People... please reconsider your choice of solid surface for your countertops. I have worked with the engineered Stone that everybody calls quartz. No matter the brand or the company that makes it, ALL engineered stone is toxic and lethal. Myself along with thousands of other Fabricators worldwide are now slowly dying of silicosis. Early in 2024 Australia officially banned the import and sale of engineered Stone Products. Please do the research in this matter I really don't want any more stone fabricators to go through what i and so many other old Stone workers are going through. I am only 52 years old and I'm not expected to make 54 years old. In the time I have remaining to live, I vow to try and get the Canadian government to ban this toxic material as well. Please please please reconsider your purchase. I am not trying to sell anybody any other specific material. Just know that there are other options just as nice or nicer than engineered Stone that won't kill the workers working with it
@@Diniecita isn’t that the whole point of counter tops? They are no use if you can't do day to day kitchen chores on them. Thats why quartz was invented, its natural look with industrial usability.
Glad I watched this. Meeting the counter top contractor tmrw. Now I know exactly the points I want to cover to get that gorgeous look ok quartz !. Thank You
Very informative video that I wish we had prior to our experience. We had only one choice for a contractor (new house build) and the countertops were literally why our house closed 4 months after expected. They messed up the island twice and had to order a 3rd slab. They messed up the 3rd slab as well, and just gave it to us free. First mistake was horrible mismatch. Second time was a horrific pattern, big huge splash across the slab that we never would have approved, and mis-cut rounds where our pop-up outlets were going. We called in Cambria to help. 3rd and last time, we went to warehouse to approve new stone matches (not on a computer program, they hoisted slabs...crazy) but then they badly scraggled and chipped the countersunk holes where the pop-ups were, and gave us a hole for a disposal button we did not ask for. What a ride! Lessons...you need extra slabs to get a good match, make sure you can see and approve the sides of a waterfall edge, have an honest discussion to see if they have the experience and tools to do a countersink hole! Also, I would like to know why contractors won't use/buy the thinner product for backsplahes? You can't see the sides of ours, it seemed so wasteful to use the thicker product?
So sorry to hear about that experience, how frustrating! And in terms of the backsplash thickness they may have been using part of the same slab from the counters, or maybe availability was a factor? Otherwise for a full height backsplash I think the thinner panels offer an easier install on the wall if there are no external factors not to use them.
Absolutely the best video I've been able to find on this product. It seems like every other video shows the finished product with overbearing and obnoxious music playing with no detailed information. OR videos of someone talking LOWER than the annoying techno music where you can't hear a word they're saying. Thank YOU for making this video and making sure to explain everything precisely with examples for a visual overview of what to look for to achieve a desired and well thought out finished project. I wish this man was local because we'd hire his company to buy our counter tops from and for installation. After watching this, I feel like I have a MUCH greater understanding of the do's and don'ts regarding this product. To the point, precise and very knowledgeable. 👍👏 🙌
Thanks so much for this wonderful feedback! Hearing from those who are really helped by the information is very encouraging in my continuing to make these videos. Best of luck in your remodel and definitely share any future videos you would find helpful! Thanks again!
Thank you so much !!! I haven't up graded because I'm so confused and I feel like contractors or kitchen / washroom remodel facilities are leaving some or alot of important facts out that will surely come back to bite me. Your vlogs are so informative.👍👍👍👏👏👏
Thank you for the extremely informative video. We are building a new home and are going to use Cambria throughout our home. You just cemented our decisions in selecting Cambria over other products.
As a contrast to the other quartz countertops, we installed as a highlight, a large island with the Cambria ‘Summerhill’ in our new kitchen four years ago. With its swirls of muted greys, the light of two overhead lanterns dance off of the random sprinkles of silver confetti embedded into the slick and smooth finish. The surrounding perfectly chiseled o-gee edge adds pizzazz to make it still look brand new.
Poetic, love it! Some of the Cambria colors really catch the light so beautifully. And contrasted tops can look so cool in the right kitchen setting. Glad you are loving yours!
i have two large slabs one of brittanica and ine summer hill right now to consider, both are so beautiful! I saw summerhill with an octagon marble backsplash on houzz that was beautiful which I am now considering.
From a Remodeler that’s been in business for 15 years this very informative. Home owner need to understand they have to increase their budget and not look for the lowest price
When we built our home 16+ years ago, we purchased Cambria quartz countertops (kitchen and master bathroom). I hesitated buying quartz simply because the colors/styles were limited at that time. However, after weighing the pros and cons, we settled on and purchased the quartz. We were pleased with the installation. The seam on the L-shaped kitchen island is all but invisible and the quartz is very easy to maintain. We're now building a retirement home and were considering have a granite countertop, basically because of the various colors/styles, etc. one can find in granite. However, after your video, we will be considering the quartz as long as we can find color/style we like. Thks for sharing.....
Although very true marble will stain so much faster because it is a Natural Stone, Quartz stains almost always are going to be permanent and more expensive to restore once stained and the edges chip easier. Once restored it’s so hard bringing the polish back to original I myself hate engineered stone but it does look nice. The video is very informative .
We bought quartz countertops recently, and the salesman said we cannot take a hot pot off the stove and set it on the countertop. That was a surprise! We love our counters, but we always have a marble slab near the stove to keep protect the counters from heat.
Although most people believe otherwise, even with granite countertops trivets or hot pads should be used. Although these products are heat resistant, there is potential for damage to occur with the shock of drastic and immediate temperature change. I would say the sales person was looking out for your best interest on erring to the side of caution. Glad to hear you are enjoying your countertops!
Just had someone come out today to give me an estimate on redoing my kitchen and was looking at the Cambria quartz countertops. This video was very helpful as addressed issues that I would not have even though to ask or been aware of. I'm sure if I go with Cambria it will look gorgeous ... just hard to look at a 3" x 3" sample and envision what it will look like on an entire countertop but definitely better than my Formica from 1988! :) Great job on this video!
Honestly, the samples don't even do the beauty of this stone any justice. If you are able to go to a showroom, it'll blow your mind with how beautiful they look in a full slab.
Excellent! Thank you. Yeah, I'm one of those going with painting our 55-year-old cabinets white on top and a beautiful blue on the bottom. So I'll take your advice and look into the Cambria the color you suggested. Thank you for explaining all the issues with pattern matching.
Good job and not bashing other companies. You gave good information without bashing them . I fab with a bridge saw and a fab king . I don’t do the laminated edges because I’m upfront with my customers and let them know that I don’t have that type of equipment. One day maybe a water jet CNC. My favorite quartz is LG vitara .
May I know what you like about LG Viatera quartz? I am considering to have Viatera Lento in my new kitchen, but have found quite some negative reviews in Houzz about the LG Viatera products in general, and not a particular quartz color or pattern.
I install quartz and granite. few things to know is granite hides seams better but takes more maintenance and you have to be more careful with it as it stains even if you put sealer on it unless its a dark color with no light spots. Second quartz can't be outside the sun sucks the color out of it or turns it yellow. Third don't be jerks to the installers we do our best with what our bosses give us and don't stare or constantly watch you make them nervous.
My Cambria will be installed this Thursday, I now have a few questions I didn't know to ask. Thank you for this video. I had many choices , almost overwhelming choices of quartz to choose from. I jept coming back to the Cambrio quartz vs the other brands . No question about it my 70sq ft was costly but will be there far longer then I will be .
OMG... I didn't even consider how such prominent veining would impact the flow of the material I choose. We have a huge L where our peninsula comes out from the side counter. In your opinion, is there any muted veining that could work with a peninsula configuration? I guess all the pictures I have been looking at online are of islands. I have subscribed. Thank you so much for your expertise and excellent explanations and photos.
We are installing the Lakedale design. It’s only sold through Home Depot. We spent over an hour with the fabricator reviewing and approving the mark-up. They sell by the square foot and we’re using parts of three different slabs.
I love the Kendal and Montgomery. I am having a hard time deciding which to go with for our kitchen counters. I have a galley kitchen. I love the Kendal but am wondering if it might be a bit too busy and will make the kitchen look smaller.
Both are beautiful and I think can both can work in even a smaller kitchen. If you are using lighter colors in general and let the countertop be the statement in there then I would go with what you are drawn to! :)
ROBERT, years ago, I went to a home to replace several faucet washers, & the lady was given a new kitchen by her TWIN DAUGHTERS, she said they did over the stone counters 6 times until she was satisfied ! Was this the homeowner from hell ? Thanks, as I would go with QUARTZ, BEFORE ANY OTHER cheers🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
We just remodeled our kitchen and put in quartz countertops. Everything I read says they are not sturdy enough to hold up to heat higher than 150. My appliances such as my counter top oven/air fryer will need to have a heat resistant pad under it to avoid the burning of the epoxy that is used. At this point I wish I had gone with granite. Some say sealing is needed to avoid stains others say never. I left a bit of juice that came off a potato on the counter, it turned pink had to use barkeeper's friend to remove it 30 minutes later. For me not kitchen friendly only in one week and I use lots of care and attention to what I do..
What brand did you go with? While I have certainly seen quartz countertops stain, there are huge differences in the quality between brands. And remember, granite is also recommended to have pads placed under any hot items along with needing resealing. I like granite countertops as well I find often times buyers are not educated by the supplier enough before making the decision either way.
@@RemodelWithRobert Thank you for responding. bought from T&L Granite in El Monte CA. It's called Multi Galaxy TL056 if that helps not sure of the brand I will have to ask the contractor.
Having been a fabricator for over 20 years, I can assure you the bad examples you showed were jobs purchased 99% based on the lowest bid. I have had customers go to far inferior competitors over a couple hundred dollars on a many thousand dollar job only to return to me onece the job was screwed up by the "best price"
Exactly! Generally jobs like those happen when the conversation revolves around the price and not around the details of both the material and fabrication/install.
As a fabricator myself, I have to ask why you’re still laminating edges of such material and not mitring them. Laminate only when necessary to allow radiused corners and such. Otherwise you’re way behind the times if you’re not mitring your edge builds.
Thanks for the feedback! I should have spent time on mitered edges in this video or at least pointed that out in the waterfall kitchen we installed. We are fortunate that our fabricator does miters but seeing as how this video is seen by people in many markets I do find that a lot of fabricators don't miter or it is an upgrade for the work. I was largely pointing out on the edge that the thickness of the edge is greater than the overall slab as it is built up by either a laminated or mitered edge. I find a lot of consumers are unaware of this distinction especially when comparing the finished outcomes of 2 cm and 3 cm stone. You are absolutely right though and thanks for pointing it out as I completely overlooked that when putting this video together 🤦♂️
Robert, you seem very knowledgeable and even though you didn't cover the actual installation, I have a question. Does the gas range need to be pulled away from the wall for the installation? To clarify, the installation is for the countertop only and not the backsplash. Thank you, Subscribed!
I would generally say that you should be prepared to have the range moved for the installation but that is ultimately a discussion to have with your fabricator/installer. You definitely want it in place for the initial template so it would only need to be removed just before removal/installation and reset immediately afterwards.
Im so glad I clicked on your video, we’re in process of remodeling our kitchen and kinda aiming at the hickory type wood but not sure what the trend is , if it’s the darker or lighter color also , what type of countertop would you recommend?
I think Hickory is a very versatile cabinet and can look great with both a lighter and darker countertop depending on the overall look you want. My suggestion would be to search photos on Houzz or Pinterest with hickory cabinets and see which photos you tend to gravitate towards and that may help you decide which direction you want to go!
@@RemodelWithRobert thank you for your video! Is it true what @Hagopik is commenting below about quarts staining and if it’s chips - not being able to basically repair the shine? He said once it’s damaged it’s much harder to repair. Any thoughts on this in general?
Thank you so much I was really so confused about all the quartz out there!! I'm love portrush!!! And I have blue future kitchen by Thomasville! I like also annicca!
Great video and very informative! What would you recommend for white cabinets but a warmer color floor (core tea calypso oak). I decorate with warmer tones in the home and need countertop contrast so the kitchen doesn't look like a hospital. I feel like if I go with a white quartz and white cabinets it will look too sterile.
The plywood subdeck (I think that's what you called it). How does that affect the overhang capability on an island. The thicker the quartz the larger the overhang allowed is my understanding, but is it not somewhat supported by the plywood?
Yes you are right in that the thicker can go a little further than a thinner, but in general terms there are limits before you need support brackets, corbels, or even legs depending on just how far out you take it. Your fabricator should help determine what your options are for you exact kitchen design.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. In terms of total costs for materials and labor, which one is more economical - 3cm quartz throughout or 2cm quartz with 4cm laminated edges?
This was a great video, thank you! So many comments... I hope I'm not duplicating... but please give thoughts about seaming at the sink. Must the sink hole have a seam right in the middle? Both my homes that had granite had a seam at the sink and they were hard to maintain. I suppose it allowed them to avoid a seam across the whole countertop at the corner which would be good. Interested in your thoughts. Thanks!
Yes it is very common to put a seam at the sink as to minimize the visibility of a longer seam across the whole depth of the countertop. Each layout can be unique so there is no one straight answer but hopefully that helps.
Great information and I used Cambria Berwyn in my bathroom and love it. For my kitchen I am looking for a little more flowing movement and definitely like the sparkle - the more the better - it's just more elegant. I like the Beaumont however besides that beautiful movement pattern, I am a bit concerned that it will be very busy or maybe too much gold when my accent back tile is silver and gold tiles with a sort of brass accent. Can you recommend another design in cambria with nice movement in cream and gray colors (kitchen cabinets are off white with brushed aluminum hardware) that has some sparkle? I have been to a few places that have Cambria samples but some don't have many and it is very hard to see sparkle on line. Thank you.
Just found your channel. Subscribed. I like the way you present. We had quartz countertops installed in kitchen. In place for a year now and they are awesome. Will likely never use anything else and want to use in our bathroom remodel coming up. Also may consider for laundry room. Thanks. What state is your company located?
For the glue/adhesive/epoxy when joining two slabs together, do they make that glue to be tinted to match/hide the seam? Also is the adhesion process, are you some how clamping (some how) the two pieces together while the glue cures? Is that yet another topic to discuss with your installer?
Yes to both questions. Installers will often tint the adhesives to get it as close to the color of the slab as possible, and yes the slabs are generally clamped together to secure the two pieces and bond the seam as tight as possible.
I really like the Calcutta gold stone but I’m having so much trouble trying to figure out hardware, sink, faucet and lights to match. I really don’t want to do all gold and my appliances are stainless steel
Natural Hickory gives you a lot of options. I've seen whites on these as well as very dark counters. I personally like some of the slightly warmer countertops that pull some of the darker grain from the hickory so as to give contrast to the lighter portions of the wood. Brittanica Gold, Canterbury, and Laneshaw would be examples of a light, medium and dark that could pull tones from your natural hickory. Make sure to compare with your cabinets specifically as with all natural products, they can very from one to the next.
Have you ever worked with Venetian marble ….it’s less pricey than quartz but is it worth it? Shower wall and vanity top is what I’m looking at . Thanks
hi. i am in the process of purchasing the cambria brittanica gold as a countertop and got stuck on picking a backsplash - so i am deciding whether to spend the money and use the same countertop and backsplash ( I have a small kitchen ). It clearly is more expensive than a traditional backsplash but the matching makes me nervous. what are your thoughts?
I like the contrast of a different backsplash but the Cambria does look stunning on the wall and makes for a very easy to clean splas as well. No right or wrong though, it really comes down to personal preference and what your gut is telling you that you really want.
What quartz products do you find to be closest to marble... I find the britannica veining too intense for me. Calacatta is nice but still strong. Seacourt is more subtle and organize/natural maybe? Minuet?
While I think Brittanica is the most popular selection on a marble look for a reason, I completely understand what you mean. Minuet is a good choice, Ella also is a slightly less intense option than Brittanica.
Hey Robert, Just watched this video now. Very informative…thank you! A quick question-we’re considering Cambria Summerhill quartz as our countertop. Do you think the Summerhill pattern will make a good backsplash as well? Thank you!
Although I personally like a separate backsplash most of the time, I think the slab backsplash can look great if other elements of the kitchen are more subdued and the slab is great for the ease of cleaning on your backsplash too. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
What are your opinions of an island that is made of 4 pieces of quarz instead of 3. Is rounded in the seating area, and have waterfall. The top is made by 2 pieces I can see the joint in the middle.
If you are referring to the photo that starts around the 9:00 mark,, that is one countertop, not a raised bar top. All three examples are single tops. That first photo may be zoomed in too much to see the continuous line of cabinets and backsplash, but no, it is not a raised top.
Very informative! We are considering purchasing a dining room table that has a Cambria Gold Brittannica top. This would be our main table and we have kids that would use it for just about everything (homework, drawing, eating, etc) How durable and stain resistant is Cambria quartz?
Was looking for countertops for my new home. Hadn’t really seen any that I loved until a store employee showed me a Cambria product that was exactly what I was/am looking for. It’s called the Golden Dragon and I absolutely love it!
I love my new quartz vanity tops. And my brother-in-law loves his quartz kitchen countertops. However, I think calling it "stone" is extremely misleading; it's plastic. My B-I-L is an enthusatic cook, and he was really looking forward to not needing trivets for his hot pots. When I told him it was actually plastic and it would not withstand hot pots, he literally said "I don't believe you". He still loves his contertops, but that was a big shocker for him when he learned the truth. Yes, quartz the mineral is stone; quartz the countertop is not stone. It's a piece of molded plastic with ground-up stone particles in it. It is in no way similar to granite or marble. I guess I am particularly hostile to this marketing approach because I just got a nice email from my quartz supplier telling me how to care for my "stone".
I'm doing a quartz counter over a raised 48" vanity and my front load washer and dryer. It's only about 27sf total. Do I need a plywood substraight? I was planning on just doing 3 supports; one on the far side of the dryer, one between the washer and dryer and then the vanity would be the other support, but now I'm wondering if that's enough. It is going to weigh over 800 lbs! Thanks.
Thank you for sharing this informative video. My husband and i went to 4 different stone showroom hoping to find that perfect granite for our kitchen but we fall in love with quartzite instead called "Taj Mahal". Renovating our kitchen soon with white cabinets and navy blue island in mind. After watching your video sounds like cambria "Portrush" might be the perfect match. My question is, if I decide to use cambria or any of the stone for both countertop and backsplash, should I go with 3cm for countertop and 2cm for backsplash? I'm thinking 3cm might be too thick for backsplash.
Hey Robert, I am doing the white uppers and blue lowers with gold or brass hardware. This is perfect for the counters. My question is can I use a med dark granite sink (cinder) with matching chrome/cinder faucet. Also, what colour blue do you recommend with light grey walls? I was going to use owl grey for the walls but now wondering if it tyoo green? Thank you for your time!! Lloyd
My short answer would be to discuss this with the fabricator for the specific slab you are looking at. If you are talking about the top and referring to a corner of an L-shaped top, it can vary depending on the specific movement and how the overall slab is being used. In some cases this one decision can make a difference in how many total slabs will be needed so its something specific to each job.
Quartz is certainly great for bathroom countertops so if I had an extra piece from the kitchen that I could use in my bathroom I would probably want to make use of that material whenever possible.
We’re going with the same granite in our two bath counters as the kitchen. One for continuity but also so that hair straighteners and curling irons don’t burn the counter.
Do you recommend using Granite & Stone...Stone Care International... professional series granite and stone daily cleaner on my quartz counter? Just been in about a week and I need to know how to care for it do I need to seal it, I read yes then no which is correct 🙄🤔
Can I modify/remove only the sink portion of the installed cambria? Looking to replace the sink area, with an undercount “floating Stainless Steel sink”, that will not require the countertop in that area.
Great video I’m in the middle of my kitchen remodel. I’m looking to get a Composite stone sink which they say is 80% quarts. Is this a good scratch chip and fade resistant material? Thx!!
Allan...I had a composite stone sink called Swanstone...it was in a biscuit color to match my appliances back then. It was an amazing sink. Looked brand new for about the first 15 years...and I didn’t really baby it. When it looked stained I would just scrub it with dishwasher detergent. I was even able to use a very light sandpaper on it. And to really bring it back to life you can wax it to help prevent stains. That sink is now 22 years old and I am changing it because I am currently doing a kitchen remodel.
People... please reconsider your choice of solid surface for your countertops. I have worked with the engineered Stone that everybody calls quartz. No matter the brand or the company that makes it, ALL engineered stone is toxic and lethal. Myself along with thousands of other Fabricators worldwide are now slowly dying of silicosis. Early in 2024 Australia officially banned the import and sale of engineered Stone Products. Please do the research in this matter I really don't want any more stone fabricators to go through what i and so many other old Stone workers are going through. I am only 52 years old and I'm not expected to make 54 years old. In the time I have remaining to live, I vow to try and get the Canadian government to ban this toxic material as well. Please please please reconsider your purchase. I am not trying to sell anybody any other specific material. Just know that there are other options just as nice or nicer than engineered Stone that won't kill the workers working with it
Thank you for posting and hoping the best for you and your family.
Oh Dear 😢, many people are ignorant to what actually occurs behind the fences. 🙏🏽
yes I agree. this must be banned immediately.
Cambria installation was challenging in the beginning. Flex and seams. Cement based is a better product I think. Recycled glass materials embedded.
Thank you for bringing this to the forefront and universe bless you and grant you recovery.
I’ve had my Cambria countertops for 13yrs now . . . Beautiful and a great investment.
Have you had any issues with scorching from hot pots and pans?
@@clintgolub1751 no matter what type of countertop you have why would you set anything hot on it?
@@Diniecita isn’t that the whole point of counter tops? They are no use if you can't do day to day kitchen chores on them. Thats why quartz was invented, its natural look with industrial usability.
Glad I watched this. Meeting the counter top contractor tmrw. Now I know exactly the points I want to cover to get that gorgeous look ok quartz !. Thank You
Very informative video that I wish we had prior to our experience. We had only one choice for a contractor (new house build) and the countertops were literally why our house closed 4 months after expected. They messed up the island twice and had to order a 3rd slab. They messed up the 3rd slab as well, and just gave it to us free. First mistake was horrible mismatch. Second time was a horrific pattern, big huge splash across the slab that we never would have approved, and mis-cut rounds where our pop-up outlets were going. We called in Cambria to help. 3rd and last time, we went to warehouse to approve new stone matches (not on a computer program, they hoisted slabs...crazy) but then they badly scraggled and chipped the countersunk holes where the pop-ups were, and gave us a hole for a disposal button we did not ask for. What a ride! Lessons...you need extra slabs to get a good match, make sure you can see and approve the sides of a waterfall edge, have an honest discussion to see if they have the experience and tools to do a countersink hole! Also, I would like to know why contractors won't use/buy the thinner product for backsplahes? You can't see the sides of ours, it seemed so wasteful to use the thicker product?
So sorry to hear about that experience, how frustrating! And in terms of the backsplash thickness they may have been using part of the same slab from the counters, or maybe availability was a factor? Otherwise for a full height backsplash I think the thinner panels offer an easier install on the wall if there are no external factors not to use them.
Absolutely the best video I've been able to find on this product. It seems like every other video shows the finished product with overbearing and obnoxious music playing with no detailed information. OR videos of someone talking LOWER than the annoying techno music where you can't hear a word they're saying. Thank YOU for making this video and making sure to explain everything precisely with examples for a visual overview of what to look for to achieve a desired and well thought out finished project. I wish this man was local because we'd hire his company to buy our counter tops from and for installation. After watching this, I feel like I have a MUCH greater understanding of the do's and don'ts regarding this product. To the point, precise and very knowledgeable. 👍👏 🙌
Thanks so much for this wonderful feedback! Hearing from those who are really helped by the information is very encouraging in my continuing to make these videos. Best of luck in your remodel and definitely share any future videos you would find helpful! Thanks again!
Thank you so much !!! I haven't up graded because I'm so confused and I feel like contractors or kitchen / washroom remodel facilities are leaving some or alot of important facts out that will surely come back to bite me.
Your vlogs are so informative.👍👍👍👏👏👏
Appreciate the feedback and I'm glad it was of value to you!
Thank you for the extremely informative video. We are building a new home and are going to use Cambria throughout our home. You just cemented our decisions in selecting Cambria over other products.
Awesome! Have you picked a color yet?!
As a contrast to the other quartz countertops, we installed as a highlight, a large island with the Cambria ‘Summerhill’ in our new kitchen four years ago. With its swirls of muted greys, the light of two overhead lanterns dance off of the random sprinkles of silver confetti embedded into the slick and smooth finish. The surrounding perfectly chiseled o-gee edge adds pizzazz to make it still look brand new.
Poetic, love it! Some of the Cambria colors really catch the light so beautifully. And contrasted tops can look so cool in the right kitchen setting. Glad you are loving yours!
i have two large slabs one of brittanica and ine summer hill right now to consider, both are so beautiful! I saw summerhill with an octagon marble backsplash on houzz that was beautiful which I am now considering.
Could you please send a pic of the corner of your Summerhill 0 gee edge
@@MrJackdjk: I’ll try to figure out how to send you a picture this way.
From a Remodeler that’s been in business for 15 years this very informative.
Home owner need to understand they have to increase their budget and not look for the lowest price
Thank you so much!
From a homeowner, remodeler need to understand that money don’t grow on trees and we wanna get best value for money.
When we built our home 16+ years ago, we purchased Cambria quartz countertops (kitchen and master bathroom). I hesitated buying quartz simply because the colors/styles were limited at that time. However, after weighing the pros and cons, we settled on and purchased the quartz. We were pleased with the installation. The seam on the L-shaped kitchen island is all but invisible and the quartz is very easy to maintain. We're now building a retirement home and were considering have a granite countertop, basically because of the various colors/styles, etc. one can find in granite.
However, after your video, we will be considering the quartz as long as we can find color/style we like. Thks for sharing.....
Awesome, hopefully some of that info will help you even if you are looking at granite to make sure it turns out just perfect for you! Best of luck!
❤
I was losing sleep regarding this very issue...wanting to make sure that my countertops look as seem less as
This is the exact video I needed to see, now my wife and I are having a discussion before we go into the showroom.
He totally failed to mention quartzite
Although very true marble will stain so much faster because it is a Natural Stone, Quartz stains almost always are going to be permanent and more expensive to restore once stained and the edges chip easier.
Once restored it’s so hard bringing the polish back to original
I myself hate engineered stone but it does look nice. The video is very informative .
We bought quartz countertops recently, and the salesman said we cannot take a hot pot off the stove and set it on the countertop. That was a surprise! We love our counters, but we always have a marble slab near the stove to keep protect the counters from heat.
Although most people believe otherwise, even with granite countertops trivets or hot pads should be used. Although these products are heat resistant, there is potential for damage to occur with the shock of drastic and immediate temperature change. I would say the sales person was looking out for your best interest on erring to the side of caution. Glad to hear you are enjoying your countertops!
Any pot with water in it can not be hotter than 212 degrees Fahrenheit so ok for quartz
@@RemodelWithRobertdefinitely fine to put hot pots on granite.
Just had someone come out today to give me an estimate on redoing my kitchen and was looking at the Cambria quartz countertops. This video was very helpful as addressed issues that I would not have even though to ask or been aware of. I'm sure if I go with Cambria it will look gorgeous ... just hard to look at a 3" x 3" sample and envision what it will look like on an entire countertop but definitely better than my Formica from 1988! :) Great job on this video!
Honestly, the samples don't even do the beauty of this stone any justice. If you are able to go to a showroom, it'll blow your mind with how beautiful they look in a full slab.
Very articulate and well spoken
Having Cambria Clovelly installed next week. So excited!
Congratulations!
Excellent! Thank you. Yeah, I'm one of those going with painting our 55-year-old cabinets white on top and a beautiful blue on the bottom. So I'll take your advice and look into the Cambria the color you suggested. Thank you for explaining all the issues with pattern matching.
Good job and not bashing other companies. You gave good information without bashing them . I fab with a bridge saw and a fab king . I don’t do the laminated edges because I’m upfront with my customers and let them know that I don’t have that type of equipment. One day maybe a water jet CNC. My favorite quartz is LG vitara .
May I know what you like about LG Viatera quartz? I am considering to have Viatera Lento in my new kitchen, but have found quite some negative reviews in Houzz about the LG Viatera products in general, and not a particular quartz color or pattern.
I install quartz and granite.
few things to know is granite hides seams better but takes more maintenance and you have to be more careful with it as it stains even if you put sealer on it unless its a dark color with no light spots.
Second quartz can't be outside the sun sucks the color out of it or turns it yellow.
Third don't be jerks to the installers we do our best with what our bosses give us and don't stare or constantly watch you make them nervous.
We love out Cambria Quartz kitchen countertops! Expensive, yes, but we wanted the best.
Would you share how much per slab?
yes I they seems to more expensive then quartzite
Excellent video. You are so knowledgable.
My Cambria will be installed this Thursday, I now have a few questions I didn't know to ask. Thank you for this video. I had many choices , almost overwhelming choices of quartz to choose from. I jept coming back to the Cambrio quartz vs the other brands . No question about it my 70sq ft was costly but will be there far longer then I will be .
I just got Cambria PARYS installed and love it !
I installed Parys for some personal friends, beautiful way to incorporate some blues in the room!
Excellent video. You convey a lot of good information in a short amount of time, unlike a lot of people on youtube. Nice job.
Thank you!
OMG... I didn't even consider how such prominent veining would impact the flow of the material I choose. We have a huge L where our peninsula comes out from the side counter. In your opinion, is there any muted veining that could work with a peninsula configuration? I guess all the pictures I have been looking at online are of islands. I have subscribed. Thank you so much for your expertise and excellent explanations and photos.
Very informative. Great video. Compac quartz is another great manufacturer.
Good video of things to consider, although I think the industry calling quartz a "stone" is a little misleading
This presentation was helpful. Thanks for sharing your advice.
I really love the SKYE design. Thank you for all this helpful information.
Do you have a video on the specific pros and cons of Cambria quartz vs Calacatta quartz?
We are having Cambria Nottingam Hill quartz being installed in our kitchen this Thursday. Really looking forward to it.
Congratulations! Im sure it will be beautiful!
Thanks, Robert I learned a lot about the seam and flow.
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Awesome, glad it helped!
We are installing the Lakedale design. It’s only sold through Home Depot. We spent over an hour with the fabricator reviewing and approving the mark-up. They sell by the square foot and we’re using parts of three different slabs.
Great info! I’m getting ready to upgrade our kitchen and I didn’t know where to start!
I love the Kendal and Montgomery. I am having a hard time deciding which to go with for our kitchen counters. I have a galley kitchen. I love the Kendal but am wondering if it might be a bit too busy and will make the kitchen look smaller.
Both are beautiful and I think can both can work in even a smaller kitchen. If you are using lighter colors in general and let the countertop be the statement in there then I would go with what you are drawn to! :)
ROBERT, years ago, I went to a home to replace several faucet washers, & the lady was given a new kitchen by her TWIN DAUGHTERS, she said they did over the stone counters 6 times until she was satisfied ! Was this the homeowner from hell ? Thanks, as I would go with QUARTZ, BEFORE ANY OTHER cheers🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
We just remodeled our kitchen and put in quartz countertops. Everything I read says they are not sturdy enough to hold up to heat higher than 150. My appliances such as my counter top oven/air fryer will need to have a heat resistant pad under it to avoid the burning of the epoxy that is used. At this point I wish I had gone with granite. Some say sealing is needed to avoid stains others say never. I left a bit of juice that came off a potato on the counter, it turned pink had to use barkeeper's friend to remove it 30 minutes later. For me not kitchen friendly only in one week and I use lots of care and attention to what I do..
What brand did you go with? While I have certainly seen quartz countertops stain, there are huge differences in the quality between brands. And remember, granite is also recommended to have pads placed under any hot items along with needing resealing. I like granite countertops as well I find often times buyers are not educated by the supplier enough before making the decision either way.
@@RemodelWithRobert Thank you for responding. bought from T&L Granite in El Monte CA. It's called Multi Galaxy TL056 if that helps not sure of the brand I will have to ask the contractor.
Having been a fabricator for over 20 years, I can assure you the bad examples you showed were jobs purchased 99% based on the lowest bid. I have had customers go to far inferior competitors over a couple hundred dollars on a many thousand dollar job only to return to me onece the job was screwed up by the "best price"
Exactly! Generally jobs like those happen when the conversation revolves around the price and not around the details of both the material and fabrication/install.
The same thing happens in dentistry. You get what you pay for.
Many thousand dollar? In Europe quartz countertops are ~100eur/m2
they are over $100 per sq/ft here for some brands/colors
!!!!!!!SUCH A GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDEO!!!!!!!
Thank You!
Appreciate the kind words! Glad it was helpful
As a fabricator myself, I have to ask why you’re still laminating edges of such material and not mitring them.
Laminate only when necessary to allow radiused corners and such. Otherwise you’re way behind the times if you’re not mitring your edge builds.
Thanks for the feedback! I should have spent time on mitered edges in this video or at least pointed that out in the waterfall kitchen we installed. We are fortunate that our fabricator does miters but seeing as how this video is seen by people in many markets I do find that a lot of fabricators don't miter or it is an upgrade for the work. I was largely pointing out on the edge that the thickness of the edge is greater than the overall slab as it is built up by either a laminated or mitered edge. I find a lot of consumers are unaware of this distinction especially when comparing the finished outcomes of 2 cm and 3 cm stone. You are absolutely right though and thanks for pointing it out as I completely overlooked that when putting this video together 🤦♂️
Im planning a remodel and I would rather have a mitered edge for sure. If its an upgrade I think it would be worth it.
Robert, you seem very knowledgeable and even though you didn't cover the actual installation, I have a question. Does the gas range need to be pulled away from the wall for the installation? To clarify, the installation is for the countertop only and not the backsplash. Thank you, Subscribed!
I would generally say that you should be prepared to have the range moved for the installation but that is ultimately a discussion to have with your fabricator/installer. You definitely want it in place for the initial template so it would only need to be removed just before removal/installation and reset immediately afterwards.
Im so glad I clicked on your video, we’re in process of remodeling our kitchen and kinda aiming at the hickory type wood but not sure what the trend is , if it’s the darker or lighter color also , what type of countertop would you recommend?
I think Hickory is a very versatile cabinet and can look great with both a lighter and darker countertop depending on the overall look you want. My suggestion would be to search photos on Houzz or Pinterest with hickory cabinets and see which photos you tend to gravitate towards and that may help you decide which direction you want to go!
@@RemodelWithRobert thank you for your video! Is it true what @Hagopik is commenting below about quarts staining and if it’s chips - not being able to basically repair the shine? He said once it’s damaged it’s much harder to repair. Any thoughts on this in general?
U gave me the most information and I like how u explained good job 👍🏼
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much I was really so confused about all the quartz out there!! I'm love portrush!!! And I have blue future kitchen by Thomasville! I like also annicca!
You are so welcome! I love Portrush as well, it is hard to appreciate it until you see it in person!
Great video and very informative! What would you recommend for white cabinets but a warmer color floor (core tea calypso oak). I decorate with warmer tones in the home and need countertop contrast so the kitchen doesn't look like a hospital. I feel like if I go with a white quartz and white cabinets it will look too sterile.
I agree! Looking for quartz that is not basically white. Not too many choices.
Cambria makes a yellow color called Victoria-
Thank you for this video, very informative!
The plywood subdeck (I think that's what you called it). How does that affect the overhang capability on an island. The thicker the quartz the larger the overhang allowed is my understanding, but is it not somewhat supported by the plywood?
Yes you are right in that the thicker can go a little further than a thinner, but in general terms there are limits before you need support brackets, corbels, or even legs depending on just how far out you take it. Your fabricator should help determine what your options are for you exact kitchen design.
You don't need a plywood sub deck
I put Cambria in my home and absolutely love it!
Awesome, which color did you go with?
Thank you for this video. Very informative and educational.
was helpful to hear about thickness of the quartz! thanks Robert for a great video!
You bet!
We're having Queensbury installed in June - can't wait!
Thanks for the informative video. I loved Cambria Brittanicca Gold when I saw it in a kitchen.
Yes, it is stunning in person!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. In terms of total costs for materials and labor, which one is more economical - 3cm quartz throughout or 2cm quartz with 4cm laminated edges?
This was a great video, thank you! So many comments... I hope I'm not duplicating... but please give thoughts about seaming at the sink. Must the sink hole have a seam right in the middle? Both my homes that had granite had a seam at the sink and they were hard to maintain. I suppose it allowed them to avoid a seam across the whole countertop at the corner which would be good. Interested in your thoughts. Thanks!
Yes it is very common to put a seam at the sink as to minimize the visibility of a longer seam across the whole depth of the countertop. Each layout can be unique so there is no one straight answer but hopefully that helps.
@@RemodelWithRobert Thank you for the super speedy reply even though your video is months old!! Subscribed!
Thank you so much Robert! Great job!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge! 💯
Would love to know more about cleaning and sealing. or Restoring this type of surface
Great information and I used Cambria Berwyn in my bathroom and love it. For my kitchen I am looking for a little more flowing movement and definitely like the sparkle - the more the better - it's just more elegant. I like the Beaumont however besides that beautiful movement pattern, I am a bit concerned that it will be very busy or maybe too much gold when my accent back tile is silver and gold tiles with a sort of brass accent. Can you recommend another design in cambria with nice movement in cream and gray colors (kitchen cabinets are off white with brushed aluminum hardware) that has some sparkle? I have been to a few places that have Cambria samples but some don't have many and it is very hard to see sparkle on line. Thank you.
Thank you! This was very helpful to know!
Just found your channel. Subscribed. I like the way you present. We had quartz countertops installed in kitchen. In place for a year now and they are awesome. Will likely never use anything else and want to use in our bathroom remodel coming up. Also may consider for laundry room. Thanks. What state is your company located?
Thankd for watching and the feedback. I'm in sunny Arizona!
For the glue/adhesive/epoxy when joining two slabs together, do they make that glue to be tinted to match/hide the seam? Also is the adhesion process, are you some how clamping (some how) the two pieces together while the glue cures? Is that yet another topic to discuss with your installer?
Yes to both questions. Installers will often tint the adhesives to get it as close to the color of the slab as possible, and yes the slabs are generally clamped together to secure the two pieces and bond the seam as tight as possible.
Gorilla Grips by Monument Stone is the standard
Great video really helped me narrow down my decision on quartz. Thank you!
Awesome! Happy to help!
I'd love to see you review Bambria Windsor Steel Satin Ridge
I really like the Calcutta gold stone but I’m having so much trouble trying to figure out hardware, sink, faucet and lights to match. I really don’t want to do all gold and my appliances are stainless steel
Try a Kohler porcelain sink-they have a variety of colors.
I am remodeling now. I'm going with natural hickory cabinets. What are your favorite Cambria tops with these?
Natural Hickory gives you a lot of options. I've seen whites on these as well as very dark counters. I personally like some of the slightly warmer countertops that pull some of the darker grain from the hickory so as to give contrast to the lighter portions of the wood. Brittanica Gold, Canterbury, and Laneshaw would be examples of a light, medium and dark that could pull tones from your natural hickory. Make sure to compare with your cabinets specifically as with all natural products, they can very from one to the next.
Is it best to stay away from a lot of movement when using for a bathroom vanity and it will be interrupted by sinks?
Still looks awesome it just continues on the other side of the sink
Have you ever worked with Venetian marble ….it’s less pricey than quartz but is it worth it? Shower wall and vanity top is what I’m looking at . Thanks
Thank you, usefull information even in Europe
Glad it was helpful!
hi. i am in the process of purchasing the cambria brittanica gold as a countertop and got stuck on picking a backsplash - so i am deciding whether to spend the money and use the same countertop and backsplash ( I have a small kitchen ). It clearly is more expensive than a traditional backsplash but the matching makes me nervous. what are your thoughts?
I like the contrast of a different backsplash but the Cambria does look stunning on the wall and makes for a very easy to clean splas as well. No right or wrong though, it really comes down to personal preference and what your gut is telling you that you really want.
What quartz products do you find to be closest to marble... I find the britannica veining too intense for me. Calacatta is nice but still strong. Seacourt is more subtle and organize/natural maybe? Minuet?
While I think Brittanica is the most popular selection on a marble look for a reason, I completely understand what you mean. Minuet is a good choice, Ella also is a slightly less intense option than Brittanica.
Man I just got quoted at 17k for Cambria in my small kitchen!
I’m sure it’s pretty cool but I just can’t spend that much!!!
Woah!! How many slabs does your kitchen need? That certainly doesnt sound like a small kitchen price!
Hey Robert, Just watched this video now. Very informative…thank you! A quick question-we’re considering Cambria Summerhill quartz as our countertop. Do you think the Summerhill pattern will make a good backsplash as well? Thank you!
Although I personally like a separate backsplash most of the time, I think the slab backsplash can look great if other elements of the kitchen are more subdued and the slab is great for the ease of cleaning on your backsplash too. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
What are your opinions of an island that is made of 4 pieces of quarz instead of 3. Is rounded in the seating area, and have waterfall. The top is made by 2 pieces I can see the joint in the middle.
What is the best backsplash tile quality ? And which one you think looks good with laza callcate countertop
Thanks
Super informative. Ty!
Just bought Calacatta quartz for vanity top
Great tips. Thank you
Very informative video.
Hmmm…in the “bad” seam pix, did you not notice that the right side is a raised sitting bar with the counter on the left beneath it?
If you are referring to the photo that starts around the 9:00 mark,, that is one countertop, not a raised bar top. All three examples are single tops. That first photo may be zoomed in too much to see the continuous line of cabinets and backsplash, but no, it is not a raised top.
That Euro seam would have looked really good if they would have booked market the veins 9:00
Very informative! We are considering purchasing a dining room table that has a Cambria Gold Brittannica top. This would be our main table and we have kids that would use it for just about everything (homework, drawing, eating, etc) How durable and stain resistant is Cambria quartz?
What about soapstone- more upkeep but beautiful veining & natural.
Was looking for countertops for my new home. Hadn’t really seen any that I loved until a store employee showed me a Cambria product that was exactly what I was/am looking for. It’s called the Golden Dragon and I absolutely love it!
Great job. Very informative. Question: At 8:27- what type of flooring is that? wood, engineered, tile? Thx.
I had the brittanica gold from cambria. Quality is great cambria compared to the made in China. However, quite expensive.
It is definitely an expensive product but I do think it has a lot of features that set it apart from the competition. Brittanica Gold is beautiful!
I love my new quartz vanity tops. And my brother-in-law loves his quartz kitchen countertops. However, I think calling it "stone" is extremely misleading; it's plastic. My B-I-L is an enthusatic cook, and he was really looking forward to not needing trivets for his hot pots. When I told him it was actually plastic and it would not withstand hot pots, he literally said "I don't believe you". He still loves his contertops, but that was a big shocker for him when he learned the truth. Yes, quartz the mineral is stone; quartz the countertop is not stone. It's a piece of molded plastic with ground-up stone particles in it. It is in no way similar to granite or marble. I guess I am particularly hostile to this marketing approach because I just got a nice email from my quartz supplier telling me how to care for my "stone".
I'm doing a quartz counter over a raised 48" vanity and my front load washer and dryer. It's only about 27sf total. Do I need a plywood substraight? I was planning on just doing 3 supports; one on the far side of the dryer, one between the washer and dryer and then the vanity would be the other support, but now I'm wondering if that's enough. It is going to weigh over 800 lbs! Thanks.
You don't need a plywood underlay. I'd do posts/pillars on all 4 edges, with some vertical plywood support from behind the washer/dryer.
Thank you for sharing this informative video. My husband and i went to 4 different stone showroom hoping to find that perfect granite for our kitchen but we fall in love with quartzite instead called "Taj Mahal". Renovating our kitchen soon with white cabinets and navy blue island in mind. After watching your video sounds like cambria "Portrush" might be the perfect match. My question is, if I decide to use cambria or any of the stone for both countertop and backsplash, should I go with 3cm for countertop and 2cm for backsplash? I'm thinking 3cm might be too thick for backsplash.
Go with the quantize if you haven't already, natural beats man made any day of the week.
If a quartz seam is very obvious after being installed, is there a way to make it look better? I really need help with that.
Hey Robert, I am doing the white uppers and blue lowers with gold or brass hardware. This is perfect for the counters. My question is can I use a med dark granite sink (cinder) with matching chrome/cinder faucet. Also, what colour blue do you recommend with light grey walls? I was going to use owl grey for the walls but now wondering if it tyoo green? Thank you for your time!! Lloyd
What’s the best cut or look for wrapping quartz w movement around a corner? Diagonal cut?
My short answer would be to discuss this with the fabricator for the specific slab you are looking at. If you are talking about the top and referring to a corner of an L-shaped top, it can vary depending on the specific movement and how the overall slab is being used. In some cases this one decision can make a difference in how many total slabs will be needed so its something specific to each job.
Is quartz good for fireplaces and bathroom?
Would you continue this for the restroom counter tops if you are picking counters for yr entire home?
Quartz is certainly great for bathroom countertops so if I had an extra piece from the kitchen that I could use in my bathroom I would probably want to make use of that material whenever possible.
We’re going with the same granite in our two bath counters as the kitchen. One for continuity but also so that hair straighteners and curling irons don’t burn the counter.
Great video!
PS: you remind me of / look like John Favreau
Do you recommend using Granite & Stone...Stone Care International... professional series granite and stone daily cleaner on my quartz counter? Just been in about a week and I need to know how to care for it do I need to seal it, I read yes then no which is correct 🙄🤔
Can I modify/remove only the sink portion of the installed cambria? Looking to replace the sink area, with an undercount “floating Stainless Steel sink”, that will not require the countertop in that area.
Hi thanks for the informative video.
Are you able to tell me if. Calcatta Sponda by Cosmos is worth $55 per linear ft?
Very professional
Thank you!
Great video I’m in the middle of my kitchen remodel. I’m looking to get a Composite stone sink which they say is 80% quarts. Is this a good scratch chip and fade resistant material? Thx!!
There are varying grades of quality in every product type but I would say in general I like a lot of the composite sinks out there.
Allan...I had a composite stone sink called Swanstone...it was in a biscuit color to match my appliances back then. It was an amazing sink. Looked brand new for about the first 15 years...and I didn’t really baby it. When it looked stained I would just scrub it with dishwasher detergent. I was even able to use a very light sandpaper on it. And to really bring it back to life you can wax it to help prevent stains. That sink is now 22 years old and I am changing it because I am currently doing a kitchen remodel.