Eco-friendly concrete countertops

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Eco-friendly concrete countertops

by Patricia Mayville-Cox (Subscribe to Patricia Mayville-Cox's posts)
Nov 15th 2007 @ 4:50PM

Filed under: Home, Shopping Guide

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Granite countertops are still all the rage, at least in mainstream home design and renovation. However, granite is not an optimal green product, as they are less-than-sustainable due to the environmental cost of quarrying and shipping, according to Healthy Home Plans.

Concrete countertops offer an alternative. They are much more sustainable, as they are made from limestone, an abundant mineral. Concrete countertops are similar in price to granite. See them and an informative FAQ at The Concrete Network.

One good thing about still having Formica counters (the horror!) is that if you do make an upgrade, you can skip the whole granite thing and move right onto some more eco-friendly options. According to Healthy Home Plans, if you do decide it must be granite for you, try to find a locally quarried product.

Comments [6]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-15-2007 @ 6:38PM

Frank said...

Another reason this is a great option is shown in the picture--since it's concrete, you can make custom shapes and build grooves right into the countertop. Nice idea.

http://www.theblurgh.com

11-15-2007 @ 8:31PM

Thomas said...

FANTASTIC!! Good article
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2297670

11-19-2007 @ 12:20PM

Brandon Gore said...

I love to see blogs on concrete countertops! Sustainability was key when we started our eco-friendly concrete countertop and sink company 4 years ago, and is still our first and foremost priority.

To this end, we are also offering GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete) training classes in 2008 to help teach other concrete countertop companies how to be more green.

Keep up the good blogging!

-Brandon Gore
Gore Design Co.
http://www.goredesignco.com
http://www.gfrcworkshop.com

1-11-2008 @ 5:25PM

hingkit said...

Any idea how much this will cost vs real granite?
Looks like a great alternative.

http://www.granitecalgary.com

1-15-2008 @ 8:05PM

Brandon Gore said...

I don't think the point is to look like or simulate granite. In our area our concrete countertops typically price similar or higher than granite. The cost of granite has come down as lower grades of granite are being sold and manufacturing is done by computer operated saws and routers. Concrete is priced based on the fine handmade craftsmanship and time put into each piece, giving it a soul that is just not possible with a highly polished piece of machine cut granite.

1-16-2008 @ 8:06AM

jack said...

Concrete is terrible for the environment. The concrete industry, thanks to its main ingredient cement, emits more CO2 than all the airplanes in the world, during manufacturing.

on top of that, cement is hazardous to wildlife. people jump on the green bandwagon with blinders on.

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