There are several different commercial formulations of concrete on the market for countertops, flooring and other interior architectural uses. Some are aerated or mixed by varying but mostly-similar techniques, some are molded or installed in different ways, and some are aerated, or treated with dyes or special sealants. But one in particular is as attractive as real stone, is made in a range of mineral shades and has a natural texture from inclusions such as recycled paper, glass and coal fly-ash.
Squak Mountain Stone’s fibrous-cement material is beautiful and just as visually appealing as real stone – but it’s a truly environmentally-friendly countertop that makes great (re)use of some otherwise-ignored ingredients. It is available both in slabs and as tiles, and the maker is happy to work with clients on custom applications and mixtures. In that respect, it’s even more appealing than real or manufactured stone!
According to developer and owner Ameé Quiriconi, the ingredients list reads like a how-to book for those interested in establishing a truly green, environmentally-friendly business:
- Fly-ash is generated at a Washington-state coal-fired electrical generation facility. It’s collected and bagged for sale in Seattle.
- The mixed waste paper comes from a small home-based document destruction business staffed by four young women with developmental disabilities (with the help of a job coach and the women’s parents.)This business is located in Issaquah, WA.
- The recycled glass is mainly waste from local window manufacturers that is collected and processed by a local glass recycling company.
We’ve put together a whole Flickr album of high-res images showing the product in use – if you are planning a kitchen or bath remodel, you really should take a look at this material before you finalize your countertop material plans.
It is available from retailers up and down the west coast, including Green Sacramento, Ecohome Improvement in Berkeley, Greenspace in Santa Cruz, Eco Design Resources in San Carlos as well as EcoSpaces in Telluride, Colorado.
How does the squak mountain stone hold up? I’m concerned about durability, heat resistant, stain resistant, etc, does it need to be sealed on an annual basis, etc?
Tatjana, I’ll ask the proprietors to answer these concerns. However, it’s effectively a concrete, so I doubt it would wear any differently than that material.
Squak Mountain Stone should be cared for like any other calcium-based natural stone (marble, limestone, or concrete). It must be sealed to prevent staining and spills should be wiped up immediately.
Every Squak Mountain Stone concrete slab is hand-finished so it has a unique character similar to that of natural stones such as marble, travertine, and limestone. Squak Mountain Stone is generally used in kitchens and bathrooms as a counter top, table top or vanity top. If you haven’t seen the “new” Squak Mountain stone you really don’t know what you are missing out on! Tiger Mountain Innovations, LLC has recently made some great product improvements to their Squak Mountain Stone product. The coal fly-ash previously contained in the material has been substituted out with more recycled glass.Furthermore, the slabs are available in a nominal 56″x96″ size at 1-3/8″ thickness. Slabs are gauged on the backside to ensure consistent thickness and ease of seaming for fabricators. A state-of-the-art vibration technology is used to minimize pinholes and give a more consistent character from slab to slab.
my stone is 14 years old. i cant speak for the previous persons that owned the house it is in but they have ruined it in varies place it is cloudy and they left glasses or cups on the top and now has ring marks. i have tried to fix with baking soda and also granite stone cleaner nothing works i can put polish/oil on it to shine it up but once used and wiped normally shows the worn places anyway my question is can it be repaired ? resealed? or do i just eed to replace? please let me know, thanks