate cutouts per supplied model/template information. Cambria IS NOT responsible for the accuracy of the information provided.

Cambria Article

Cambria is the only family-owned producer of
natural quartz surfaces in North America. We live
where we work and we’re proud of where we live.
So minimizing our environmental impact is essential
in every respect. Our sustainable business practices
are focused along the entire product pathway; from
the places we mine, through our production and
fabrication facilities and business offices, all the
way to the natural stone products found in homes,
retail businesses, corporate offices, restaurants and
healthcare facilities.
Mines returned to nature
• We purchase our quartz primarily from North
American mines, to minimize our carbon footprint.
• The vast majority of our competitors’ products are
manufactured primarily in the Middle East, Asia and
Europe.
• Cambria, and its mining partners, ensure that every
quarry site is fully restored after quartz is extracted.
• We stabilize rocky slopes and reclaim the flat surfaces
with soil and vegetation. The site is preserved in its
natural surroundings.
• Restoration leaves behind a large, fresh-water lake
teeming with fish and surrounded by the native flora
and fauna.
sustainable business Practices
• 100% of the water in our plants and general
office waste is recycled.
• Recycled water from on-site storm ponds is used
to irrigate the grounds of our production facility.
• We continually work with the Department of Energy
to implement energy saving procedures.
• The majority of our fleet vehicles are hybrids.
• Our shipping crates are recycled and refurbished.
• All diamond-metal tooling is retooled and re-used.
• Scrap material is collected and used as road base on
local construction projects.
• All computer equipment and batteries are recycled.
• Whenever possible, marketing materials are printed
on Forest Stewardship council (FSC) certified paper.
It’s 100% American manufactured and made from
10% post-consumer recycled fiber.
right Products for hoMe, business and earth
• Cambria is quartz, one of the most abundant
minerals on Earth.
• Cambria is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified®
and GREENGUARD certified for Children and SchoolsSM.
• Certified by NSF International (Standard 51-Food
Equipment Materials) as safe for use as a food
preparation surface.
• Cambria is Radon free.
• Cambria contributes to LEED points. One point for
a low-emitting surface, 3/4 of a point for being locally
manufactured within a 500-mile radius of Le Sueur, MN.
• Cambria’s cost isn’t higher because it’s a LEED product.

Empire Surfaces

Empire Surfaces does Free In Home quotes for your Kitchen and Bath. We take pride in your job from start to finish. You will have one designated person to handle your job and not several like you find with some other companies. Our goal is to educate you on the materials, help in finding the right color for your kitchen and bath and answering any questions you may have throughout the project. The job does not end after we install the product. We follow up to see if everything is ok and if there is anything we can do.

Our goal is to put our name out in the community as a reputable name, honest people and competitive with others. Empire Surfaces has been in business for over 30 years and growing stronger.

We always recommend to look at the Better Business Bureau on the companies rating, do your research on the product (s) you may be interested in and always shop around with all the fabricators and see if you can tour their facility. I have come across when you go to one or several companies you seem to hear different stories about the material. For example, "one type of material is better than the other", or "I would never buy that cause it is not a good material"

Doing your research on the material instead of looking at reviews which could be just someone's opinion could deter you away from a beautiful product. We like to educate our clients and if they go with us that is great, but shopping around is the right thing to do in any type of purchase it may be to find the best quality, price and more importantly working with a honest company.

This is our main goal her with Empire. HONESTY and EDUCATING people on the products we carry.

Please contact us with any questions.

Cambria kitchens and Baths

Beautiful kitchen and Baths in Cambria.

Cambria over Granite and other Quartz products

Below are some of the reasons people like Cambria over Granite and other Quartz products. At Empire we carry Granite as well but 9 out of 10 retail jobs we do are in Cambria. The customer is educated on the products and will see the difference all around on the product.


Quartz is harder than granite so is ultimately more durable. When you read through reviews you’ll find that people are happy that they don’t have to worry about their countertop getting stained or ruined by heat. While they still take precautions to keep their countertop looking its best, quartz is very forgiving when accidents do occur.
How are the reviews of Cambria quartz?

The only reason why a person would choose not to use quartz over granite is because of the look. Granite is a natural stone so it has a completely different character to it and for some the maintenance required to keep a granite countertop looking its best is worth the extra effort.

A lot of reviewers have remarked that the reason they chose Cambria over other quartz companies was because this is a family owned business that makes and manufacturers their products exclusively in the United States. This is, in fact, the only company that will provide you with a 100% made-in-the-USA quartz countertop.

The difference in price between colors.

The answer is the same amount. No matter what color of Cambria countertop you need, you’ll pay the same price for it. While you may have heard of different pricing structures for various colors, the fact is that other suppliers use a pricing structure that’s tiered but Cambria doesn’t. The prices for Cambria products are the same no matter what color you decide on.

Empire Surfaces has over 20 colors in stock. The stock colors are the most popular not just locally but nationally for Cambria. Our price for the stock material is by the square foot. So you are not purchasing the slab, you are only paying by what you need in your kitchen or bath.

Facts on Cambria

Beauty of Cambria

This Is What Makes Them So Strong

Cambria is engineered of 93% quartz and 7% binding resins. The manufacturing process ensures a high level of durability, supported by the natural resistance of the quartz, which scales seven on the Mohs Hardness Scale (on which diamond is a ten). You will not find a more resilient material on the market today.

Cambria quartz may be seen as a high-end option, but they actually save you more money because they are made of a resilient material that is easy to maintain and sanitary. It will help you eliminate the costs of maintenance or repair.

In addition to its practical properties, Cambria also has aesthetic advantages. The variety of colors available is amazing. You are certain to find the pattern and combination that will suit the rest of your room. You can go for calm, low key tones or you can go “wild” with colors that are more vibrant. You can also choose the shape of the edges. Being an engineered material, it can take a wide range of shapes.

Cambria is such a beautiful product! 

Video of Cambria jobs by Empire Surfaces

Check out this video of Empire Surfaces past Cambria jobs.

Cambria similar colors to Granite (See Images)

Blue Pearl Granite

Parys Cambria

Cambrian Black

Absolute Black

Torquay Cambria

Carerra Marble

Granite and Cambria Colors.

Granite is a beautiful natural stone for your kitchen and bathrooms. It is amazing the patterns, veining and colors you can find in Granite. Cambria has so many colors that are comparable to Granite.

A great neutral color like Giallo Ornamental (Granite), Cambria has so many colors that are similar. The reason I bring this to everyone's attention is falling back on the maintenance of the material. Cambria there is no maintenance and a Life Time Warranty on the material. Granite needs to be maintained every year with a sealer, or if you have the 15 year sealer it is not guaranteed to protect it 100% and has no warranty on it. You would still need to seal when applicable pending on the use of the kitchen.

Cleaning your counter tops (Granite or Cambria) I would use warm water and a mild soap. Allow to dry out. We have found Lemon Pledge is amazing on Cambria counter tops. Using the over the counter cleaner can be expensive and tends to leave streaks on your counter tops. A couple of dollars spent on Lemon Pledge will show beautiful shine to your counter tops.

Empire Surfaces has many of samples for you to take home in Cambria. The samples we carry are 6x6 of all the colors we have in stock. Any material left over from a job we cut to make samples for you! Keep the samples as long as you need. I believe in the samples for it helps in the selection of your cabinets, floor tile, tile backsplash and etc.

Please contact us for a free in home estimate, samples, quotes or even to come and see our showroom and the Cambria slabs we keep in our yard.

Eddie Bennett
edempire@att.net
(904) 268-6332
11750 Philips Highway
Jacksonville, Florida 32256

Cambria- Quartz verse Natural Granite

Cambria Quartz verse Granite:

To start: In no way am I trying to persuade you from Granite to Cambria. Granite is a beautiful material and has some amazing colors. I love Granite! Cambria has come out with some of the most beautiful patterns, colors and the maintenance is next to none. I have listed below some of the pros and cons of Cambria verse Natural Granite. Hope the information is useful and please let us know if you have any questions.

  

1. Unlike Granite, Cambria Counter tops Are Maintenance Free.

2. Natural quartz is a non-porous stone. It won't allow stains or bacteria to hide in the surface. Granite has pores, just like your skin, that can absorb stains like a sponge if left untreated.

3. In most cases the cost of Cambria will be very comparable to the cost of granite. It all depends on what dealer you decide to work with. Most of the costs involved with your counter top are not going to be based on the slab itself but rather on the installation, fabrication and the measurement of it.

4. The Cambria line is made up of 93% quartz while granite is only composed of 40% – 60% quartz.

5. With Cambria you’ll never have to worry about sealing or doing any other type of maintenance to it as long as you own it.

The most popular and highest quality counter tops on the market today are Cambria. Cambria offers the look of natural stone for your home.  Here at Empire Surfaces  we have put our trust in Cambria products and believe you will fall in love with them too.

Leading Fabricator for Cambria in Northeast Florida

Empire Surfaces is the leading fabricator in Cambria in the Northeast Florida area.

We carry over 20 of the most popular colors nationally in Cambria and receive new shipments in every Monday.