3 Hot Products for Cool Exterior Spaces
Nothing says summer like a backyard barbecue, and nothing says “more space” like an outdoor kitchen. Fire pits, smokers, and patios are prepared to welcome our friends and neighbors as we head into the summer.
Building an outdoor kitchen is exciting but with supply constraints wreaking havoc on material availability, it can become stressful and difficult. Couple that with the new generation of home buyers, remodelers, and designers that are savvy about environmental concerns and planet preservation, and you have a double-headed beast: finding materials that you can get and that have an earth-friendly story.
What sustainable and available options are out there for building an outdoor area? Here are 3 options that check all the boxes for durability and curb appeal, and are better for the planet.
Lapitec
Sintered stone was made for the outdoor environment. Engineered to be durable indoors and out, the UV-resistant surfacing is suitable for flooring, countertops, cladding and more. Lapitec slabs are offered in multiple textures for slip resistance with a variety of aesthetic options so designers can mix, match and play with more than just color or texture. Sintered stone is THE next big thing in man made surfacing, far outperforming quartz, especially in outdoor applications because it contains no resin, therefore it will not yellow like quartz. Lapitec has no resins, it is just natural minerals and, fun fact, it is silica-free! Lapitec has totally eliminated the dangerous crystalline silica from its sintered stone slabs with its proprietary Biorite mix, making it the only sintered surface that can make this claim.
If you want your outdoor kitchen surfaces to be next level, and outperform everything else on the market, sintered stone is your best option.
PaperStone
Paper turned into stone? That is PaperStone. The Washington based company takes layers of recycled paper and compresses them into a durable phenolic based composite panels up to 1 ¼” thick that are as strong as steel. Because recycled materials are readily available, so is PaperStone. Suitable for countertops and exterior cladding, PaperStone bridges the gap between wood finishes and hard surfaces with its stone like performance but warmer, wood-like feel. Panels are available in many thicknesses and sizes, allowing you to minimize waste and get just what you need for your project. PaperStone is easy to work with and can be cut and finished with standard woodworking tools.
When designing outdoor spaces, it is important to use materials that are not susceptible to staining, rusting or molding. Used properly, PaperStone holds up to the elements and your sustainability standards.
Arbor Wood
Thermally modified wood already beat the heat in its manufacture, meaning that it has a very low moisture content and superior durability as decking or cladding. This is a wood that will hold up––with a 30 year warranty. Arbor Wood Co. makes cladding, decking and dimensional lumber using thermal modification technology in Duluth, Minnesota. The long-lasting, beautiful planks that result from this process can be made using a variety of species. Arbor Wood chooses to source timber from the US, mainly ash and pine from the east and midwest. Wood can come unfinished, in a variety of natural looking finishes, or burned and brushed (BRNSH). Charred timber is a very popular aesthetic in both commercial and residential design and Arbor Wood has several options for achieving that look.
Walk on it, talk on it, or sit on it, Arbor Wood will be a natural showpiece in your outdoor kitchen or patio, beautiful and warm.
