This post was updated on October 31, 2019.
IceStone countertops are made from 75% post-industrial recycled glass, Portland cement and a non-petroleum-based binder in Brooklyn, New York. They look like a subtle terrazzo for your countertops.
The company was founded in 2003 in Brooklyn, New York, and was one of the first Certified B Corp companies. B Corp companies must adhere to strict environmental and employee standards in order to get their certification.
One of the issues that IceStone has had in the past was that because the glass is mixed with cement, it is very porous and can stain if not treated with a sealer on an annual basis.
In the latest version, they have added a “permanent treatment” to the IceStone mix that displaces some of the cement, thereby lowering their carbon emissions even more. The treatment protects the cement from being porous. Some of the benefits of the new treatment are:
- Heat resistant
- Stain resistant
- no need for annual sealing
- Increased UV resistance (fade resistant) so suitable for outside uses
You can watch the video here:
Installation:
IceStone should be installed by a certified installer. While the process is similar to installing granite, it does have some unique properties, one of which is that the glass chips can pop out. If that does happen, there are ways to fill the holes using IceStone shellac. They have videos on repair and maintenance of IceStone products as well.
Warranty:
IceStone comes with a non-transferable 10-year limited warranty.
Dealers:
For a list of dealers in Canada, visit SIP Distribution. Contact them directly for a current list of dealers, as the information on their website is out of date.
In the US, visit the IceStone website to see if there is a dealer in your state.
Cost:
It is difficult to say how much IceStone costs but IceStone told me it’s probably the equivalent of a high-end granite or marble with installation.
Most Popular Design and Colour:
A few other notes:
- It’s available in 17 different colours, White Pearl being the most popular
- It does not chip easily,
- 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: If it’s in stock it can be shipped from the factory within 3 to 4 days (hold-up at the border notwithstanding). If it has to be made, it takes about 4 weeks.
Have you installed IceStone countertops in your home? What’s your experience. Share it with our readers in the comments section.
For more eco-friendly countertop choices, visit this page.
I can see that they look stunning. How would we go about importing them to South Africa?
Hello,
You could contact IceStone directly to see about importing the product:
http://icestoneusa.com/customer-service/customer-service/#customer-service
Good and honest write up. As a company that has worked with the product I would definately agree with the last comment that you want to make sure you are working with a company that has used the product before. It is different enough of a product that requires a learning curve in terms of fabrication techniques. Not just another stone product although you use the same tooling.