Eleek recycled aluminum tiles are ideal for countertops, vanities and tables, as well as backsplashes, accents, floors and walls in kitchens, bathrooms and anywhere else inside or out. They are offered in different shapes and sizes to offer flexibility in layout or use as accent tiles.

Eleek’s signature finishing process smoothes and polishes the aluminum, revealing a beautiful, organic River Rock surface that resembles weathered stone. Optional artist patinas offer earthy colors. Although recycled content and post-consumer content may vary batch to batch, the industry standard for this material is 80 to 85 percent recycled content with about half being post-consumer.

Each individual tile and countertop segment is finished with a clear powder coat that is easy-care, durable, nonreactive, nontoxic, stainproof, and fingerprint- and heat- resistant.

Granite has a medium to coarse texture, occasionally with some individual crystals larger than the groundmass forming a rock known as porphyry. This makes granite countertops an excellent choice. Granites can be pink to dark gray or even black, depending on their chemistry and mineralogy. Outcrops of granite tend to form tors, and rounded massifs. Granites sometimes occur in circular depressions surrounded by a range of hills, formed by the metamorphic aureole or hornfels.

Concrete Countertops are gaining popularity. Concrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate, water, and chemical admixtures.

The optical and physical properties of glass make it suitable for applications such as glass countertops.

Recycled countertops are made from things like paper, reclaimed wood, recycled cans, recycled plastic, recycled toilets, and recycled glass.

Marble is a nonfoliated metamorphic rock resulting from the metamorphism of limestone, composed mostly of calcite. It is extensively used for sculptures and now it’s used quite often in the kitchen. Marble countertops add both a beautiful and classy look to any kitchen.

Crafted by artisans using centuries-old techniques, the recycled glass tiles (used in glass countertops) are made from 30 to 50 percent recycled material depending on the color. The tiles have a clear, luminescent quality and are available in 15 colors, including white, black and red as well as soft blues, greens and ambers. The tiles come in three different finishes, clear, iridescent, and a sophisticated frosted matte, and are available in five different sizes plus listellos.

“Because the tiles are made of cast, translucent glass that is textured front and back, they capture, refract and bend and twist light in wondrous ways,” says Barbara Schirmeister, designer.

The glass tiles are made by the Peltier Glass Co., an Ottawa, Ill.-based company known for its production of Louis Comfort Tiffany and collectible multi-swirl and character marbles from the 1920s.

“Minus the mesh-backing, our Reclaimed Brick collection is nothing less than old Chicago brick reinvented into beautiful eco-friendly countertop design,” says Matteo Valcavi, vice president of Mosaico Italiano. Valcavi is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council responsible for the LEED Green Building Rating System.

Based on LEED standards, the collection is eligible for LEED credit under the New Construction and Major Renovation guidelines.

“Not only is this an attractive product,” Valcavi continued, “most importantly, it is an incredible piece of American history which helps lessen man’s footprint on the environment.”

The product is suitable for backsplashes, floors, fireplaces and bathrooms and can be further customized with glass or stone mosaics to create a truly unique look.

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Proteak countertops  and islands showcase the rich tones and geometric simplicity of beautiful teak wood grain patterns, offering a unique alternative to other countertop materials. The interplay of dark heartwood and light sapwood creates a sophisticated look that is available in end-, face- and edge-grain styles, either finished or unfinished.

Teak is an extremely durable tropical hardwood that will withstand the wear and tear of kitchen life. As consumer demand grows for eco-friendly housing alternatives, teak takes center stage as a renewable wood product that stores carbon, permanently removing it from the atmosphere.

Proteak is committed to environmentally and socially responsible forestry practices and cultivates more than 7,000 acres of organic teak plantations on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. This is the closest quality teak source to the continental United States, dramatically reducing the energy and emissions required for transportation versus traditional teak suppliers in Southeast Asia.

Proteak guarantees that all its plantations are sustainably grown, legally harvested and in compliance with rigorous environmental standards. The company has received a Forest Management Certificate from the Forest Stewardship Council.

Eco friendly homeowners are doing more than their fair share to save Mother Earth.   Recycled countertops save thousands of trees per year and considerably reduces waste in our landfills. 

Even recycled glass can find a new home.   Instead of littering the dump, they now have a new purpose — elegant, environmentally friendly countertops.

Companies like Vetrazzo, EnviroMode and IceStone are creating beautifully designed kitchen and bath countertops from items most people would consider junk.  

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(Rockford, IL) Have you ever wondered how those designers on famous home shows get their ideas for amazing kitchens and bathrooms? Or how your neighbor’s interior designer chose the trendiest backsplash and countertop surface for her newly remodeled kitchen?  Those designers read industry publications that taught them the latest trends in countertop designs. It used to be that those publications were only available to professionals, but now CounterTop Business magazine is allowing consumers to be privy to information on today’s latest countertop trends through its new Web site CounterTopBusiness.com.

CounterTop Business magazine, the countertop industry’s leading publication for professionals, is bringing its knowledge of all topics that are hot in countertop materials – from kitchen surfaces and backsplashes to bathrooms – to its new Web site CounterTopBusiness.com. Consumers can read in-depth articles that will assist them in choosing the right surface, whether it be eco-friendly countertops made of recycled materials or the newest luxury materials.

 ”Today’s savvy consumer wants to know what the professionals know,” said Linda Ohm, Editor of CounterTop Business magazine. “Reading CounterTopBusiness.com will keep them ahead of the curve on the latest trends in countertop design, and their kitchens will be the envy of their friends and neighbors.” 

CounterTopBusiness.com also allows the consumer to interact with the countertop professional through online forums. Ask architects, fabricators and designers your most valued questions to ensure your countertop decision. 

“Consumers can log on and see what’s new, then ask a professional online if the countertop is difficult to install, produce, or is the most environmentally-friendly. Then they can go back and tell their architect or designer what they want,” says Ohm. “This allows consumers to be proactive in designing a kitchen or bathroom that works best for them.”

About WATT
Established in 1917, WATT is a service company that provides knowledge and solutions to the agri-food and woodworking industries, to buyers and sellers of goods and services within these industries, as well as others that need such vital information in order to conduct commerce successfully. This information is shared through a variety of media channels: business-to-business print publications and corresponding digital editions, e-newsletters, Web sites, webcasts, RSS feeds, blogs, streaming video, podcasts, digital white papers, custom publishing, custom research, in-person events, and consulting

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Take a look: EcoFriendly Countertop Articles on del.icio.us

Read more: Greening concrete – sustainable concrete countertops

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• Barn Red Oak—Dates back to pre-1900 with a high-quality dense grain
• American Chestnut—An expensive wood species that is now very rare

Read more: Reclaimed, weathered wood countertops