Go Green With Your Kitchen Countertop Remodel
Posted on: 6 July 2016
If you're looking to remodel your kitchen, you can support eco-friendly products and practices when you choose the new finishes for your updated space. Here are some countertop design ideas to help you reduce your ecological footprint, while still getting the modern, fresh kitchen you're hoping for.
1. Choose a recycled solid surface countertop.
Instead of choosing laminate, try choosing a solid surface countertop that is made from recycled materials. For example, a solid surface glass countertop is actually made to like like higher-end quartz countertops by combining glass pieces together in a resin base or bauxite, which is a natural ore. After the life of your countertop, the bauxite can also be recycled into aluminum. Also, solid surface countertops do not emit VOCs, and they are non-toxic and non-porous, which allows for a clean, gentle impact on the the health of those living in your home.
2. Go for stone.
Granite and marble are both trendy options for modern home remodels. Since stone has to be quarried, it does take more fossil fuels and energy to get them ready for your counter. However, they do last forever, which means you're not sending an old product to the dumpster after a decade of use.
3. Choose concrete.
Concrete is a good option for those who have an earth-friendly attitude: they can be made from recycled material (like glass, aggregates and sand). If you choose a glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC), you'll use less fresh cement and have a lighter finished product. Once your countertops do come to the end of a very long life, they can be recycled into other aggregate products.
4. Don't rule out wood.
Wooden countertops are great way to keep things natural in your kitchen. They do not need chemical sealants, but can be made water resistant with mineral or linseed oil instead of polyurethane finishes. Wood countertops gain a lovely patina as they age, and if they are well-cared for, will last just as long as other hardwood products: in a word, decades. You can recycle a wood countertop into something else after its life as a counter has ended, and defects in the countertop can be sanded out and refinished, meaning that it will not suffer lasting damage requiring replacement.
For more information on choosing a green countertop that matches the design and age of your home, talk to a company like Plastic Line Mfg Inc.
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