Vetrazzo is beautiful! Be aware, however, that products with a concrete substrate like Vetrazzo do etch (all concrete does). That is, acids (lemon juice, tomatoes, soda pop, etc.) will eat at the part between the glass. If you're the type who thinks that adds character, that's fine. If you're doing a lot of prep on your island, however, it might not be the best choice.

I think there are also recycled glass products that have have polymer resin binders, similar to quartz. That might be an option for you. There are also recycled marbles with resin binders. Resins don't etch, though they can yellow with time and a lot of UV exposure (shows most on whites and very lights).

Putting something a little wow on the island could really make your kitchen design. Just make sure you know all the details and are happy with them. :)

Thanks. I will investigate a little more. The salesman told me it would withstand acids, etc. Not sure, though.

I have vetrazzo on my bar and in two bathrooms. I love and so does anyone that sees it. We've had it about a year and I have not noticed etching . I paired amber ale with basaltic ( left over from my kitchen). My kids have floating blue which hides everything - same color as toothpaste. I'll post pics when I have a chance.

Thanks Tanem! Would love to see the pics. There's only a couple of dealers in my area and they said they only do a couple of jobs a year (if that). I grew up by the ocean, and I have to do a beach trip every year and the Vetrazzo reminds me of sea glass.

Here is a relevant thread with pictures from just a few days ago. I love it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Vetrazzo in cubist clear pics

There are many materials that can claim to be made of "Recycled Glass", and the composite mentioned this article is just one of them. We should consider the following when we see a composite "recycled" glass product: What is the binder material that holds the glass bits together? Is it safe? Does it emit volatile organic compounds (VOC's)? Is in non-porous? Is it inert? How is it made? How much energy does it take to produce?

Another material that is not often considered is pure and simple cast glass. Made from 100% crushed glass that is heated and reformed into a slab in a mold, pure cast glass is inert, contains no binders, emits no VOC's, and can even be recycled again! If you want to know more about how many recycled glass and other sustainable counter materials measure up using four dimensions of sustainability, give this article a read:
http://glassworksinc.com/cast-glass-counters-measure-up-to-green-alternatives/

Here is a link that might be useful: Cast glass counters measure up to green alternatives

Commercials nonwithstanding, I looked into recycled glass slab and was dismayed by how easily it broke and shattered into nasty little shards.

plllog: Sounds like the folks making that slab should work on their product and process.

One of the tricks in recycling glass via casting is using glass that is compatible. Not all glass will melt together and stay that way. Casting requires that all of the glass has the same coefficient of expansion... or swells and shrinks at the same rate as it is brought to melting temperatures and back to room temperature. If not, then the integrity of the glass is compromised.

Of course, using a binder like what is used in Vetrazo does eliminate the compatibility problem. At the same time, you have to wonder what other properties that binder may also have... like reacting to substances that contact it, etc.

Good dialogue. I'm not as excited over the cast glass as much as the recycled glass. I think I like the look of the broken pieces. Reminds me of beach combing..

I don't know...I've handled a lot of glass (art projects) and it seemed pretty good. I just dropped the sample 6" and the corners shattered with splinters. Much worse than dropping a drinking glass. The only solid glass countertop I'd consider is Bioglass, which is very expensive, and not environmentally friendly. Bioglass is very hard and dense because it's made under heavy pressure for a long time. I don't have the same confidence with any poured glass. Maybe your molded is stronger.

We have been creating cast glass countertops from new and recycled glass since the 1980's with an excellent success rate. Pure glass like ours and Bioglass' can indeed be more expensive, but it has a much longer useful life because it is made of only one material. But of course, if you like the look of a composite, no one can argue with that. You have to go with what you will love to use everyday. Thanks for the great conversation!

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of Glass Counters

Hi! the first link in this thread is my kitchen photos. in progress, of course. It's true, the composite material will etch, but we're ok with that. It looks kinda cool honestly, we're kind of messy people so we're happy with that. It looks beautiful, everyone that comes in says 'WOW!' which is what we really wanted. Also, it's like impossible to see dirt on it, which could be good, could be bad I suppose. Good in my case. I'd suggest finding a dealer and getting a sample to take home to spill stuff on. Also, I managed to get mine for 25% off, they had a few slabs on special, so you might be able to find it at your price point.

I have seen threads here and also the Bathrooms forum on Eco by Cosentino, a counter material of recycled porcelain, glass and resin. I have had it in my bathroom for a year and it looks brand new. For a really small job like this Vetrazzo was prohibitively expensive. That's great someone found slabs 25% off. If you are getting Vetrazzo quotes in this economy, I suggest just ask "can you do any better?" when you get the quote.
Search here and Bathroom Forum for Cosentino, and here is mine in Riverbed.
Look for their website too to read more about the specifications and environmental testing done on the product and process.

I used to have Icestone in my kitchen. What I will say about it, and any other product that has the potential to etch, is that you have to seal it properly the first time and every time. Even then, you run the risk of staining and etching.

Here is something I wrote on another thread in the Fall that you might find useful WRT etching:

One of the things I haven't seen discussed here WRT etching is directional light in a kitchen.

I had counters that etched badly. My kitchen has a southwest exposure and a great deal of light. Because of the way the light reflected off my counters, the etching was very prominent, especially late in the day. My sense is that if I had a northern or eastern exposure, or just less reflective light from outside due to trees or buildings, it would have been less of a problem.

I have the same material in my MBath on the north side of the house and see absolutely no etching at all....though I am sure it must be there.

So, I can't help but wonder how one's light situation contributes to satisfaction or disappointment with marble. It seems to be a big part of the equation to me. I think using marble on the backsplash is a great way to avoid the staining/etching issue and, in most cases, the directional light problem as well.

Have you considered a "plain" counter material and terrazzo tiles for the backsplash? That is what makes the most practical sense, IMO.

Hey Burnsie,

We have Vetrazzo's Floating Blue in our kitchen and it looks great. We have had it for 15 months now and our problems have been minimal despite some incorrect installation issues. I highly recommend that your countertop company really know what they are doing because that makes a huge difference in regard to the staining issues.

There are two of us, no kids and we are very careful around the etching food items. Where you need to be careful with Vetrazzo is in choosing your dishwasher soap since so many of them use some form of citric acid. I am also much better about keeping the counter clean and have learned to wipe it down after I do anything. The upside to being more on top of this is that my kitchen is nearly always clean enough for people popping in at a moment's notice!

We have southern light modified by trees, hills and fog coming in thru a huge skylight into our kitchen and the counters look very nice and oceany then.

Please PM me and I will happily send you pictures of what our counters look like. Using Vetrazzo is expensive but it is one of the ways to make your kitchen totally unique and you.

earth_pal, could you elaborate on the installation with regards to staining? I'm curious! I would also loooove to see photos of your floating blue kitchen counters! would it be possible for you to post them here? I had originally fallen in love with that colour but chickened out and went with the more neutral cubist clear...thinking of using floating blue in a bathroom!

Hey Summer,

I think if we had seen a larger sample of cubist clear, my husband might have chosen that one! ;)

Floating blue would look good in a bathroom too. It's definitely is hard to miss FB! I have to talk with my DH because most of the pictures we have are his, so... it would definitely be faster for you to PM me because DH's honey do list is a bit long right now. ;;)

Staining.... the company that installed them had an installer with a grimy hand that we didn't discover till afterwards. We figured it out because most of the worst spots were in the same carrying spot. They also did not seal the counters despite my questioning that at installation. The counters were finally totally sealed several months later and in fact I need to do that again soon. IF you are heavy kitchen users, then I would do the sealing 2-3X a year to prevent any worn spots in the coating. I don't know what they recommend for bathroom since that is mostly water contact. Getting stains out needs to be done pronto which is why we are grateful that we were able to get most of the grimy hands one done within three weeks of installation.

I also would watch the seams too. As lots of others have pointed out with granite, some installers are better than others. We had ours redone because they were visible across the room to our 62 year old contractor's eyes!!

earth_pal I want to PM you so badly because i have other questions (like how did you get the stains out after three weeks??) but I don't know how! I feel sooo dumb.

earth_pal, could I ask you to PM me? I had to change my settings so that I accept PMs so I know it's doable now! pretty please? thank you so much!