Countertops for the Legacy/Habitat Homes
Is it possible to stay environmentally conscious, mindful of life cycle impact and budget-aware while still enjoying beautiful countertops in a home or commercial building? Absolutely.
For the Waukegan homes built for Greenbuild 2010, Habitat for Humanity Lake County is installing an innovative new cement countertop product.
i Counter has the versatility of both indoor and outdoor use. This application will be for the kitchen counters and bath vanity counter. A chameleon type product it can look like whatever you choose. Have a hankering for exotic granite you saw in an expensive hotel? Or do you like white marble but not the upkeep? What about your company’s logo embedded in the reception counter? You can achieve virtually any look you can image.
These Habitat homes are new construction, yet the real strength of the i Coat Cement product lies in its resurfacing system.
I Counter can be applied directly over existing counter top materials such as tile, Formica or other solid surfaces. You are not removing your existing counter top. You are not putting it in the landfill. You are reducing waste. You are reusing existing countertop.
Still, this is a working kitchen — so what are the practical merits of i Counter?
- Its durability matches or beats most natural and synthetic countertop materials, with a compression strength of 900psi — three times harder than standard concrete.
- i Counter is FDA & USDA food approved. Its seamless, non-porous surface lowers the risk of food contamination without routine resealing. It resists moisture and contains no known carcinogens.
- It can withstand heat up to 500 F
- It keeps its installed beauty with ordinary cleaning and the occasional wipe-down with something like Windex.
- Its lightweight construction removes the need for the special support that granite, quartz and Corian countertops usually require.
- Pricing starts at $40.00 psf, spanning looks from basic granite to exotic stone or a metallic urban finish.
I Counter, with minimal material creates great strength and beauty. We hope you can visit the Habitat homes and see this product first hand.
You can learn more about the i Coat products at icoatproducts.com
The Chicagoland distributor is www.artesahomevisions.com
Vicki Aleck Gumbiner is an Interiors Artist at www.artisticwallfinishes.net, a consulting firm for sustainable interior products from floors to cabinetry. She helped source the flooring, countertops and cabinets for the Greenbuild Legacy Home Project.
Story Tags: counters, habitat lake