Green and Clean: Ecofriendly Tub and Shower Surrounds
Keep your bathroom beautiful and your footprint green with long-lasting, ecofriendly surface materials
Daily rituals ground our days with a predictable rhythm that can provide comfort. Although many of them are banal, why not take them from ordinary to extraordinary? Making my morning coffee, for example, is a ho-hum ritual that I perform bleary-eyed; shifting to something like an elegant Chemex coffeemaker could elevate this mundane routine.
In a similar vein, the daily ritual of bathing or showering should be special, taking place in a pleasurable and healthy environment that boosts our well-being. Consider surrounding yourself with one of these handsome and eco-conscious finishes.
In a similar vein, the daily ritual of bathing or showering should be special, taking place in a pleasurable and healthy environment that boosts our well-being. Consider surrounding yourself with one of these handsome and eco-conscious finishes.
Authentic Venetian plaster is comprised of slaked limestone, marble dust and water, which yields incomparable depth of color and translucence. Lime plaster, including Venetian plaster, has some serious bragging rights. It's stood the test of time over thousands of years, thanks to a curing process that sequesters carbon dioxide from the air and returns the material to a stone state with all the strength and longevity of natural stone. Plus, lime plasters are naturally antibacterial, repelling mold and mildew — perfect for a bathroom.
Short-term upkeep is a snap, as dust and dirt don't permeate the plaster. Just wipe it down with dry cloth. Long-term maintenance can be minimal if the plaster contains mineral pigments, as they resist UV light and fading and make painting unnecessary. A fresh coat of wax every few years will keep the finish glossy.
Short-term upkeep is a snap, as dust and dirt don't permeate the plaster. Just wipe it down with dry cloth. Long-term maintenance can be minimal if the plaster contains mineral pigments, as they resist UV light and fading and make painting unnecessary. A fresh coat of wax every few years will keep the finish glossy.
Tadelakt
Tadelakt, a nearly waterproof lime plaster, originates from Morocco. It can be found on both the interiors and exteriors of buildings there, including hammams (Moroccan bath houses). The traditional finish starts out light gray and is mixed with natural colors to create a bright, striking surface. The plaster is traditionally polished with a river stone to yield a smooth, glossy finish, which is then rubbed with soft soap to provide water resistance. As with other plasters, the handcrafting results in a luxurious, organic appearance.
A concrete surround can be a cost-effective way to achieve a monolithic appearance with natural variations, similar to plaster. To improve your concrete's green cred, increase the fly-ash content (a by-product of coal processing), but only if coal is processed in your region. Otherwise, the environmental impact of transporting the fly ash outweighs the benefits. Seek a low- or no-VOC sealer to provide water resistance.
Backpainted glass is my favorite way to get a modern, glossy surface in the shower or bath, and the technique offers limitless color options. Conventional glass is painted on the back side, then adhered to a substrate with adhesives designed for mirror installations or mounted using top and bottom tracks.
Glass gets the green check mark, as it's made of natural materials and is durable, long-lasting and easy to clean with nontoxic cleansers. A large glass panel is another uniform surface without joints, making maintenance minimal.
Glass gets the green check mark, as it's made of natural materials and is durable, long-lasting and easy to clean with nontoxic cleansers. A large glass panel is another uniform surface without joints, making maintenance minimal.
Fireclay Tile is an industry leader in recycled-content ceramic tile. Its Debris series, used in this bath, combines 60 percent recycled content from postindustrial and postconsumer waste. The tiles are handmade and handmolded, which results in lovely natural color variations. And all of Fireclay's tiles are finished with lead-free glazes.
Recycled-content glass tile, with its jewellike qualities and rainbow of color options, makes greening your bath a snap. Nearly all of Oceanside Glasstile's products contain recycled content, which ranges from 30 to 97 percent of the tile composition.
More:
How to Get Your Home's Glass Squeaky Clean
Surface Smarts: Venetian Plaster
10 Great Picks for Ecofriendly Tile
More:
How to Get Your Home's Glass Squeaky Clean
Surface Smarts: Venetian Plaster
10 Great Picks for Ecofriendly Tile
When applied by hand, plaster has a stunning artisanal quality suited both to modern and traditional interiors. To boot, the plaster provides a durable, monolithic finish void of grout lines to clean, maintain or protect.