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We are considering soapstone, slate, fireslate2. Most of the info on these claim similar properties, etc. Is there an unbiased opinion about pros/cons for the best choice for kitchen counters.
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My personal preferences?:
1) slate
2) Soap (a very close second)
3) Fireslate2
In chosing slate vs soap, it would really be a tossup to the aesthetic beauty of the particular stone, in terms of specific veining and grain.
I do like 2" thick slate in darker, charcoal- or gray-green colors. I've never used soap, but have seen some drop-dead gorgeous pieces. Wonderful.
Do a few searches (not here, but on the web), realize that there is a small amount of maintenance to be done. Also, go over to the Fine Cooking forum and see what the folks there think. They chop, mince, and dice on this stuff every day. there are also a couple of kitchen designers there that can offer some practical advice.
*I would be very careful about planning on using serpentine (soapstone) for kitchen countertops. While it is acid and heat resistant and used for countertops (industrial labs, etc) I would avoid slicing and dicing on it. There are different species of serpentine, but all have (to some degree) the short fiberous crystals that we have been warned about inhaling. Think of abestos. Also, due to the high concentration of calcium serpentine is very soft, only a bit more harder than talc. I think wear would become quite evident quite soon.I imagine you could still use it but encased under thick layers of a clear finish. But, what kind of finish do you know of that will allow the beauty of the mineral to show and yet remain safe, ie, non-toxic? Besides, I can only think of the high maintenance this would require in residential use.
*Have soapstone in my kitchen, a good friend has slate. The slate looked terrific when installed, but couldn't hold up even to light use. Within 6 months, it was looking really shabby. When I put in the soapstone, I did it because I knew it was soft and would chop up, ding and chip. Well, it hasn't chipped, but starting with the idea that it was going to take a beating, it has but continues to look great. It was made to get beat up. Like a good old pair of workboots, it gets better with every wearing. Just don't expect it to stay perfect and you'll love it.SHG
*Many years ago FHB featured a kitchen on the cover with Fireslate and the cooks in that house reported they were very satisfied. I'd like to hear from someone who has worked it and find out if it is as easy to tool with carbide blades as the company's literature suggests. I have read and heard similar problems with slate as SHG reports; and believe soapstone to be as SHG reports. I believe Fireslate is much less expensive - somewhere between p-lam and solid surface materials in cost.
*My reference to "They chop, mince, and dice on this stuff every day" in post #1 was misleading. I don't want to infer that anyone should ever put a knife edge to stone. That's what cutting boards are for. I was referring to the thought that hard-core cooks would have more practical experience with these surfaces than most nail pounders who consider toaster streudel to be "fine kwizeen."Some stone does react to acid, and should be periodically sealed to minimize those reactions. To me, the biggest practical advantage to stone is hot pots can go anywhere, either out of the oven or off the cooktop, right onto the stone. No melting, burning, etc. Most every stone performs well enough for pastry/dough work as well, much better that plams and solid surface. Aesthetically, for me there is no comparison between Mother Nature's product and a countertop made from the leftover goo in the bottom of a barrel of crude oil. Real world? There are places for both materials.Stone suppliers in my area do differentiate between certain slates and soaps, in terms of some are good for walls, tiles, etc, and some are good for countertop use. As the previous posters have mentioned, not every derivation of a certain kind of stone is suitable for across-the-board application. Your installer/fabricator/sales folk should be able to hand-hold you through the process in getting a material that suits your needs for the desired application.
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We are considering soapstone, slate, fireslate2. Most of the info on these claim similar properties, etc. Is there an unbiased opinion about pros/cons for the best choice for kitchen counters.