Recycled Kitchen Countertops Finishes :: Alternatives to Natural Stone

Technically the greenest kitchen counter top is the one you already have... However if yours is bright yellow (we still come across a few) or beyond repair or you are unable to source a recycled kitchen then you may need to look for a new kitchen joinery and a new countertop.

Firstly, your counter top material should be of good quality, durable, water resistant, non porous (this excludes most natural stones) and something that is a timeless design that you are happy to live with for many years. If your kitchen is a neutral design and of a good quality it is likely to be around for a while, thus reducing the need to consume more materials with buying a new kitchen.

I have selected a few alternative counter materials below. Some of these brands may not be available in your country but there may be other similar products available by local suppliers.

Recycled glass countertops - For an alternative to natural or quarried stone. 

Whilst granite and marble counter tops have a luxurious finish they are not very environmentally friendly as they are a quarried from natural stone. Nowadays engineered stone has become quite popular as a practical stone substitute but their manufacturing process is not so eco-friendly and their recycled component is fairly low.  However, some stone composite brands are now incorporating higher recycled content options. For an alternative to natural stone or non recycled composites try:

1. Squak Mountain Stone - A fibrous-cement material made from recyled paper, recycled glass and low-carbon cement.

2. Fuez - Made from 100% curbside recycled glass.

3. BottleStone - Made from 80% post-consumer curbside recycled container glass.

4. Vetrazzo - Made from cement and 85% recycled glass from curbside recycling programs. Some of the glass comes from  windows, dinnerware, stained glass, laboratory glass, building demolition glass, traffic lights and other unusual sources. They even provide a certificate of transformation that tells you where the glass came from!

5. Seeta by Torzo - A formaldehyde free composite made from sunflower seed hulls.

6. Caesarstone - On a few colours only, 42% recycled content from production off cuts.

Nowadays there is a wider selection of different surface materials that adopt recycled principals, FSC certified timer products and green building council certification. This is still a growing market a lot of green wash with some materials claiming that they are eco and green when they are not. If you give yourself some time to research thoroughly and check the products technical credentials then you should be able to find your perfect alternative counter finish.

Have fun.

Recycled Timber Wallpaper

I was looking for some recycled timber wall images when I stumbled across these by designer Piet Hein Eek.

all images via designer Piet Hein Eek

No kidding, these are actually wallpapers!  Having worked with recycled timber quite a bit it I understand how hard it is to achieve this look and still have a smooth practical wall. This is a fantastic option to achieve this look in a wallpaper!

If you are still after the recycled look but with a smooth practical surface another option is to strip the timber and apply a new surface.

I used recycled timber for a feature wall in a store named Three Little Girls &  A Boy Named Ted (link to the story and photos of the project). I have also added a couple of before and afters below.

The recycled timber was sourced from an old Queenslander style house in Brisbane. In its original form it had a lovely look to it but in this case it was a bit too damaged and gnarled to have delicate clothes hung next to the surface. So instead of keeping the raw look, the timber was then striped clean, painted with a natural paint and finished with a wax top coat. 

The early stages: From recycled timber complete with nails and weathered surface to new feature finish after being painted and waxed.

The final look kept the quality and age of the recycled timber but with a beautiful texture and smooth feel to it.

If this look's like too much work you can purchase the wallpapers in Australia from Safari Living.

Have fun.