Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Getting a Natural Look with Concrete Slab Countertops

Those who like a more rugged look in their home might not want to use the traditional laminate or granite countertops. They look too clean and artificial and they certainly don't work in a home with a lot of wood features or a beautiful nature view. To help you create a seamless and natural look in your home, concrete slab countertops might be the way to go. Whether you choose to have these slabs polished or left rough, you can use concrete slab countertops to ensure your home looks consistent and appealing – in a natural way.

Concrete Slab Countertops

While some people might scoff at concrete slab countertops, the appeal is clear. Though these pieces are made by man, they're more affordable and more adaptable than traditional rocks and stone. You can choose the size of countertop you want and then replace existing countertops or start new islands in your kitchen. You can have the surface polished and painted, or you can stick with a basic sealant and enjoy a rough appearance.

To make sure that your concrete slab countertops look aesthetically pleasing, make sure the pieces themselves are interesting to look at. This might mean they have small pieces of other stones or materials in them, adding to the uniqueness. Or the edges might be a little rough and jagged to help bring a more rustic look into your home. You can also have the edges smoothed for safety reasons as well as have the actual countertops evened out so as not to have any areas with excessive texture.

You will also want to be sure that the supporting pieces (the cabinets, the islands, etc.) are going to look good with the concrete slab countertops. Choose a dark stain or something that brings out the natural beauty of the wood in your kitchen. This way, the concrete will look like stone on wood, rather than someone trying to trick others into thinking its stone on wood.

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Anonymous said...

MEDIA CONTACT:

Eco Surfaces Mfg., LLC
714-954-0161 office
714-954-0163 fax
info@urbanslabs.com
www.urbanslabs.com

RECYCLED GLASS CEMENT SURFACE PROVIDE GREEN SOLUTION FOR COUNTERTOPS

Santa Ana, CA—February 1, 2008—In an effort to support the California Department of Conservation, Eco Surfaces™ has announced the manufacture of Urbanslabs™ sustainable cement-based slabs now available for a variety of residential, commercial and hospitality surface applications. Crafted by hand, Urbanslabs™ consist of 60% recycled, post-consumer glass containers such as beer, wine and liquor bottles that are commonly sent to landfill. This patent pending process contains no resinous binders.

“Eco Surfaces is taking a truly innovative look at the use of waste as a resource,” said architect Jorden Segraves, chair of the United States Green Building Council’s Pacific Regional and Orange County chapters. “Urbanslabs™ represent a completely new use for discarded glass. The company is effectively replacing a farmed resource with a reclaimed or “found” resource that fills a unique niche in the industry and product market.”

Urbanslabs™ are manufactured using a proprietary cement matrix. Light weight 3/4” (2 cm) and 1¼” (3cm) Urbanslabs™ are made possible by an advanced mix design and unique manufacturing process.

Urbanslabs™ can be cut, bull-nosed, seamed and polished just like the fabrication of natural stone slabs such as granite. Urbanslabs™ can be utilized for a wide array of surface uses including countertops, bathroom vanities, shower panels, floor tiles, backsplash tiles, bathroom stall dividers, wall clad panels, outdoor living surfaces and for furniture tops.

Available in six colors, Urbanslabs™ coordinate with a variety of décor themes. Eco Surfaces’ unique surface-polishing process exposes the glass and provides excellent scratch resistance, while offering a refreshing new look to the industry. Concrete sealer is applied to the Urbanslabs™ at time of manufacture and again at installation to provide outstanding protection from stains.

Urbanslabs™ offer an economical investment compared to poured-in-place and pre-cast concrete countertops, which costs hundreds of dollars per square foot installed.

Urbanslabs™ are available in the following dimensions, 8’ X 3’ X ¾” (2cm) and 10’ X 5’ 6” X 1¼” (3cm). Custom sizes, colors and finishes can be created upon request.

To locate a distributor or for technical questions, please call 714-954-0161.

“SUSTAINABLE SURFACES FOR URBAN LIVING™”