Green Statement

Green Statement

Brooks Custom is committed to using sustainable materials and implementing environmentally friendly practices. Our Green Statement is broken out by countertop material as to how we are attempting to lower our carbon footprint and create quality eco-friendly products.

 

Wood Countertops

 

  • We ensure that all wood being used is purchased only from government licensed loggers.
  • We refrain from working with some imported woods, such as Honduran and Brazilian Mahogany, which are environmentally irresponsible and whose harvesting contributes to the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. Instead, we prefer to work with African Mahogany; this attractive alternative is abundant and harvested with U.S. approval.
  • “Repurposed” woods such as Antique Heart Pine and Antiqued Chestnut are re-used from old barns and floors.
  • “Fast growth” woods such as Lyptus and Bamboo are an excellent green alternative.
  • We avoid using finishes that contain lacquer, polyester or conversion varnish as they pollute the air when applied.
  • Look for finishes that are oil-based such as tung oil, which has few thinning agents and is among the lowest VOC rating during application. Tung Oil is non-toxic, food prep safe, and a very resilient finish. It can also be easily renewed using finish restoring oil.
  • When making wood countertops, all wood cut-offs can be repurposed or recycled, never going to waste.

 

Glass countertops:

 

  • 30% of commercial glass is now made from recycled material. This saves the energy and carbon emissions that would be used to create new glass.

 

Concrete Countertops:

 

  • Concrete is made almost completely from natural materials:  30% Gravel, 40% Sand, 10% Rain Water, and 20% Portland Cement (mostly baked Lime). Concrete is a low energy material. It is recyclable.
  • The finish has no VOC atmosphere polluting components at all. It is food prep safe and extremely durable.

 

Metal Countertops:

 

  • All metals can be recycled completely. They can go on forever.
  • The core materials may be reused once separated.

 

For More Information:

To obtain more information about our green practices and our materials, feel free to contact us at 914-666-2029. You are also welcome to stop by our showroom. We are open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm. No appointments are necessary. If you are interested in pricing an upcoming project, email your details and dimensions to quotes@brookscustom.com. Our design team will review your information and return a proposal: 1-2 days for standard items; 2-5 days for custom work; a week plus for architectural custom projects.