How Much Does a Recycled Glass Countertop Cost?

Average Recycled Glass Countertop Cost

Recycled Glass Countertop Installation Costs per Square Foot

When you hire a professional countertop installer near you, they may quote their labor costs as an hourly or per-square-foot rate. Hourly labor costs for recycled glass countertop installation range from $30 to $80 per hour. As a square-foot estimate, contractors typically charge between $10 and $30 per square foot for installation.

Here are some factors that can increase labor costs:

• Complex countertop layouts

• Homes that are difficult to reach

• Seasonal and workload factors

• Adding LED lights

• On-site fabrication

Discuss any of these relevant factors with contractors when fielding quotes, as some can add considerably to your end cost.

Recycled Glass Countertop Costs by Type

How much you spend on installing a recycled glass countertop can vary depending on the type of glass, including crushed, sea, and tempered glass counter surfaces.

Crushed Glass Countertop 

At between $60 and $130 per square foot, crushed glass is a common and affordable type of recycled glass countertop. Different shades of reused glass mix with resin or concrete to create a unique slab.

Sea Glass Countertop 

Add sea glass to your recycled glass countertop for around $80 to $130 per square foot. The glass particles, combined with resin or concrete, create a slab with pops of blue and green. 

Because sea glass is semi-rare, these countertops are a bit more expensive, with materials alone costing around $70 to $100 per square foot compared to around $50 to $100 per square foot for crushed glass.

Tempered Glass Countertop

Tempered glass counters cost approximately $85 to $150 per square foot and look like one large sheet of thick glass. Because tempered glass is heat-treated, it's stronger and more durable than other options, making it more expensive. Manufacturers frequently include installation in the cost because this material is heavy and difficult to install.

Recycled Glass Countertop Costs by Brand

You'll come across economy and high-end manufacturers when shopping for recycled glass countertops. Some big-box stores may carry some of the economy brands. But often, you'll have to work with a specialty distributor to order your glass countertop.

Here are nine popular manufacturers and their typical cost range for recycled glass countertops:

Bio-Glass

Bio-Glass countertops cost anywhere from $95 to $150 per square foot for labor and materials. These countertops are made by melting glass into a solid sheet, and they contain 100% recycled glass and are 100% recyclable. This melded surface contains hollow glass, tableware, and factory shards, depending on the color and availability of the product. 

Curava 

Curava countertops fall between $60 and $100 per square foot, including installation. They’re composed of roughly 60% recycled glass, 30% natural quartz, and 10% resin binder. Curava offers a 15-year limited warranty on their products. 

Keep in mind that this material is only for indoor use. And because it’s difficult to install, this manufacturer typically includes labor rates in the price.

ECO By Consentino

ECO by Cosentino is a brand of recycled glass countertops that sell for about $65 to $95 per square foot with installation. This eco-friendly option is affordable compared to other countertop brands. This product doesn’t require surface sealing and contains at least 75% recycled content. It also has a limited warranty of 25 years. 

Environite

Environtite recycled glass countertops go for around $60 to $160, fully installed. Their solid surface product consists of epoxies, recycled glass, refractory, and other discarded materials to create a “green” countertop. It contains a high percentage of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled materials. 

Though not truly recycled glass countertops, these green-friendly countertops are eco-friendly and easy to maintain.

GEOS Recycled Glass Counters

At about $60 to $120 per square foot with installation, GEOS promises no staining, sealing, waxing, or glass pop-outs for your new counters. The company offers a limited 15-year warranty on its products, which contain 100% recycled glass in a resin binder.

IceStone 

IceStone recycled glass countertops are priced from around $50 to $85 per square foot, fully installed. These budget-friendly countertops come with a 10-year limited warranty and are composed of 100% recycled glass, Portland cement, and nontoxic pigments.

ThinkGlass

This thermoformed glass costs around $200 to $400 per square foot with installation. While it’s 100% recyclable, this brand only uses 25% recycled materials in manufacturing. ThinkGlass is a high-end product that comes in solid, translucent slabs with the option to add LED lighting under the surface.

Vetrazzo

Vetrazzo recycled glass countertops cost approximately $95 to $200, fully installed, and are one of the most expensive brands on our list. Vetrazzo countertops are similar in price to the cost of quartz countertops. 

The high price is understandable since Vetrazzo is a high-end brand that only makes 16 recycled glass countertop slabs a month. The brand employs eight skilled artisans to hand-make each slab, and the company that manufactures the brand, Polycor, aims to be carbon-neutral by 2025. These countertops come with a 10-year warranty.

Vetrostone

Budget between $85 and $170 for Vetrostone countertops. This brand is unique because it blends the best of glass and quartz countertops into a single product: engineered quartz with recycled glass, sea glass, and even seashells. The countertops come with a 1-year limited warranty.

Tile vs. Slab Recycled Glass Countertop Costs

The average recycled glass slab countertop cost is around $90 per square foot to install. Slab countertops allow for a more seamless surface, making them popular in kitchens. 

Because glass tiles are lighter, they’re much more affordable, roughly $30 per square foot for the materials, or $40 to $60 per square foot with installation.

Recycled Glass Countertop Cost Factors

You'll have to consider a few cost variables when shopping for recycled glass countertops. These will affect the final price of your project to varying degrees, so they're well worth researching before the start of your project.

Higher overall costs are possible for:

• Thicker glass slabs

• Upgraded edges

• More seams

• Sink and utility cutouts

• Matching backsplashes

• Curved or rounded corners

• Split levels, slopes, or grooves

• Rare colors like blues and greens

Keep in mind that colors fall in and out of fashion, and the countertop pattern can affect the price as well as the appearance. Small glass pieces soften the look, while large chips give the counter a contemporary look. Some pieces still have manufacturing marks or other identifying features, which some people find to be a sort of treasure hunt.

You can lower both labor and material prices by installing glass tiles yourself. However, if the tiles are in a high-use area like the kitchen, it's best to hire a pro. Glass tiles can pop out from heavy use if placed incorrectly.

Recycled Glass Countertops vs. Granite Countertops

Another popular option for kitchen and bathroom countertops is granite, but how do recycled glass countertops compare to granite countertops?

Glass countertops consist of old bottles, windows, light bulbs, and other post-consumer and post-industrial items. These countertops come in an array of colors. The glass is melted, crushed, recolored, and fused together with resin or cement.

Granite countertops come from natural stones like feldspar, mica, and quartz. Typically, the stone is quarried in large pieces before being cut into stones or slabs. No two pieces look alike, and slabs can have unique marks and fissures that add character.

Cost

Granite countertops cost between $40 and $100 per square foot, installed, making them more affordable than the average $60 to $120 per square foot price of recycled glass countertops.

For reference, compare these costs to the price of other similar countertops:

• Corian countertop cost: $45–$65 per sq. ft.

• Quartzite countertop cost: $80–$210 per sq. ft.

• Solid-surface countertops cost: $50–$100 per sq. ft.

Appearance

Granite countertops come in dark and light colors, with tight, granular patterns of colorful veins and streaks. Colors can vary from section to section.

Recycled glass countertops boast light to neutral backgrounds and contain varying sizes of glass flecked throughout. The glass is sometimes transparent and sometimes opaque, with the colors being more uniform. You can even get these countertops in thermoformed, clear, solid sheets.

Care

Granite countertops require maintenance to avoid staining. You’ll need to use gentle stone cleaners and reseal the countertops every one to two years.

Recycled glass countertops vary in maintenance requirements. Some resin-bound countertops may not require any sealing, while cement-bound slabs could call for routine sealing. It’s best to check with the manufacturer if you’re not sure.

Repair

If granite breaks, expect a rough surface. You may be able to glue back small fractured pieces with a stone adhesive. On the other hand, if a glass countertop breaks, it’ll leave a sharp surface that a countertop repair pro near you must fix. If there’s a clean break, you can replace a piece using stone or epoxy adhesives.

DIY vs. Hiring a Countertop Contractor

Installing a recycled glass slab countertop isn't an easy DIY project. It's best to find a countertop installer for the job. The installation is labor-intensive, and the material will likely be very heavy. Experienced installers will know if your existing structure requires supports to accommodate the weight, so check reviews and references to work with countertop and cabinet contractors.