Eco by Cosentino Counter top

Whenever people ask me about what is the greenest stone counter top for a kitchen renovation, I suggest quartz as an alternative to granite, marble or soapstone. I’ve pointed out in a previous post the advantages of quartz over the other stone types, but now there’s an alternative material from Cosentino, the maker of Silestone quartz, that looks like quartz but is made from recycled materials. Eco by Cosentino is a counter top collection that was introduced in 2009 across the US through Home Depot and Lowe’s locations. In Canada, it’s harder to find, in fact I’ve only found two dealers in the Toronto area, but the material’s purported benefits warranted further investigation.

Eco is made from 75% crushed post consumer and post manufactured glass, mirror, ceramic tiles, porcelain, stone chips and crystallized ash. It’s bound together with a resin, part of which is derived from corn oil (my preference would have been a soy-based resin, but I might be being a bit picky…). Using recycled materials to make products has several benefits:

• Less energy is used in the production of the product therefore fewer CO2 emissions are produced.
• Material that was once destined for landfill now has another life left in it.
• Fewer raw materials are extracted from the earth.

These eco counter tops also have many of the same advantages as their quartz counterparts:

• They are as durable as quartz.
• They are non-porous which mean they won’t stain or carry bacteria in the counter top.
• They need very little maintenance and no sealing.

Price point:

I spoke with Steve at The Creative Kitchen Gallery about the product. He told me it’s hard to price out exactly until an actual product is chosen, but it’s fair to say that it’s in the same price range as a mid-priced SileStone product (Cosentino’s quartz line of products).

Eco by Cosentino is available in giant slabs (63″x123″) or regular tile sizes, 10 colours, and two finishes – polished or leather. It’s been certified by Greenguard,  Cradle to Cradle,  NSF, and carries a 10 year limited warranty.

Dealers:

Right now the two dealers in the Toronto area are:

Creative Kitchen Gallery Inc.

6061 Hwy #7, Unit C

Markham, ON, L3P 3B2

Tel: 905-471-3500; Fax: 905-471-1300 Email: info@ckg.ca

Website: http://ckg.ca

and

PaperStone top on vanity

Okay, so the reason that I say “an alternative to laminate” is just because it looks almost identical to laminate countertops only better. Slightly classier, more elegant, and best of all, way better for the environment, particularly since there are no petrochemicals added to this product (if the factory where it’s made was powered by renewable energy that would be even better!).

PaperStone is this really cool countertop product that is made from — you guessed it — paper but it’s as hard as, well, stone.

PaperStone is comprised of cardboard or paper plus “non-petroleum based phenolic resins.” The phenolic resin is the material that keeps the paper together and hard, and is sourced from natural products such as Cashew Nut Shell Liquid. Organic pigments are used to colour the material, and as such are affected by direct sunlight unless treated with its finisher.

PaperStone is coated with a combination of carnauba and bees waxes and food grade mineral oil which offer durability and protection. Carnauba wax is considered the hardest wax available and not only does it repel moisture, it also dries clear so there is no discolouration.

If you’re worried about water penetration, PaperStone has been installed in bathrooms and kitchens without any water issues at all. The finish protects it from moisture.

The product does need a certain amount of care and PaperStone sells a finish that is recommended for application where the surface is in food prep areas. There is also a preserver that the company has developed that will restore any composite or wood surface in addition to PaperStone.

The importance of “post consumer” recycled paper. In recycling terms there are two types of materials: post consumer and post industrial (or “pre-consumer”). When possible, the best source to use for recycling is “post consumer.” That’s not to say that post industrial shouldn’t be used, it’s just that post consumer products have more energy already invested in their manufacturing, and once they’ve reached their end-use, it there is an alternative to landfill, so much the better. Paper has been recycled for decades, but for the most part it’s been newsprint. This process helps take fine office paper out of the waste stream.

Cost: Ranges from $32/sq. foot. for a 1/4″ thick Original series product to $82.50/sq. foot for 1 1/4″ thick Certified series Plum coloured series. 1/2″ thick slabs range in price from approximately $43-48/sq. ft.

Note: if you want to test out the product to see if it stands the test of time, wear and tear, you can buy cutting boards in PaperStone too (around $25).

For more information see the PaperStone website.

Retailers:

Zero Point
1590 Queen St. East
Toronto, ON M4L 1G1
Telephone: (416) 602 6586
Fax: (416) 849 0252
Web: www.thezeropoint.ca

Uniform Custom Countertops
289 Courtland Avenue
Concord, ONT L4K 4W9
Telephone: (905) 761 3322
Fax: (905) 761 3323
Web: www.uniformcustom.com

N&G Soapstone Countertops
8 Paisley Lane – Unit #2
Stouffville, ON L4A 7X4
Telephone: (905) 640 6213
Fax: (905) 640 8639
Web: www.soapstoneontario.com

Maglin Site Furniture Inc.
27 Bysham Park Drive
Woodstock, ON N4T 1P1
Telephone: 1 (800) 716 5506
Fax: 1 (877) 260 9393
Web: www.maglin.com

Jelinek Cork Group
2260 Speers Rd.
Oakville, ON L6L 2X8
Telephone: (905) 827 4666
Fax: (905) 827-6707
Email: cork@jelinek.com
Web: www.jelinek.com

Recycled glass countertops are gaining popularity in home design, and if you’ve seen them you understand why. From solid glass countertops that evoke images of the ocean or Georgian Bay, to spectacular counters of glass chips embedded in concrete, recycled glass countertops are nothing short of stunning. IceStone is available in Ontario (there are two other kinds of recycled glass countertops, Bio-Glass and Vertrazzo, but neither are commonly available here yet).

IceStone

IceStone is made in Brooklyn, New York. The glass used is either post-consumer (think Perrier bottles and Skye Vodka bottles), or post-industrial glass depending on the colour of the final product.
A few facts about IceStone:

• It’s available in 29 different colours,
• Cost varies on style chosen, but a rough guide is between $80-$160/square foot installation,
• Care: It requires sealing once every 12-18 months because it is a cement product,
• If sealed properly, it will not stain easily,
• It does not chip easily,
• The product is a mixture of 80% recycled glass and 20% concrete (no fillers in the concrete). It’s made by binding the glass in tinted concrete (to match or complement the glass chips) and polished to a high gloss. Countertops can be honed, if you prefer,
• Lifespan: the same as natural stone if installed and cared for properly,
• End of lifespan: IceStone can be crushed and used to make paving materials and other similar items.
• It’s received the C2C Gold certification from MBDC an independent third party certification design firm,
• Shipping method: to Canada, shipping is usually done by truck.
• One final note: if your contractor has never worked with IceStone before, ask your vendor to recommend an installer who is already familiar with the product.

Where to buy:

The Surfaces Group
1215 North Service Road, West Unit A
Oakville, ONT L6M 2W2
Telephone: (905) 825 3432
Fax: (905) 825 0492
Web: www.thesurfacegroup.com

Uniform Custom Countertops
289 Courtland Avenue
Concord, ONT L4K 4W9
Telephone: (905) 761 3322
Fax: (905) 761 3323
Web: www.uniformcustom.com

Moscone Marble and Granite
8830 Jane Street
Vaughn, ONT L4K 2M9
Telephone: (905) 856 8400
Fax: (905) 761 9522
Email: info@mosconetile.com

Ultra Stone Inc.
21 Kenview Blvd., Unit #20
Brampton, ON L6T 5G7
Telephone: (905) 789 1900
Fax: (905) 789 1997

CB Marble Craft LTD.
17 Airview Rd.
Toronto, ON M9W 4P1
Telephone: (416) 741 1585
Fax: (416) 741 6373
Email: cbmarble@bellnet.ca

N&G Soapstone Countertops
8 Paisley Lane – Unit #2
Stouffville, ON L4A 7X4
Telephone: (905) 640 6213
Fax: (905) 640 8639
Web: www.soapstoneontario.com

Zero Point
1590 Queen St. East
Toronto, ON M4L 1G1
Telephone: (416) 602 6586
Fax: (416) 849 0252
Web: www.thezeropoint.ca