Quartz vs. Marble Countertops

Quartz and marble countertops each bring elegance and luxury to any home. Choosing between them depends on your lifestyle and preferences. Marble offers distinctive veining and classic appeal. The Cambria quartz palette provides many veined designs with added durability and low maintenance. Let’s review their similarities and differences.

Windrush™, Highgate™

Quartz vs. Marble

Curious about the similarities and differences of quartz and marble countertops? Explore what sets them apart.

What Is Quartz?

Quartz countertops are made of natural quartz that is then combined with binders and pigments to create its final, beautiful product. This process enables quartz countertops to be maintenance free, extremely durable, nonabsorbent, and resistant to stains, scratches, and chips. Available in a wide range of designs, colors, and consistent patterns, quartz also presents a uniform look from slab to slab.

What Is Marble?

Marble countertops are made from natural stone quarried in large blocks, then cut, shaped, and polished. Known for its sophisticated veining and unique patterns, each marble slab brings a one-of-a-kind luxury to any room. However, marble’s porous nature makes it more susceptible to staining, etching, and scratching, requiring regular care to maintain its beauty.

Performance: Cambria Quartz vs. Marble

With their high-end look, Cambria quartz and marble elevate any space. Discover the differences between how the two perform.

Learn more about quartz countertops

Comparison table detailing the differences between quartz and marble countertops, such as quartz's nonporous nature vs marble's higher porosity, the consistency of quartz designs and that hardness and durability of the two countertop materials.

Details That Matter

There’s a lot to consider when comparing quartz and marble. Here’s what to keep in mind.

Maintenance

Quartz countertops are maintenance free, stain resistant, naturally nonabsorbent, and NSF-51 certified, and they never need sealing. To clean, just wipe with warm water, a soft cotton cloth, and mild soap, if desired. Because of its porous nature, marble requires ongoing care, including regular sealing to prevent staining from everyday substances like water, wine, and oil. If you’re willing to invest in its maintenance, marble can offer long-lasting beauty.

Windrush™

Durability

Quartz is extremely durable, resisting chips, scratches, and stains. While beautiful, marble is softer, making it more prone to scratches and chips. Marble can handle heat better than quartz in some instances, but sudden temperature changes may cause damage to both, so the use of a trivet is always recommended. Cambria quartz surfaces are backed by a transferable Full Lifetime Warranty to provide peace of mind for a lifetime.

Claremont™

Appearance

Quartz countertops offer a wide range of consistent colors and patterns, ideal for any space aesthetic and ensuring a uniform look from slab to slab. Marble countertops feature unique veining patterns and colors. While a positive for some, this variation can make it challenging to match multiple slabs or find the right slab for your project. Marble typically is found in neutral colors, limiting options for those looking for darker or more bold countertop colors. Quartz is often preferred for its versatility within various styles and color schemes, with Cambria known as an industry leader in design innovation.

Kenwood™

Environmental Impact

Quartz is harvested by removing small aggregate quartz stones, which leaves a smaller footprint and generates less waste. This harvesting practice allows for more optimal native vegetation restoration.

Countertop Cost Considerations

When choosing between quartz and marble, consider more than the initial investment. Factor in long-term upkeep, such as sealing and care, along with material and installation costs.

Learn about quartz pricing

Beckington™

Marble-Look Countertops

Get the luxurious look of marble with the maintenance-free durability of quartz. Cambria’s marble-look designs offer beauty without the upkeep.

Browse marble-alternative designs

Highgate™

Warm neutral tones are interspersed with unique fossil-like fragments that add notes of intrigue to this rich and highly refined design.

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Windrush™

Dark and dramatic with prominent medium gray tones, Windrush is streaked with slate-gray streams that flow and mingle with occasional white dabs in this fascinating design.

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Kenwood™

Creamy, marbled ivory forms the backdrop for taupe veining and delicate white crackles, creating a soft, tonal surface that suits any space.

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Marble-Look Countertop Samples

Bring Cambria home. Order samples of your favorite designs, and we’ll send them to you to experience in your space.

Order your quartz samples

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Cambria quartz countertops require care and maintenance?

No, keeping with its care-free promise, Cambria requires no sealing, polishing, or reconditioning. Simply wipe with warm water, a soft cotton cloth, and mild soap, if desired. Due to its nonabsorbent nature, it does NOT require regular sealing and is stain resistant.

Is Cambria quartz surface a natural stone?

Cambria is made from pure natural quartz, pigments, and binders. Quartz is the extremely hard mineral that gives Cambria its strength. Our unique process results in a quartz product of elegance, style, and superior durability.

Do Cambria quartz surfaces stain?

Cambria’s nonporous and nonabsorbent surface is resistant to staining and eliminates the need for any sealing. Its nonabsorbent surface also greatly reduces the potential for bacterial growth from food absorbing into your countertop.