Art of glass

Enjoying a beer or a glass of wine just got awhole lot more rewarding.

The terrazzo countertop shown here, Alehouse Amber from Vetrazzo®, is made from recycled brown beer bottles and other glass from curbside collections.

The recycled glass designs range from brightly colored surfaces in reds and blues to more subdued, neutral tones, depending on the source of glass.

Tempered glass from windshields, windows and shower doors is transformed into Vetrazzo's Cubist Clear mix, a neutral off-white surface. Vetrazzo's Cobalt Skyy® mix incorporates cobalt blue from SKYY vodka bottles for a vivid, contemporary appearance. And because the glass is recycled, each panel is different, says James Sheppard, president of Vetrazzo.

"There's a story in every surface," he says. "We track the source of glass in every panel of Vetrazzo so that when a homeowner registers their countertop, we provide a certificate of transformation that activates their warranty and tells them the story of the glass in their Vetrazzo panel."

The recycled glass comes from a wide variety of household and industrial sources. Most comes from curbside recycling programs, with other glass coming from factories, windows, drinking glasses, dinnerware, laboratory glass even from decommissioned traffic lights. Almost all of the glass comes from local sources in the San Francisco Bay Area.

For projects seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, Vetrazzo can contribute to a project earning up to four LEED points.

"Vetrazzo uses recycled or reclaimed glass without remelting it, so it provides a new market for recycled glass that avoids the tremendous energy costs associated with most other uses," he says.

All of the glass used in Vetrazzo is recycled, and the panels are nearly all glass. The panels are heat and stain resistant, and colorfast.

"Vetrazzo surfaces are specified for everything from countertops, vanity tops and table tops to architectural cladding," says Sheppard. "Chunks of recycled glass are embedded, rather than fine pieces, which makes it possible to see half an inch or more into the surface, giving it depth and luster."

For details, contact Vetrazzo, Ford Point, Suite 1400, 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond, CA 94804, phone (510) 234 5550, fax (510) 234 7890. Email: info@vetrazzo.com, or visit the website: www.vetrazzo.com.

Story by: Trendsideas