Recycled Paper Countertops – Recycled Countertops That Will Hold Up To Anything

Want a green material for your kitchen countertops that is tough enough to stand up to skateboards, boats and even airplanes?  Then you’ll want to check out recycled paper countertops!

I know, paper doesn’t sound like a very practical material for a countertop, after all it is quite fragile and disintegrates when it gets wet, but these counter tops are made from pulp that comes from trees harvested by managed forests along with some recycled paper.  Of course, it doesn’t resemble paper at all once it is processed and the result is a beautiful and durable green countertop.

Made by  Richlite, these recycled paper countertops come in solid sheets and is actually the same material used for decades by the aerospace industry as well as in the marine industry and to make skateboard ramps.  These countertops look good with almost any design and come in a variety of colors.

These recycled countertops also have many advantages such as being heat resistant, scratch resistant and stain resistant.  This type of countertop is a solid color thoughout the entire thickness so any scratches that do occur will not be very noticeable.  With a heat resistance of up to 350 degrees you won’t have to worry about burns on your new counter.

But perhaps, the best thing about these recycled paper countertops is that they are very sanitary and, in fact, the material has been certified by the National Sanitation Foundation for use in cutting boards.  It has an impervious surface and resists the growth of bacteria.

Green And Gorgeous Recycled Countertops

While the word recycled countertops might conjure up images of boring and utilitarian counter spaces, today’s green counters made from recycled glass are anything but. Coming in a wide range of color palettes, these countertops with embedded shards of colorful and beautiful glass give a unique look to any kitchen.

The pieces of glass, once having productive lives as stemware, traffic lights, soda bottles, windshields and the like, have been repurposed to live a second life right inside your countertop. The result is a beautiful mosaic which is functional and, of course, good for the environment.

These recycled countertops are made by a few manufacture others – Vetrazzo and IceStone are two of the most prominent ones. They are made by embedding glass and concrete and can actually be used on walls and floors in addition to counters. There’s a huge array of color choices because the concrete can be colored to suit any palate. Some countertops have only one color glass while others focus on all different colors for unique and colorful display.

You can get counters that have large chunks of glass for a very organic and funky look or ones with smaller chunks that seem a bit more traditional.

If you’re picturing an ugly concrete block with broken shards of glass sticking out, this is not what they look like. They are beautiful and polished with pieces of glass embedded at different layers for three-dimensional look. Over at Vetrazzo the color samples included a subtle clear embedded in white, beautiful cobalt blue, green, brown’s and a beautiful mixture of all different colors in a white background.

The interesting thing about these recycled countertops is that each one is different. The glass which comes from recycling plants is broken up into different sized shards and, much like snowflakes, no two are alike. So if you want a countertop that is unique, interesting and, of course, green you might want to check out some of these recycled glass counter tops – you can find them on the web and specialty showrooms in your town.

Green Countertops

Home remodeling and decoration is always a fun experience and who doesn’t love to ive their home an entirely new look. This can also be an opportunity for you to start becoming eco-friendly with regards to your home. Let us focus on countertops. Choosing a good countertop may be based on the appearance, the form, the quality, and the materials used, but what would you say if there is already a type of countertop that is environmentally safe and friendly?

Though the concept is still being explored, the idea of having green countertops, green appliances, green wood flooring, and all other parts of the house turning green woudl be a great relief to Mother Earth. As we all know, normal construction materials usually contain substances or chemicals that can endanger the health, the state of your home and the overall status of the environment. As a way of improving the use of household materials, “green” materials are now used as alternatives and can actually save you a lot of money on resources. What you can expect from these green items is that they are made from natural resources and are domestically harvested in order to cut down on energy consumption and the amount of time it takes to transport the materials to the factory. This is where your green wood flooring, cabinets, and countertops are manufactured and distributed to the public to promote awareness and to practice the use of green items in the home.

There are different materials used to make green countertops, which you might be interested in if you are working on remodeling your kitchen. There are many kinds of materials you can use for kitchen countertops, but listed below are some of the “green” materials :

• Countertops made out of granite are known to be one of the most expensive and attractive additions to the kitchen. It brings out the beauty and elegance of even the simplest kitchens, but requires a high price in return for its aesthetics. Granite countertops are also known to be not renewable and can’t easily be recycled.
• Engineered stone countertops have interesting designs since they are made with quartz particles and are available in a wide range of colors. This type of countertop material has a non-porous surface and is usually easy to clean and maintain in the house. Sadly, the creation of this type requires mining quartz and this has been proven to be harmful to the earth.
• Wooden countertops usually offer a nice warmth and sense of antiquity to the room and are available in a variety of colors, designs, and finishes. The usual wood used to create these countertops includes maple and oak wood, which are easy to clean, sand, and smooth. The only downfall is that it can be damaged by natural causes (e.g. water, stains) and are vulnerable to scratches.

So you see, by using green countertops in your kitchen, you don’t have to give up good looks and style!