Countertops are a great way to make a kitchen or bathroom look incredible, and many go the way of granite, corian, or more recently concrete. How about paper! The recycled paper countertops you see in the images are nothing like the paper you see on your desk or in the recycle bin. They are more like corian countertops without the high energy it takes to make plastics.

From the region that brought us grunge rock, two paper countertop companies — PaperStone and Richlite — are rethinking and revitalizing the wood-based industry in Hoquiam and Tacoma, Washington. Both PaperStone and Richline countertops use recycled paper, and each has a product line certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) that uses 100% recycled paper in a resin base. Installing paper countertops can contribute up to nine points on a LEED 2.2 project.

Unlike many traditional countertops, eco-conscious paper countertops go the extra step and use nonpetroleum, formaldehyde-free resins. PaperStone employs oil extracted from cashew nut shells, a renewable resource.

Available in many colors, paper countertops are not just sprayed with a topcoat. The paper is dyed with organic pigments during the manufacturing process, so that the surface has a warm appearance and looks more like stone than plastic. Stain and heat resistent up to 350 degrees, paper countertops are available in thicknesses from 3/4 inch to 2 inches.

And like all good paper products, these countertops can be recycled when they’re at their end. The price of paper countertops is roughly equivalent to granite countertops, though as a result of the ease of workmanship and finish, the installed price is often lower.

via greenbydesign

Tags: paper countertops, recycle

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Going Green, Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.