eco alternative to formica?
we need a new countertop, but my landlord’s countertop guy only does formica on pressboard. is there a fume-free alternative that someone like him can easily install and that doesn’t cost much more (not talking about ice stone or the like–not an option)?
we need a new countertop, but my landlord’s countertop guy only does formica on pressboard. is there a fume-free alternative that someone like him can easily install and that doesn’t cost much more (not talking about ice stone or the like–not an option)?
Southslope: most “Tung oil” products are a mix of varnish and/or linseed oil and/or mineral spirits and are not designed for food prep areas. Mineral oil is what you use to keep your wood cutting boards in good shape and will keep the counter from absorbing water if frequently re-applied and is the correct finish if you intent to occasionally or frequently use a knife on the surface. I chose non-toxic varnish (Tonkinois No1) for mine because I don’t plan to use my butcher block as a cutting surface and didnt want to wonder if I’d re-oiled frequently enough around the sink.
Au contraire BHS, Tung oil is probably the most food safe product on the market (sutherlandwelles.com). Save the mineral oil for constipation, it is worthless as a finish.
I would second the Ikea butcher block idea. An 8’x roughly 25″ piece can be had for $79 and you can finish that with non-toxic varnish or keep it well-oiled with mineral oil. I would guess that tung oil products contain various ingredients that would not be food safe.
There are some excellent options at Green Depot – you might check them out.
Also, depending on what you personally want to invest in this – Green Demolitions often has really nice reclaimed countertop (I’m talking about granite and Corian) that you can get for cheap. They remove entire kitchens and resell them, but buyers often reconfigure the cabinets and can’t use the countertops. many of these surfaces can easily be re-cut to fit your kitchen, depending on what your kitchen configuration is. You could end up with something really nice for the price of formica. they’re at http://www.greendemolitions.com
Build It Green in Brooklyn also sometimes has reclaimed countertops. You can try them as well.
Ikea’s butcher block is unfinished reclaimed wood and you apply tung oil to it – super cheap, super easy, no offgassing
paperstone
#1 Reclaimed solid lumber with a tung oil finish.
#2 Wheat board or other NAF (No Added Formaldehyde) core with a plastic laminate applied with water borne contact adhesive. Wilsonart waterborne contact adhesive (cement) has a higher solids content that traditional high-VOC contact cements.