Eco-Friendly Kitchen Counter Top Options for Your Home
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Counter Top Options for Your Home
A big trend in countertops is eco-friendly options. Eco-friendly means that the materials for the project come from sustainable sources that are not harmful to the environment.
In today’s world, more people are learning about the benefits of building, decorating, and living in a more eco-friendly manner. To protect the planet and environment, more people are taking steps to reduce their “carbon footprint” and are choosing more ecologically sustainable materials for their home renovation projects.
Because of this increase in environmentally friendly thinking, eco-friendly renovations and home décor have become a rising trend. Your countertops, in the kitchen and bathrooms specifically, are no exception. Eco-friendly countertop materials are not only environmentally sound, but also attractive and affordable. These countertops are trending right now, and for good reason.
Here are some popular choices for eco-friendly countertops:
Salvaged Materials
Giving your home, especially the kitchen, a rustic or almost industrial look, is quite popular. One of the best ways to accomplish this look is to “up-cycle” or make use of salvaged materials. You can rescue materials from an old building or tear-down project in your area or visit a Habitat for Humanity ReStore and refinish old or used countertops that are already put together.
You could also make use of salvaged materials to build your own countertop. Make use of salvaged wood or large pieces of metal to build your own counters or kitchen island. Not only is this look super trendy, but what could possibly be more eco-friendly than recycling?
Link:
Habitat for Humanity ReStore – http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx
Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the most popular building materials, not just because it comes from a sustainable source (bamboo grows very quickly and can be harvested safely) but also because it is a beautiful material. Using bamboo for your countertops is a great way to brighten up any kitchen or bathroom and matches almost any décor scheme. Just be careful as it can be damaged by high heat!
Recycled Glass
There are some companies, such as BioGlass, that specialize in making countertop materials out of recycled glass products. These countertops are not only 100% recycled but are also 100% beautiful. They come in six different color choices to work with your décor.
Link:
BioGlass – http://www.coveringsetc.com/BioGlassHome.aspx?CategoryID=21
When dealing with heavy countertops as those made with granite, marble, slate, concrete, or recycled glass, you need to be concerned about support, especially if there is going to be an overhang at the end of a counter or a kitchen island. To properly support the overhang, you need a special bracket. These are made by several manufacturers such as Ego Bike, Ekena, Ecotrie, 7 Blacksmith, Centerline, Original Granite Bracket, Kitchensource, Hyperdraum and Tech Team https://techteamproducts.com/ however the ones we liked the best are made by Tech Team. Their model 732 https://www.amazon.com/Countertop-Brackets-Countertops-Heavy-Duty-Construction/dp/B07G1KQPPQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1547587979&sr=8-3&keywords=tech+team+countertop+brackets+for+granite and model 781 (link) are different from the other manufacturers in that they are a full 8” x 8” as opposed to 6” x 8”, therefore giving you additional support and they are a full 12mm/ ½” thick as opposed to 10mm/ 3/8” from all the other manufacturers. They are truly the best ones you can buy for this type of project.
Concrete
Concrete countertops are a trend all on their own, but are also considered eco-friendly, especially if locally sourced. Concrete countertops can be ordered and cut to fit your kitchen perfectly and are very resilient and long lasting.
Resin
Another trend in eco-friendly countertops are resin-based materials. These countertops are made of 100% post-consumer recycled products and come in the widest variety of colors and patterns of any other eco-friendly countertop materials.
Refurbishing
Technically, the most eco-friendly countertops available are the ones that are already in your home. Depending on the materials, you might be able to refinish or refurbish your existing countertops to make the least impact on the environment and still update your décor.
The biggest trends in countertops lately are the most eco-friendly choices. Not only are the materials beautiful, but they come from recycled or sustainable sources that put the least amount of impact on the environment.
