Going Green with Concrete Countertops

Find a Countertop Manufacturer/Designer

Use an Eco-Friendly Concrete Mix

Use Materials from Local Sources

Make Sure Your Countertops Are Made in a Green Manner

Put Recycled Decorative Accents Into Your Countertops

Use Nontoxic Form-Release Agents and Sealers

Go with a Functional, Timeless Design

Consider GFRC Countertops

Green Building with Concrete: Learn how you can use concrete to build environmentally responsible homes without compromising beauty, comfort or economy

Concrete Countertops: Learn how concrete countertops are made and how they can be tailored to suit your lifestyle and aesthetic tastes

More about Concrete Countertops: Designs, Cost, Colors

Wall St. Journal Article Acknowledges Concrete as Material of Choice in Eco-Kitchen Challenge

Design Ideas for Concrete Countertops:

Concrete Countertops Photo Gallery

Other Resources:

Find a Countertop Manufacturer/Designer

Concrete Contractors: Find Countertop Products and Suppliers

In addition to their versatility and distinctive beauty, concrete countertops have another virtue that appeals to many people, especially the ecologically aware: They are more environmentally friendly, or "greener," than most other types of countertops.

"Solid surface materials are made of plastic, engineered quartz materials contain a synthetic resin binder, and granite and marble are nonrenewable mined resources. Concrete contains mostly just good old sand, rock and cement," says Jeff Girard, president of The Concrete Countertop Institute and one of the Concrete Network's technical experts.

But concrete isn't completely eco-friendly, Girard admits. Portland cement production uses up a lot of energy, and mining of aggregate and sand can be environmentally disruptive. Some of the sealers applied to concrete countertops to protect them may also contain toxic volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, he adds.

The good news is that you can take a number of simple steps to reduce the ecological footprint of your countertops, such as replacing some of the virgin materials in concrete with recycled waste materials and using a nontoxic water-based finish. Here are some strategies for making your concrete countertops as green as possible.