Soapstone! - the templating

16 years ago

As promised, Jay Tauber - aka Garden State Soapstone - came yesterday to template the stone. If you already have your counters, you know the drill. But to me, this was fascinating because I've never een the templating process before. And I am a process person.

He started in the corner where the famous Advantium cabinet will be, sitting on top of the counter. (this will be the NEW Advantium, not the one without a door that is sitting in my garage at the moment - see link below if you missed this adventure).

This is a tricky corner because of the way the cabinets are configured. Later, we spent quite a bit of time trying to decide whether the soapstone should go straight across the agonal or whether it should be cut out to follow the line of the diagonal jogs on the sides. On his right you can see what I mean.It's clearer in the sketch where it says 3 draw.

Jay was very patient while I hemmed and hawed and said "could you cut just a little more?" With his input, we finally got it to where it will be fine. He promises I'll be happy and I believe him.Here he is doing the easy part.

Of course, even though this condo is only 20 years old, the walls are wonky -- so in some places the soapstone will be flush to the wall; in others, there will be a space. This means I need a backsplash that is thick enough to hide the spaces. That lets out stainless steel and leaves tiles, which will probably be contemporary in feel and have to have dark grout. They also can't fight with the soapstone. Hmmm.. a challenge for the artist!

Here is a good shot of the run: the blank space is for the d.w.

Jay's measurements were to a 16th of an inch -- so precise that I commented, "you have to be an engineer for this," little guessing that he would say "I am." Ya never know!

He'll be back next Wed to do the installation. Stay tuned.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rayna's Cabinets are here! (scroll down to Advantium )

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Comments (7)

mary_in_nc
16 years ago
Can't wait to see your beautiful soapstone installed! Keep us posted!
neesie
16 years ago
raynag, I am so excited to see this thread because I have an existing kitchen with a diagonol cupboard and I am in the planning stages for a new countertop. I have wondered about that cut, too! My existing counters are laminate, which I hate (house is 22 years old). I am usually on the garden forums but have hopped over to the house forums. I'm not sure where to start educating myself about granite vs. other stones so I thought here would be as good a place to start as any. I don't want to hi-jack your thread, I may possibly start one of my own. But I will follow yours with interest! Good luck on your project.
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Hi all, i have pix of my kitchen in its current state. We have replaced appliances and will repaint cabinets. Soapstone counter top and white cast iron sink coming shortly. This is a 1950's ranch. The kitchen opens up to a small area which we use for seating but is really a breakfast area, then you go down 2 steps into an add on family room that is windows on 3 sides - great light. so you can see into the kitchen from the Fr and into the FR from the kitchen. next to the kitchen is the DR, with a narrow door. The kithcen used to have a slightly higher wall that covered the back of the faucet. We just t removed that and the new soapstone counter will have a overhand so we can have a few low stools as everyone wants to be in the kitchen when we cook and entertain.. so picture this with a black top, coming out more and now put in the Simplice faucet, which will be about 8 inches higher than the existing faucet.- too high? I know im being TKO ... thanks all L Here is a link that might be useful: lauriec 's faucet height question
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I am also considering a soapstone countertop for my new home. I've been to my countertop shop and have acquired a 5x5 piece. For the past few weeks, I've been conducting "experiments" on it-butter, red wine, bacon fat, olive oil, water marks, knife work, etc. I've oiled it and will now try the wax product mentioned above. I have growing confidence that I am "a soapstone person" because I've had a chance to live with it. If you are considering a soapstone counter, get a chunk and play with it before you invest in an entire kitchen. Also-re water marks. It may be that water in different locations have different mineral contents. If water marks are truly driving you crazy, play with different waters (distilled, botted, etc) and then consider a water treatment system for your home. I have high calcium in my current home. It leaves marks on everything. I've played with bottled water on my soapstone chunk, and there's a difference.
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Oh--love that orange! Orange is such a great appliance color! Decodilly: you got your new backsplash! Are you relieved? I like the look of that metal (nickel?) outlet cover. Usually people do white covers on subway tile, but lately I've been pondering this very issue, and wondering if nickel would be a nice touch. I really like it! How do you like having the one pendant over the sink? Because my kitchen is so small, I think I will have one pendant over the sink, and one central ceiling fixture. But TheHusband wonders if I should try to squeeze in 2 skinny pendants over the sink, in order to get more light. (We'll probably do some under cab lighting as well). Regarding the stove, the fold down cover is a life saver in a small kitchen! In fact, I end up using the microwave far more than I normally would, just so I can keep the stove cover down! I need the counter space so badly! My cover can go in 2 positions. Here it is, open all the way (it folds back on itself): And here it is, folded halfway, which makes a useful shelf (great for holding prep stuff when cooking): And on a more exciting note... The cabinetmaker just called!! I waited all weekend (I felt like a teenager waiting for my boyfriend to call!). He's coming Wednesday, and said he'll need about a week. In a way this is terrible timing. We celebrate Hanukkah, rather than Xmas, and this basically means no sink for the entire 8 days! I don't think I can do messy latkes and other holiday cooking without a sink. Previously, I had planned to make it easy on myself during the demo by ordering take out for a week (and using paper plates, etc.) I just don't see myself washing out a sticky, starchy food processor, or a greasy fry pan in the bathtub for several nights!! So I had a moment where I almost asked him to wait a week. And then I thought... Almost 2 years without a decent kitchen vs latkes and brisket. And if we do it right now, I just might even get a COUNTER installed by the end of the year. Hmmmmm. Hmmmmm. He's coming! And maybe we'll just have latkes Tuesday night, and call it done! Eeeek! I'm so nervous....... Francy
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bayareafrancy
16 years ago
Question: if walls are wonky (as they usually are), then, provided the slab is big enough, why can't it be scribed/fitted to the wall? That is, the section of stone wouldn't be a rectangle: the back side would be cut at an angle. Then, the overhang would be consistent, and the wall would be flush. Can't that be done? Check out the link below for the Bucks County Soapstone site where they show how they cut the counter to fit snugly against a very bumpy wall. It is about halfway down the page. This kind of work might be "above and beyond" what most places will do? I don't know. But if you really want a thin material for the backsplash...

Francy

Here is a link that might be useful: Soapstone flush against a bumpy stone wall
plllog
16 years ago
Rayna, I agree with Francy about scribing the edge. That's nothing compared to the job they did fitting my hearth to the curved concrete surround and the puddle cut into the wood to receive it. (Bad pic of {{!gwi}}.) That's the reason for getting your stone templated and fitted to your own area.

Barring that, if you really want stainless you can still do that. Sheet stainless counters are done over plywood. No reason you can't do the same for the backsplash, and the ply would give you something to wrap the sides around for really clean edges.
cat_mom
16 years ago
Rayna--when our guys installed our granite, they scribed the wall in one spot during the install. From what I remember, the granite sat pretty flush against the backsplash/wall all the way around, and let me tell you none of the walls or floors in this house are level (remind me to tell you about our new staircase sometime). I'd check with them on that if possible.

BTW--still drooling over your cabs!!!!
rgillman
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, Francy, Judy and Robin. The wall isn't exactly bumpy and I am not going to worry about it. I suspect it will sit pretty flush and Jay has done a lot of old houses. It's not worth worrying about and I suspect if he had not pointed it out to me, I would not have noticed. IF I decide to get stainless (altho I am back and forth between that and glass tiles, it's good to know it goes onto plywood. You can bet I will be whining about "which backsplash???" eventually - LOL.

Robin - you are too funny: I think your cabinets are just as gorgeous!

Nessie - please tune in anytime - and read all the threads on stone that you can find; this forum is the best for stone education, I think. I would never have known about soapstone if it were not for this forum: I just always assumed I'd get granite. My last house had laminate - but 25 years ago, who did anything BUT?
cat_mom
16 years ago
But I'm used to mine by now, yours are new eye candy to ogle!

Soapstone! - the templating

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Soapstone! - the templating

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