h ow to
CounTerToPS Because it is typically such a small area, upgrading your countertops to a green, very durable and creative design may not have a significant impact on your budget! MaTerIaL
deSCrIPTIon
BeneFITS and drawBaCkS
Green TIPS
concrete
Conrete is a mixture of rock, sand, or other fillers and portland Cement, which has a high embodied energy .
durable; can be made locally with recycled materials; recycleable. porous, requires water sealing; very heavy and can require cabinet reinforcement.
When sealing your counter look for a zero-VoC sealant. Concrete countertops are easily sourced and built by local craftsmen.
engineered Stone
typically, engineered stone is a fabricated product made from ground quartz crystals, quartz dust, pigment and various binders.
durable; does not require treatment (low to reduce unnecessary toxicity); very difficult to damage, cut, or transportation, use the scorch. typically made from non-renew- closest manufacturer. able resources; heavy to transport.
natural Stone
outside of quarrying the stone itself, natural stone adds little input in production costs. transportation is expensive however. salvaged stone can be found at many salvage yards and can be less expensive.
tolerates hot surfaces well; durable; reusable. porous; requires sealing; difficult to repair if broken; mining and quarrying is not always done in an environmentally friendly manner.
Paper resin
paper-resin counters are made Hygenic; can be sanded to smooth out look for a high recycled from layers of paper bonded to- scratches. prone to staining; can be content paper and lowVoC resins. gether under pressure to form a scorched by hot surfaces. solid surface.
tile
Ceramic tile is made from clay and fired in a kiln at high temperatures. tile requires a great deal of energy to extract and produce.
Solid Surface
solid surface counters are typi- durable; small scratches can be sanded; cally made from a combination water resistant. Hot surfaces can scorch; of bauxite ore and fillers and res- bauxite mining is not sustainable. ins, typically polyester or acryllic (both of which are derived from fossil fuels).
terrazzo
terrazzo consists of crushed stone durable: low maintenance; high re- use local materials and and glass set in cement or epoxy cycled content. Heavy to transport long products with a high rethat is buffed smooth. epoxy is pe- distances. cycled content. troleum-derived and can contain potentially harmful chemicals. Cement binders have high embodied energy.
2
wncgreenbuilding.com | 2012
use local stone, if possible, to reduce travel distance and get the most benefit from this countertop option.
recycleable; reusable; durable; can use recycled content tile, withstand hot surfaces. scratch prone; and use a local tile mancleaning grout properly can be tedious. ufacturer when possible. Heavy to transport long distances.
paper resin counters, concrete and recycled plastic are a great green alternatives to a solid surface countertop.
WNC GreeN BuildiNG CouNCil & MouNtaiN Xpress