Replies

1. 
   Benj | Dec 26, 2003 02:31am | #1

   Don't do soapstone! We loved it too for its soft look and feel and for the simple fact that it was something different than granite. We had a terrible time with it. The area around the sink needed constant oiling becasue the water left white "spots" where it soaked in. I am not the kind of person who needs to have pristine surfaces in my kitchen but the countertops always looked like a mess. Buyer beware!

2. 
   johnrgrace76 | Dec 29, 2003 08:42am | #2

   I've been looking at soapstone counters myself.  THe water spotting issue is one that I hadn't heard about before and is one I think I will investigate further before buying the material.

3. 
   maxman | Dec 30, 2003 12:19am | #3

   We've got soapstone counters, and after living with them for more than a year, I can recommend them, with some caveats.

   First, you have to like the look of soapstone enough to put up with a certain amount of maintenance, mostly in the form of regular oiling.  This is not a major chore -- touch-up oiling can be done one-handed while you're on the phone -- but unless you want the weathered grey look of "dry" soapstone, it's a fact of life.  About once a month, we take everything off the counters, clean them, and wipe them down with mineral oil.  I understand that eventually the material becomes saturated, at which point oiling is no longer necessary.  This has not happened to ours yet, but over time, the counters have definitely become far less susceptible to water-spotting.

   Second, durability is a factor.  Soapstone, because of its high talc content, is much softer than granite or slate, and it is prone to scratching (although most superficial scratches disappear when you oil the counters) and to minor chipping along the edge.  I try not to let myself get too crazy about this, given the wear-and-tear that every other surface in the house gets.

   On the plus side, soapstone will not stain -- you never need to worry about immediately wiping up red wine, cooking oil, lemon juice.  It is also completely heat-proof: you can put a hot pan down without scorching the surface.  It is also far more forgiving to china and glass than most other stone surfaces: dishes and stemware are far less likely to chip or break when you put them down a little too hard.

   Aesthetically, I think the counters are a great asset to our kitchen, which has a kind of old-fashioned butler's pantry look to it (white-painted wood cabinets, a pegged oak floor, etc).  It's also a renewable material -- in 10-15 years, when many people find themselves faced with a complete remodeling, I plan to simply have the counters sanded down and refinished.

   From what I can tell, no countertop material is perfect, and soapstone definitely has its downsides.  If you feel you can't live with these, you might look into honed black granite, which is more durable and apparently requires less maintenance (though I understand it will stain).

   Good luck.

1. 
   Aberwacky | Jan 05, 2004 05:49pm | #4

   Thanks so much for your thorough reply--just the kind of information I was looking for!

   Leigh