An Overview of Eco-Friendly Countertop Materials

Are you planning your kitchen remodeling project and now it’s time to decide on the countertop material for your dream kitchen? Make sure before you run out and spend all those thousands of dollars on a quartz or granite countertop from a Concord, California professional, you explore all of your options. Many people don’t know, but there are numerous types of countertop materials and there are some that are eco-friendly. For those of you who are not aware, eco-friendly materials are renewable and harvested from sustainability managed suppliers. These materials are non-toxic, reusable, and renewable. Ultimately, they are kind to mother nature.

Eco- This means a material that is manufactured from 75% post-industrial or post-consumer materials. The other 25% is composed of a blend of quartz, natural stone, pigment, and plant-based resin. This material is a non-porous material that doesn’t require a sealing process. A non-porous material is consequently antimicrobial which is great for surfaces in a kitchen. One of the problems with this material is that it only comes in varying shades of white, gray, and black.

Bamboo- Bamboo is actually a type of grass, which allows it to be produced in a sustainable way. Bamboo is commonly used in other types of building materials like flooring and blinds. It is more susceptible to stains and scratches but will not dull your knives if you do happen to cut on top of it. One of the issues with this material is that it is a high maintenance material. It does require yearly resealing treatments in order to maintain the integrity of the countertop.

Paperstone- This material is produced from 100% post-consumer material which is as eco-friendly as you can get when it comes to building materials. These post-consumer materials are fused with a plant-based resin. It does require a sealing process in order to make it non-porous. Because it is a porous material, it is susceptible to stains and scratches. It is available in a large variety of hues which makes it easy to find a color that fits your decorating scheme. This material is easy to use in a do-it-yourself project if you want to redo the countertops yourself.

Make sure you are aware of all of your options before you make any quick decisions. Marble, granite, and quartz are beautiful materials but they are not the only ones out there. These are just three eco-friendly countertop materials and there are plenty of others. Gather all of the information before you jump to a conclusion. Being eco-friendly is definitely a factor that you should consider when picking the various materials that you are going to put in your kitchen.