andrewskulism

I have chips on my new cambria countertops

M Andrews
6 years ago

Cambria canongate showing white chips

Comments (76)

  • Marty Day
    5 years ago

    Joseph - I have been thinking about this since you posted and really appreciate your reviewing this issue. Your assessment of the raw edge makes perfect sense and the unsaniitary comment is disturbing.

    Who would I get to do this work as the original Cambria fabricator left us with this raw edge? I don't want to make the situation worse--like the countertop would fracture.

    When we bought this house, we had a Corian countertop with a positive sink reveal and the reveal was ALWAYS dirty and tough to clean and then started leaking as water sat on the positive reveal so when we remodeled I specifically asked for the negative sink reveal - but as minimal as possible as I know a negative can nasty.

    I have another post called Cambria -- be forewarned about rough spots on my island Cambria that I noticed just after installation. The Cambria tech came out and couldn't remove them with various solvents. I asked Cambria customer service if these drips might be from the installation crew leaving caulk or adhesive on the island when they were working. Cambria customer service said they don't use caulk/adhesive in the installation which has never made sense to me. Something is holding the Cambria to the countertop and the island, right? What is normally used?

    Fortunately, I can no longer see these spots as they have blended in, but I have ALWAYS wondered about the Cambria customer service comment about not using adhesive or caulk during installation.

    Thanks again for taking time to review my issue. Marty


  • Teresa Aguilera
    4 years ago

    M Andrews and Marty,
    How did you resolve your issue? We have the EXACT same issue with chipping on our Cambria countertops in the kitchen. We collect chips all the time and just know that every few months we have to call Cambria to come out and fix several chips at a time - but really?? This shouldn’t be happening with supposedly the “strongest surface on earth”. My husband banged a delicate china plate slight against the edge and the plate was just fine but the countertop had a large chip. I’m fact, we received our countertop with a very large chip already in it and with someone who had done a very poor job of filling the chip in, because they didn’t even bother to match the color.

  • Marty Day
    4 years ago

    Teresa - I haven’t taken any action, but reading thru this I should call Cambria to see if they can repair. It isn’t as strong as I had thought.

  • Kristen O'Brien
    4 years ago

    Did you call them? If it's been chipping since the beginning it might fall under the warranty.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    4 years ago

    Cambria's going to blame chipping on customer abuse. Can't say I blame them.

  • Meester Brown
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    We have a chip on our cambria sink edge in the kitchen. Overall the cambria looks great, but its too delicate for me. I would never recommend it to anyone else and when I do another kitchen, I will go with a different material.

  • PRO
    Cambria
    4 years ago

    Hello Meester Brown, we would be happy to send out a technician to review the countertop and perform finish work. To set up an appointment simply give our Cambria customer care team a call at 866-226-2742 at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

  • HU-355566585
    3 years ago

    we just got our Cambria countertop installed in January. It came with three scratches in it. They replaced the entire countertop with no problem.

    Now here we are 4 months later and there is a huge chip by our sink.

    I was told Cambria quartz was the strongest countertop you could get.

    I‘m not sure what to do or if it can be fixed at all:(

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Your edge should be this rounded.


    It can be fixed. The best fix is reprofiling and polishing the cutout to eliminate the chip and make future chips less likely.


    It's not a warranty claim.

  • PRO
    Cambria
    3 years ago

    Hello HU-355566585, we would be happy to have a technician review the countertop and perform finish work. To set this up please give our Cambria customer care team a call at your convenience. Thank you. 866-226-2742

  • Kristen O'Brien
    3 years ago

    We had our Cambria Britanicca countertops installed in December. I asked about a negative sink reveal but was advised to go neutral. And not do a positive reveal either. 2 boys + 2 adults. Some loud bangs that make us all look up but it’s all good and chip free so far!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago

    A slight positive reveal is best. Negative hides crud; flush make an elongated silicone joint that can fray.

  • HU-808974884859
    3 years ago

    I chipped the edge of my Cambria with a pot - will they fix it without charge, and if not, what is the cost? Thanks!

  • PRO
    Cambria
    3 years ago

    Hello HU-808974884859, we would be happy to review your countertops. Simply give our Cambria customer care team a call at 866-226-2742. Thank you!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago

    Hu:

    That's "customer abuse" in the warranty world. If you can get a free fix, good on ya. I make Cambria chips disappear, but I have a $500.00 minimum charge.

  • Rachel
    3 years ago

    Joseph, I have 3/8" pencil edge specified for my granite in a new build. Should I do bulldoze around undermountsink? I currently have blue pearl bull nose and not a chip in 26 years of use.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago

    Rachel:

    A "pencil" edge is a 90* edge with the meanness knocked off it. The edge I pictured above has a 3/8" radius which is plenty.

  • Rachel
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    @Joseph Corlett, when I asked the fabricator what the radius was on the pencil edge they told me 3/8". That was a customer service person. I'll try to get an expert's answer when they template. And I'll ask for 3/8" around the sink. I'd prefer to be safe. Thanks.

  • Rachel
    3 years ago

    These are the edges available from my fabricator and I don't see one that is exactly like what Joseph shows around the sink. Suggestions?






  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Tell him you've got an extra $200.00 for a 3/8" roundover at the sink. He'll have that edge, believe me. Patching the inevitable chips in that pencil edge is a $300.00 minimum charge so you're already $100.00 ahead.

  • Rachel
    3 years ago

    thanks, Joseph I will. do you think that pencil will be durable for the other edges?

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago

    No pencil. Terrible edge, I don't care what your designer says.

  • Rachel
    3 years ago

    Joseph what edge would you advise for a more contemporary look?


  • HU-837750744
    3 years ago

    My 11 month old Cambria quartz countertop chipped on the interior of the sink basin. My husband was washing a large French porcelain bowl, and his hands slipped just a bit. I was worried about my bowl, and we were so relieved that there wasn't a scratch on it. We were later shocked to see that in fact it was the quartz countertop that suffered some damage. How can this be possible? The company came to repair, but being a black matte finish, it shows white and remains quite noticeable. I was hoping this would be covered under warranty, but apparently not. The first blemish in our brand new kitchen!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Hu:


    The permanent fix is to drop the sink, remove the faucet, recut, re-profile, and repolish the sink cutout edge to a slight positive reveal if it isn't already. If you lived nearby, I'd charge you at least a thousand dollars, but your chances of chipping would be reduced exponentially and your chips would no longer exist. This is not a manufacturer defect; it is the consequence of homeowner/designer/fabricator choice.

  • PRO
    Cambria
    3 years ago

    HU-837750744, we would be happy to review the finish work. Please give our Cambria customer care team a call at request to speak with senior services manager, Chris Donaldson. Thank you!

  • cassigirl
    3 years ago

    I also have similar chips on my newly installed Cambria Annica quartz countertop. It was installed three weeks ago. The chip is over the microwave drawer. We live alone and the kitchen has been used with kid glove. I had Corian for 10 years with no chips or damage. Now my not finished $65k remodel has a chip in Cambria that I researched extensively and have been told was the "top of the line" quartz manufacturer to deal with. My Curtis Lumber "experienced" kitchen designer experience has been fraught with mis-measurements leading to changes in cabinets. I have cabinet doors that open into cabinet drawers so some drawers cannot have knobs or pulls as the opposing cabinet will not fully open. We waited years to do this remodel. Frustrated and disappointed.

  • PRO
    Cambria
    3 years ago

    Hello cassigirl, please give our Cambria customer care team a call at 866-226-2742 so that we can set up a time for a technician to review the area. Thank you.

  • PRO
    Curtis Lumber Ballston Spa
    3 years ago

    Hello cassigirl, We are very sorry to hear of your experience. Please contact our Director of Kitchen & Bath Development at (518) 490-1307. Thank you.

  • HU-813730095
    2 years ago

    Robert lebaron

    i just had cambria quartz counters installed today 6/16/21. I noticed the cut out

    around the undermount sink has a 1/8 w x 1/2 L chip next to the bevel, not the bevel itself.

    This is right in front of sink. What are solutions, i assume this is a fabricator issue. ?

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    2 years ago

    Pictures please. There are easy solutions and more difficult ones, but it's fixable.

  • sunarakaa
    2 years ago

    @HU-355566585 Did Cambria fixed your problems? We are in our way to select Cambria for our kitchen counter as well as backsplash but kind of scared hearing all these stories. What is your experience with Cambria quartz so far? did you notice Any Resin pooling?

  • cassigirl
    2 years ago

    Cambria did send the fabricator and fixed the chip. You would never notice that it had been repaired. In reading through this thread almost 9 months later, I have some additional thoughts. The fabricator that the Curtis lumber kitchen designer sent us to did not have a slab of the quartz for me to view. All I had was a small showroom sample. That caused concern, but I went forward. There are some white round spots interspersed with the color veining in the countertop, I'm assuming this is the resin pooling that has been mentioned. It is not enough of a concern for me to have the countertop replaced. We don't baby the countertop or sink area. After 9 months of use I have no new concerns. Best wishes and hope all goes well with your project.

  • sunarakaa
    2 years ago

    @cassigirl thanks. It’s really helpful!!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    2 years ago

    Resin pooling is a feature, not a bug. Just ask any of the estone manufacturers; they sell it in their literature.


    Let's see the white round spots please and I'll tell you if it's resin pooling or not.

  • Jill J
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Rebuilding a home and have been going back-and-forth between all of the options for kitchen and many baths. Have researched and thought I was settled on a mix of Cambria Quartz and marble. DEFINITELY now reconsidering Quartz! My friend just put Cambria in her new build and it is gorgeous, but already chipping!! She got it fixed, but new chips!!😩

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    2 years ago

    Chipping is from edge profile selection, not material selection. More round, less chips.

  • lgfoley816
    2 years ago

    @josephcorlettllc , we have selected a “ledge profile” for our Cambria Delgatie countertops in our master bath remodel. Should we switch to the 3/8 “ round over that you have recommended? Thanks for your input!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    2 years ago

    How lucky do you feel? Baths don't get the use kitchens do, but I'd round it over.

  • Nitsa Psarra
    last year

    I have a Cambria countertop for 1 year in my kitchen and already I have 2 chips on the edge.How can this be? We are 4 adults living in my house. We are careful . I had a granite countertop for 20 years and not. 1 chip occurred. I am not impressed with this. On top of that no one has reached out to repair this.I am not recommending Cambria to anyone anymore!!!

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    Nitsa:


    Your chipping problems are one of design, not material. The more rounded the edge, the less likely the chipping, no matter the material.

  • Michelle Linden
    last year

    @Joseph Cornett, LLC  I posted on another thread and sent you a message.  Our Cambria countertops arrived with the wrong profile (it came with sharper edge Ridgeline and we ordered quarter round Summit to help with chips).  The installer is removing it today, Cambria is picking it up tomorrow and taking it back to their location to fix.  Cambria does the cutting in our area, probably because we are close~ about 3 hours.  I was told by our installer that the sink would stay the same "sharper" edge, specifically ZR.   I then confirmed in a phone call to Cambria that they "typically" do one standard edge profile on undermount sinks.  

    Is this right?  I am at my wit's end with this whole house construction.  It has been non-stop problems and mistakes.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    Pulling the tops to reprofile and polish a sink edge is like removing your car tire to inflate it. It is stupid and unnecessary. I hope these guys go bankrupt from their stupidity; they deserve it. You can tell them I said so please.


    I'd have your job done in an hour or so. Geesh.

  • Michelle Linden
    last year

    @Joseph Cornett  I am so sickened by this.  I am afraid it will get damaged.  And is it true that the sink can't be rounded?

  • pkbhasin
    last year

    I am not an expert on edge profiling nor quartz engineering. The only thing I can say is that I owned granite countertops for decades before purchasing a Cambria Smithfield product for our large kitchen island. I never had a single chip in 20 years with a granite countertop, and the edge profile was identical to my Cambria one. We now have three or four chips with Cambria every six months - I do not use the kitchen any harder or than I did with granite. I will not purchase Cambria again. I prefer to purchase the material I want with the edge

    profile I want without so many chips. It is a beautiful product, however, so if you don’t cook often, you’ll love it.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    "And is it true that the sink can't be rounded?"


    You can put any edge profile you please at a sink. Fabricators prefer the cheapest pencil edge; the worst for performance.

  • Michele Berger
    last year

    I have only had my cambria for several weeks and noticed two round hole marks on my countertops. I am disappointed. I never had any trouble with granite and everything I read said Cambrian was durable. It’s just my husband and I and I do t know what caused these holes. If you zoom you can see these little holes. It looks minor but was hoping to have the countertops for many years.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    last year

    Fortunately those are easily and inconspicuously fixed with color matched adhesive. Give Cambria a call; they'll probably send a tech for free.

  • Michele Berger
    last year

    Thanks for your quick reply. I will call them. It’s something so small but for some reason they are super noticeable to me. I appreciate your suggestion.

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