COUNTERTOPS: 12 materials to choose from…which are eco-friendly?
July 21, 2007
Selecting a countertop is a really tough thing to during a remodel. You will likely need to select it prior to selecting your cabinets. There are many many options. Coral Nafie wrote an internet blog posting of which some contents we are using below. In addition to the wonderful writing from Coral, we have added a bit more of a green spin so that you can get a feel for which are more eco-friendly below:
1. Granite Counters
Granite is the countertop material of choice when there are no other things to think about - like money. It defines elegance in a kitchen. The beauty of the stone contributes to the beauty of even the most modest kitchen.
Pros: holds up to heat; comes in beautiful colors; looks permanent and substantial.
Cons: very expensive, requires lots of maintenance, including periodic sealing; absorbs stains; can crack; limited range of colors available.
Eco-Friendly: Very low. Not renewable. Once it is removed from the earth is cannot be easily reused. Be sure to use low-VOC sealant, look for a source that is near you to cut down on transportation, and seek out remnant slabs.
2. Engineered Stone
Engineered stone is composed of quartz particals. It is available in a larger range of colors than granite and has a nonporous surface that resists scratches. It’s easy to maintain, without the annual sealing required by natural stone. Brands on the market are DuPont Zodiaq®, Cambria Quartz, and Silestone.
Pros: resistant to stain and acid; easy care.
Cons: Expensive.
Eco-Friendly: Usage of color pigments and resin don’t make this product super friendly. Mining of the quartz clearly has an impact on the environment.
3. Solid Surface
Because solid surface counters are just what they’re called, solid, any scratches can be sanded out. The countertops are custom-made to your specifications by companies such as Avonite, Corian, and Swanstone.
Pros: comes in a rainbow of colors and patterns; seamless; stain resistant.
Cons vulnerable to hot pans and stains which can damage the surface; can be moderately expensive.
Eco-Friendly: No-VOCs, but the jury is out. Clearly not as green as products such as IceStone, otherwise they would have the certifications like those of IceStone.
4. Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is durable and easy to clean. Add to that inexpensive and you’ve got a really good choice for countertops for the average home. Because it’s installed a section at a time, it can be done by most resourceful homeowners.
Pros: takes hot pans; easy to clean; wide range of price, color, texture and design.
Cons: counter surface is uneven; tiles can easily chip or crack; grout lines become stained; custom-designed tiles are very expensive.
Eco-Friendly: Some ceramic tile is made from recycled content such as old lightbulbs, bottles and porcelain. It is biodegradable, and use low-VOC adhesive.
5. Laminates
Laminate counters bear trademarks such as Formica, Nevamar, and Wilsonart. They’re made of plastic-coated synthetics with a smooth surface that’s easy to clean. The pieces are cut to size and finished on the ends.
Pros: you can buy laminates in lots of colors; easy to maintain; durable; inexpensive.
Cons: scratches and chips are almost impossible to repair; seans show; end finishing and front edge choices can be pricey.
Eco-Friendly: Resins used may include urea formaldehyde, look for laminates that advertise that they do NOT.  Also look for the use of recycled plastic.
6. Wood or Butcher Block
Wood countertops offer a beautiful warm look and are available in a wide range of colors and finishes. Hardwoods such as maple and oak are most often used as countertop woods.
Pros: easy to clean; smooth; can be sanded and resealed as needed.
Cons: can be damaged by water and stains over time; scratches must be oiled or sealed according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Eco-Friendly:Â Look for wood with FSC certification, and use of low-VOC sealants and water-based finishes
7. Stainless Steel Counters
For a really contemporary and industrial look for your kitchen, stainless steel is a good choice. They are heat resistant and durable. Because they’re constructed to your specifications, you can have a seamless countertop.
Pros: takes hot pans; easy to clean.
Cons: Expensive; noisy; may dent; fabrication is expensive; you can’t cut on it.
Eco-Friendly: Look for recycled steel, because mining and refining steel uses a large amount of energy and pollutes the environment.
8. Soapstone Counters
Soapstone is generally dark gray in color and has a smooth feel. It is often seen in historic homes but is also used in modern homes as both a countertop and sink material.
Pros: rich, deep color; smooth feel; somewhat stain resistant.
Cons: requires regular maintenance with applications of mineral oil; may crack and darken over time.
Eco-Friendly: Barely more friendly than Granit as soapstone is mined from the surface, but some areas where soapstone is mined is not only impacting the environment, it is impacting animals - such as tiger habitats in India. Soapstone is a material that is definitely harder to come by in the world, and diverse places are being impacted by searches for soapstone - please use fair trade merchants.
9. Marble
Because of it’s extremely high price tag, marble is not often seen on the countertops of whole kitchens. To get the luxurious look, use it on an island or inset at a baking center. Marble requires constant maintenance, as it easily stains. Some new sealers retard staining.
Pros: waterproof; heatproof; beautiful.
Cons: expensive; porous; stains easily unless professionally sealed; can scratch; may need resealing periodically as per manufacturer.
Eco-Friendly: Same as Granite above.
10. Concrete Counters
If you have countertops in unusual shapes, concrete may be a good choice, as they’re often cast right in your kitchen. The high price tag may be beyond most people’s budget. It is very important to have them sealed.
Pros: heat and scratch resistant; can be color-tinted; looks exotic and unusual; new treatments eliminate cracking; additives reduce porosity; new finishes are more decorative.
Cons: mid to high range on cost due to custom work; cracking is possible; can look somewhat industrial; porous but can be sealed.
Eco-Friendly: The aggregate mixed with cement and water should be recycled for concrete to count as green. Also look for low-VOC sealers.
11. Glass
Glass offers a sleek, modern style that doesn’t have to look like a bland glass tabletop. You can find various colors and different textures to give it some distinction. Glass countertops are sturdy enough to stand up to their role however you’ll still want to be sure you avoid dropping something large and heavy on them.
Eco-Friendly: If made from recycled glass.
12. Composite & Recycled Materials
Composite and recycled materials deliver some interesting alternatives for countertop selection. Some are made from recycled paper and combined with resins to form a surface that’s hard yet warmer than stone, and others are made from recycled glass held together with either cement or resin. The eco-friendly nature of these choices may also give you the satisfaction of having helped the environment. Some of the companies producing recycled paper products using a phenolic resin, or products made from recycled glass, cement and plastics include: Richlite, IceStone, Vetrazzo, EnviroGlas, Paperstone, Squak Mountain Stone and EcoTop.
Eco-Friendly: Highly eco-friendly. Do look for low-VOC resin usage, and in the case of paper products look for FSC certification.
Related Articles on GetWithGreen:
- Watch the making of eco-friendly terrazzo countertop
- First there was Paperstone, now there is EcoTop
- Concrete from Sonoma Cast Stone (Part 1 of 2)
- Concrete from VitraStone (Part 2 of 2)
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I’m wondering if anyone has any information on copper countertops. I have heard that they are super antibacterial, however a pain to upkeep. Any suggestions? THANKS!
Why no pros and cons for the last catergory? If you could do that by product, it would help me out quite a bit.
Thanks George, we’ll deliver some more focused and deeper information on your request in the next 7 days. Please check back shortly.
Hi there– I’m also interested in the roundup on copper countertops. I’ve been thinking about covering my existing formica counter with (recycled) copper sheeting, and would love to know the details of this. Thanks!
Looking for a comparison between Enviroslab and Icestone. Anyone have an opinion on this?
Vetrazzo and IceStone are not paper-in-resin products — they’re 100% recycled glass in a cement binder. Beautiful — the glass sparkles like gems, and they’re really durable.
We commisioned a Torazzo countertop. Recycled beer/wine and automotive glass, very unique
Has anyone had any problems with Vetrazzo staining or durability in general?
Where can you get eco-friendly sealants for granite counters and marble tile floors?
Thanks!
Check us out @ KBBGreen.com. We just posted an interesting blog about what makes a countertop green. You might be surprised…Jeffrey
Avonite has a recycled Collection that has been SCS certified for over two years now, please try to seperate Recycled Solid surface from solid surface, like you do with Glass and recycled glass
http://www.gotgreencountertops.com
Any information on water-resistance for any of these products
I am desperately trying to find an IceStone Sky Pearl remnant 76×22 plus backsplash. Anyone have any leads?
After being in the marble/granite finishing business for some time now, I’ve some to realize that renovators with some technical know-how and machinery can do wonders in their projects with marble and granite. I’ve supplied polishing pads to clients throughout the US and the before and after results are remarkable. It is worthwhile investigating the return on investment for undertaking the countertop upgrade project.
If you would like to know more about my polishing pads, visit http://stores.ebay.com/Techservice-Online. My customer feedback speaks for itself and you don’t need an Ebay account to do business with me.
Marble and granite all the way.
Does anyone have experience with EcoTop? Trying to decide whether or not to use it, worried about durability. I know its hard but can it withstand day to day kitchen activity.
EcoTop is made by the same guy that made PaperStone. It is my understanding that it is more durable than the last with more colors and UV stability. I would recommend talking to the factory http://www.kliptech.com for more info as I don’t think they have released the entire product line.
Just a couple of corrections on your granite “cons”. Firstly, granite does not “absorb stains” (marble and softer stone such as limestone may) and is always sealed before being installed in the home. Maintenance is simple requiring mild soap and water and, once in awhile, a granite cleaner which can be easily found and purchased. It is no more expensive than engineered quartz products and is second only to diamonds on the hardness scale so will not scratch or crack unless it is improperly supported or incorrectly installed whereas the “engineered stone” products are known to chip and dull as well as not be heat proof. One tip: Just as with a black automobile, installing jet-black granite in your kitchen is asking for maintenance headaches since every water mark and finger print will glare at you unless you choose a non-glossy finish.
Not all recycled glass countertops are the same. Some, like IceStone, use a cement base. Some, like Enviroslab, use more a plastic-y resin (excuse my non-scientific terminology). The feel is different, the colors are different — for instance, we had a really hard time finding a pure white with Enviroslab.
And hey, why no mention of Shetkastone? That’s recycled paper, too. We love our Shetkastone counterop of dark grey newsprint.
Gilasi Recycled glass countertops aren’t mentioned here and they are a great recycled glass countertop with a cement, not resin, binder. They also get all the material they use in the countertop locally and only sell the product in the midwest and don’t ship it all over the country.
I agree with Lani regarding her comments on granite. To add: there are thousands of choices to choose from if you are looking for custom work. Yes it is more costly than other countertops but if you break out the cost per day by how many years- it comes out to pennies. You can do more with the granite countertop than traditional materials like baking, set sternos trays on the counter, bar area(wine will not stain)IT DOES DEPEND IF THE STONE HAS BEEN SEALED PROPERLY. That is what should be asked not about remnant piece. Also, you can re-use the granite if one wants to change the countertop out. You can use the old countertop for fireplace surround, outside kitchen, vanity etc. This is where you can use remnant. But do you like the choices?!
Shame on you for not getting your facts straight before posting information. Lani and Danielle are correct. There is virtually “no” maintenance. Yes, you can re-seal it and the process is very simple. To clean-use what you have in your house-vingar and water. How’s that for “green”. Crack-what are you doing-taking a sledge hammer to it! Not advised for any surface though. All natural stone like Granite has been around for centuries. America being the youngest country is new to this material.
serving Long Island, NY 631-244-9100
I brought home some granite samples and tested them with red wine, lemon juice, and tea and several of the samples stained. (esp. “Kashmere” color) This in spite of the fact that they are supposed to be sealed. However, my biggest hesitation is thinking about the mining that goes on in countries such as Brazil (Are rainforests being cut down to mine Granite? and China where there are no human rights safeguards). It sure would be nice to have an affordable green alternative.
I see that you left out some things about glass, It is a great and “green” material, but it does take up a bit of energy, to melt the sand or break up the recyled bottles. Also, is it not more efficient and earth friendly to replace your countertops every 30-100years as you would with granite or every 5 with scratched and burned manmade materials?