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Posts categoriezed as Kitchen

Recycled Glass Countertops

Recycled Glass Countertops published on 2 Comments on Recycled Glass Countertops

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Icestone

Of the three larger companies fabricating recycled glass composite countertops, Icestone, the best known, is also the only local one. The product, made from 100% recycled glass mixed with concrete, is manufactured in a day lit factory in Brooklyn. The chemical composition is benign and 99.5% inorganic. Icestone comes in a variety of 23 colors. Local showrooms include Chelsea Arts Tile and AK Tile Studio.

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Vetrazzo

Vetrazzo is composed of 85% recycled glass with a binder of cement, additives, pigments and other recycled materials such as fly ash – a waste by-product of coal burning power plants. They do not utilize synthetic, petroleum-based resin binders. The product comes in 16 colors and is manufactured in California.

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EnviroGlas

EnviroGlas Slabs are made of 75% post-consumer and post-industrial recycled glass and 25% binder by volume. They do use resin in the process. There are 22 standard resin colors or you can formulate your own design. The company is based in Texas.

DIY: How To Tile Floors

DIY: How To Tile Floors published on

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“Extreme How To”

Tools:

Utility Knife
Notched Trowel (See mortar bag for correct notch size.)
Mixing Trowel
Tile Cutter (You can rent one.)
Level
Rubber Mallet
Floor Scraper
Chalk Line
Framing Square
Drill
Bucket
Vacuum

Materials

Wonderboard or Mesh
Thinset Mortar
Grout
Spacers
Screws
Tiles + 5-10% extra for screw ups

Continue reading DIY: How To Tile Floors

Recycled Metal Countertops

Recycled Metal Countertops published on 3 Comments on Recycled Metal Countertops

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Alkemi is actually recycled composite material as it’s composed of 60% post industrial scrap aluminum and polymeric resins. Internet photos do not do it justice. You have to see it in person to appreciate it. Best way to find a dealer is to contact the company directly.

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Eleek manufacturers tons of cools home fixtures, but we’re focusing on countertops today, so let’s not jump ahead of ourselves. Their recycled aluminum countertops, backsplashes and tiles are made up of at least 70% post consumer product. The entire company is run with sustainability in mind. The website lists Virtue Tile in Summit, NJ as the closest distributor.

Vintage Fridges

Vintage Fridges published on 2 Comments on Vintage Fridges

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1926 GE

Last week we explored retro fridges. The prices were better than new run of the mill high end appliances, but still too high for the budget conscious (and poor). We thought we might do better with actual antique appliances, but alas, we were wrong. Shipping costs alone could total nearly as much as that little baby on sale at Sears.

Fully restored models range from $3000-15,000. Ouch! The restoration process means they are as good as new, both internally and externally. Insulation and parts are replaced, making them energy efficient. Best of all, they are being saved from the landfill.

You can always find inexpensive vintage appliances locally on Craigs, but we wonder how much it would cost to restore them properly?

Antique Appliances
Antique Vintage Appliances
Unlimited Appliances

Recycled Floor Tiles

Recycled Floor Tiles published on

We came up with 4 companies in our search for recycled ceramic and terra cotta floor tiles. All of these companies manufacture glazed wall tiles as well, but we’ll cover that in a separate post.

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Fireclay Debris

Fireclay’s Debris series is a terra cotta tile containing 50% post consumer and post industrial recycled materials. Their standard sizes are 8×8, 12×12, 8×16 and 16×16, as well as geometric patterns. Finishes are available in unglazed, antique and dark antique. It’s best to contact them directly for Debris sales questions.

naturalhues.jpg Quarry Tile’s Natural Hues

Quarry Tile’s Eco-Body line contains approximately 34% recycled solid waste which was previously going to public and private landfills. All of the recycled waste products are recovered from within a 350 mile radius of their manufacturing plant. Several Dal-Tile locations carry Quarry Tile.

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Terra’s Traffic

Terra Green Ceramics, which has been around since the late 70’s, manufactures 7 lines of recycled glass and/or ceramic tile. All tiles are made with 55% post industrial glass. Stone Source is the local NY distributor for Terra Green.

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EcoCycle Pine Barren

Crossville Porcelain Stone offers their Eco Cycle Line, containing 40% recycled ceramic content. This “stone-look” series comes in 8 colors. There are several locations in NY that carry Crossville, including Bergen Tile. Be sure to check if they carry this particular line.

Cement Based Recycled Countertop

Cement Based Recycled Countertop published on 3 Comments on Cement Based Recycled Countertop

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Ameé Quiriconi founded Squak Mountain Stone in 2003 after preparing an assignment for her Master’s Degree. The assignment: Creating Self-Reliant Communities in a Global Age.

What is Squak Mountain Stone? From the website: “A Fibrous-cement material comprised of recycled paper, recycled glass, coal fly-ash and Portland cement. Material is hand-cast into “slabs” as an alternative to natural or quarried stone. Resembles soapstone or limestones. ”

Be sure to check out the “Oops” factory seconds link on the product page!

Local retailer: Bettencourt Green Building Supply

50’s Retro Fridges

50’s Retro Fridges published on 3 Comments on 50’s Retro Fridges

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$ 2000: SMEG

Smeg is Italy’s largest manufacturer of domestic kitchen appliances. They are well known for their 1950s-style “retro” refrigerators that come in a variety of non-traditional colors, such as pastel blue, lime green and pink.

Smeg is available through AJ Madison in Brooklyn and online.

$ 2700 Big Chill

Founded in Boulder, CO in 2001 and built in America, the Big Chill is 20.9 cubic feet and comes with a stamped metal body, chrome trim, 3 easy-clean spill-proof glass shelves, a temperature management system, 2 half-width clear crisper pans, and other amenities. Water dispenser and ice maker are optional.

Big Chill can be purchased at Krup’s Kitchen and Bath, 11 W 18th Street, NYC. 212-243-5787

$ 3695: Elmira Northstar

Northstar refrigerators, by Elmira, come with all the bells and whistles, including 19 cu. ft. of storage, Visi-shelving, adjustable door bins and optional ice maker.

Drimmer’s on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn carries the Northstar line.

All of these fridges are energy star rated.

 

 

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