One of our favorite stops on the West Coast Green tradeshow circuit was the Squak Mountain Stone booth, which they were sharing with Kirei Board, EcoTop, and a few other green retailers. From across the room, it looked like they were having a cocktail party.
We swung in to look at all the green kitchen possibilities (research for Mom) and ended up chatting with Squak Mountain Stone founder, Ameé Quiriconi.
As Ameé explained, when she was conceptualizing Squak Mountain Stone as a business, she started with an affordable price point and worked backwards to create a product and model that would fit that price. She wanted a green material (Squak is made out of recycled paper, recycled glass, coal fly-ash and cement) that was affordable for the average homeowner.
We emailed her yesterday to get a ballpark figure on price -- and she got back to us right away: "Pricing can vary by area but generally Squak installs for about $80/sf (as opposed to traditional concrete at $100/sf and solid surfaces or quartz which, depending on color and options, start at $65/sf and go up from there.)" In other words, it falls somewhere in the middle range for high-quality countertop materials.
She also pointed us in the direction of these videos -- which demonstrate just how easy the installation is. We think a skilled DIYer could do it themselves.
Get all the info here.
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But how long does it last? $80/sf is still pricey ( compared to alternatives ) if the counter top must frequently be replaced or is easily damaged. Consumer Reports did a report on various counter top options for those looking to strike a balance between eco-friendly and fiscal responsiblity. Natural stone price range: $40 to $100 per square foot, installed.
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These are are essentially concrete, so just like any other concrete structure, it seems like it'd last a very long time. Though it'd be nice to hear if anyone's had a bad experience with it. We're using this product on a project I'm working on for kitchen countertops, and it's a lovely material.
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