By Eileen Majors
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There is much to consider these days when taking on your next home remodeling project. I was surprised to discover so many ways to turn your next kitchen or bath remodel into a “Green” project. With so many options for going green, it may be hard to decide where to start. That is, until you see all that is new and “green” in the business of replacing old countertops.
We ventured into Granite Transformations of Chico to find out just what it meant to take the environmentally sensible approach. We spoke with Martin Schwabe, who explained the many options available. We were immediately interested as he directed us toward a gorgeous bathroom countertop made from recycled beer and wine bottles. As it turned out, that was just the beginning of our continuing sense of surprise.
One product this company is proud of is Trend Stone®, which uses a combination of the world’s finest granite, stone and quartz to deliver a surface that is not only beautiful, but brilliantly engineered. Trend Glass® is made of up to 72% post-consumer recycled materials, which creates a highly durable, gorgeous surface with plenty of color choices for your next kitchen or bath design. Trend Mosaic® is another option providing the timeless look of Italian glass mosaics. The difference is not only the use of natural and recycled materials, but the unique application process. Many projects can be completed in a day, use less materials than a traditional slab of granite and are less expensive. But that does not make them inferior in any way. These products offer a rich look and a wide array of design choices.
Martin explained how installation over the old countertop not only saves time, but also saves space in local landfills. The traditional method of remodeling the kitchen means tearing out old cabinets and countertops and replacing them. Martin explained that one square foot of your demolished kitchen can easily add up to 60 pounds of waste. With a traditional kitchen remodel, an average 60 square feet of demolition results in approximately 3,600 pounds of waste for our landfills.
Granite Transformations of Chico offers cabinet refacing too, another way to take your home project to greener pastures. Their company takes every measure to be eco-friendly by donating reusable sinks, cabinets and other items to Habitat For Humanity. The local organization accepts many types of building products which can be repurposed in their efforts to provide housing to people in need.
A granite transformation can often be completed in a day, using the existing countertop as the base for their innovative products. Going green does not need to be boring, either. Trend Stone, Trend Glass and Trend Mosaic offer more than 50 colors to choose from and these products are also radon safe and are manufactured in the USA. The products are perfect for owners of modern homes and businesses looking to express a fresh approach toward sensibility.
* Eco-friendly manufacturing process is designed to use recycled materials whenever possible.
* Smooth installation process is demolition free, meaning less waste is produced.
* Granite Transformations’ countertops use 65% less material than traditional countertops, which reduces energy and resource consumption.
According to Martin of Granite Transformations in Chico, Trend Stone is flexible, resistant to wear and to chemical agents and it is lightweight, non-absorbent, stain resistant, and even frost resistant for outdoor applications.
