HIGHLIGHTS:
Material definition: Made from clay, a natural but finite resource. Durable, low maintenance.
Tips for Selection: Look for locally manufactured tiles with high recycled glass content, preferably post-consumer. Large tiles reduce the number of grout joints. Recommended as backsplash; may not be practical for countertop.
Glass has a natural green tint color to it, but colors can be created with coatings on the underside of the counter, or colors can be added in the manufacturing process. Shattered glass can be laminated to the counter. The Vetrazzo countertop, filled with recycled glass, gives an option that is filled with flecks of colored glass. The glass kitchen countertop can be installed with a smooth finish, or it can be textured or have a pattern or grooves etched into the surface.
Advantages:
- sintering process used by some manufacturers requires less energy than conventional melting
- up to 100% recycled content
- highly durable
- low/no VOC emissions
- supports good indoor air quality
- resistant to stains and burning
Disadvantages:
- high embodied energy to fire and produce tiles
- because of its heavy weight, high embodied energy for transport
- grout may stain or trap dirt if not properly sealed
- smooth tile surfaces will scratch under heavy wear
Average Material Cost: $15 - $40 per square foot; more for highend custom
OVERVIEW on Kitchen Countertops: The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home, and the right choice for kitchen counter tops is key to the successful execution and ongoing use of the space. Now more than ever, you can choose from a diverse range of kitchen counter materials. For each aspect of home design and remodeling you can also strive to make choices that are 1) Functional, 2) Stylish, 3) Cost-Effective, and 4) Environmentally Sustainable. These are the four key guiding principles in the GREENandSAVE strategy. You will find that in certain cases, one or two of the criteria take precedent over others. However, as you review the home improvement options that are right for your home, you may be surprised to learn that reaching all four is more achievable than you thought.
Selection Tip: In choosing a kitchen countertop material make sure to think through its integration with your kitchen cabinets, appliances, and the backsplash that will work best for your design and installation. Solid surface and natural stone materials typically need to be precut prior to installation versus tiles that can be cut and set right on the job site. Kitchen countertop backsplashes sometimes look great when they match the countertop material, but you can alternatively enhance the countertop material by choosing a different tile to run from the top edge of the counter all of the way up to the underside of the head cabinet. If you decide on the tiles, also take care in choosing the right color grout and look for new tile grouts that are stain resistant.
DETAILS on Kitchen Glass Countertops: Glass offers a sleek, modern style that doesn’t have to look like a bland glass tabletop. You can find various colors and different textures to give it some distinction. Glass countertops are sturdy enough to stand up to their role however you’ll still want to be sure you avoid dropping something large and heavy on them.
Glass is known for its eye-catching, translucent beauty, and is as durable as most other countertop materials. Because of its price and distinctive look, designers suggest using it as an accent countertop, rather than throughout the kitchen. Glass countertops can be imbedded with a variety of textures and colors.
GREEN Considerations: Glass tiles can be environmentally preferable to ceramic—they can have 100 percent recycled content. The production process for recycling glass into tiles, called sintering, consumes far less energy than making new tiles from virgin materials.
Glass tiles scratch more easily than ceramic, however, and may be less uniform, making it necessary to use more grout. Their potential surface irregularity may affect their use as countertops, which is why architects and designers often recommend using them only as accents or backsplashes.
As with ceramic tiles, locally produced tiles are environmentally preferable. Glass tiles do not offgas VOCs if water-based grout is used. Glass tiles are easier than ceramic to reuse or recycle, but removing them is just as difficult.
If made from recycled glass such as Bio Glass from CoveringsETC, a future friendly surface created with 100 percent post consumer recycled glass that has been fused together without the use of binders, resins, chemicals or pigments—making it fully recyclable.
Bio Glass has a multi-dimensional appearance, and its coloring varies with direct and indirect light. Manufactured in Europe from recycled wine bottles, stem ware, drinking cups and water bottles, every slab of Bio Glass saves one cubic yard of landfill, reducing 35 pounds of CO2 emissions. It takes 400 bottles to create one slab, which saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for two months.
Bio Glass is only available in slabs of 110 inches by 50 inches by 1.25 inches, which weigh 470 pounds. The surface has a natural finish and is available in four colors, Fossil Amber, Ocean Sapphire, Oriental Jade and White Diamond. The surface features a natural finish, and White Diamond and Oriental Jade are available in high-gloss finishes.
Bio Glass is a nonporous surface that withstands scratches and stains and can be cleaned with standard glass cleaner or soap and water.
Further information for your interest…
The California State Department of Conservation (DOC) held a press conference at the Vetrazzo manufacturing facility at Ford Point in Richmond on Wednesday, May 21, to announce the record jump in beverage container recycling for 2007. Vetrazzo, makers of the original recycled glass countertop surface, provided a fitting backdrop for the dramatic announcement of the all-time highest increase in beverage container recycling rates including a rise from 59% to 67% for glass containers as a result of the state’s California Refund Value (CRV) program.
A total of 14.7 billion beverage containers were recycled in 2007 throughout the state. “By recycling a remarkable number of containers in 2007, it’s clear that Californians are doing more than ever to conserve natural resources, provide valuable raw materials for new products, and reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions,” stated DOC Director Bridgett Luther.
70% of Vetrazzo’s countertop panels utilize recycled beverage container glass. “A single panel of Vetrazzo utilizes up to 1,000 bottles and we recycle them at great energy savings because we use the glass without melting it,” remarked James Sheppard, Vetrazzo’s President. The increased supply of CRV glass will help us meet the growing demand for a green surfacing alternative to quarried granite. Vetrazzo countertops, with their distinctive large glass pieces, are a beautiful reminder of how last night’s bottles can be recycled into useful new products. ”
