Help with odd soapstone problem, please
msl511
10 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (9)
eam44
10 years agomsbubbaclees
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Still confused - 'patina' on soapstone?? please help explain
Comments (25)Pluckymama: you should give Bucks County Soapstone a call about whatever it is that they use to treat the stone to keep in gray. They gave me large piece and we treated one side of it. I oiled the stone several times and the gray side stayed gray. My daughter now uses it as a trivet for her flat iron and the light side is still light. The stone was Black Venata. Casey: I'm fascinated that your stone uniformly darkened in less than a year. When I was at an appliance store with a live kitchen, the owner there told me he nevered oiled the soapstone counter he had there and it looked great; not near black but quite dark and uniform. Your counters look great! Could you tell me what you used to remove the oil?...See MoreNot loving my soapstone (yet?) and backsplash help please!
Comments (28)When talking backsplash concepts, no one asked you what decorative items will you display in your beautiful kitchen. Do you collect china, baskets, pottery, or change decor themes seasonally? Will you ever change your backsplash again, or will it be the same one as long as you own this home? What is your design inspiration for this room? (Artwork, soft furnishing fabrics, or collected items like :Portmerion China with green, blue splatterware, gorgeous pottery with colorful glazes, Fiesta Ware?) The design world is offering new choices at the fastest pace ever. (Thanks to being able to share new designs immediately via the internet.) Will you regret installing something that is the "latest flash in the pan"? Mosaics in general fall into this category. The 60's one inch mosaic tiles, the 70's use of orange, gold and avocado, the 80's and 90's embossed tiles, then the introduction of the first water jet cut tiles that have led to the high end stone mosaics. Tile shape-square, diamond, subway running bond, pencil strips, each speak to an era. But the important thing to remember: this is your kitchen. Unless you built to flip it, you are the only one who has to love it. Keep in mind what really tickles you. What really excites you in the way of style? Stay on that path. Your kitchen has a very traditional feel to it. Will the use of any glass tiles date it too quickly? Some current trends disappear sooner than others. It takes a good tilesetter to install certain mosaics. Some of the glass tiles on the market have a color layer behind the glass, rather that being "true color glass". It you are very picky these may not please you once installed. (The color layer shreds when cut on some I've installed for a friend). I like the mosaic on the right, too. It seems rich, yet neutral. I've had my soapstone counters for about 12 years. I didn't want the "shiny granite" look in my kitchen, The splotchy look will come and go, depending on how much oil or wax has washed off. It will take semi regular sealing or oiling to keep the consistent dark color. (Which I prefer, but not all do.) The counters are "very soft", and will get dinged up pretty good. I wanted an "old farm house" feel, and I got it. When the chips on the counter bother you, sand them a bit. I have used a nail file on the chips on the edges, which then make it easier for the oil to be absorbed there. (Continue sanding with finer grits to smooth as desired.) I don't mind the dings, I just don't want them to stand out as white against a predominantly black countertop. Have fun as you continue. Remember, the only "right answer" is what pleases you for your lovely workspace....See MoreSoapstone problems... I think. Can you help?
Comments (26)fern4: I believe Florida-Joshua considers his techniques proprietary so an answer from him on why honing is desirable might be too revealing. So let me take a stab at your question from a materials point of view, since I don't have any proprietary knowledge. Most soapstone types sold today have various inclusions in them. They aren't pure talc. Belvedere, for example, seems to have quartz inclusions. To sand quartz and talc together without causing waves requires a "sandpaper" with a cutting material good for quartz, such as silicon carbide or diamond, and a very flat platen to sand with, and no pressure mistakes. Sometimes, as in car body finishing (at least in the lacquer days), better results are obtained by using a fine grit in a carrier liquid than using wet sandpaper. I can imagine the following. To get good oil retention on the talc, a fairly coarse grit is needed. But for the inclusions a finer grit is needed to keep them shiny. If a final honing with fine grit is used over the coarser sanded talc portions, it will not take down the grooves in the talc very much, and one gets the desired results -- a polish on the quartz and little degradation of the talc surface pattern. This assumes that the final coarse sanding was brief enough to not cut deep grooves into the quartz. I wouldn't expect to get this process, if it is even valid, to work well without a lot of experience. kas...See MoreSoapstone owners - Please help a lost, weary soul!!!
Comments (23)I don't think the soap and water treatment really removes much oil. If I've freshly oiled the counters and then clean up with soap and water, I don't notice the stone looking less dark -- i.e. it doesn't revert to the light grey (unoiled) look that is characteristic of unoiled stone -- it stays just as dark. I think the reason that it's OK to use water and soap is that the SS is very impermeable, and doesn't get stains and nothing soaks in, so you don't really have to scrub. Just a light cleaning with water and soap. I have unglazed hex tiles on my bathroom floor, and I really have to get on my hands and knees to scrub those things clean (especially since we have pets, and they love hanging out on the heated floor... and they are always tracking in dirt and mud here in rainy oregon). The counters never take much scrubbing, even if we spill something and don't notice it for a while (my husband is always spilling coffee in the mornings and I never notice it until the end of the day). You don't have to work up a lather to get the SS clean, so I don't think you really use enough soap to strip out the oil. Hope that helps!...See MoreCEFreeman
10 years agoeaga
10 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
10 years agoStoneshine
10 years agosombreuil_mongrel
10 years agojl017251r
10 months ago
Related Stories
KITCHEN DESIGNKitchen Counters: Durable, Easy-Clean Soapstone
Give bacteria the boot and say sayonara to stains with this long-lasting material that's a great choice for kitchen and bath countertops
Full StoryECLECTIC HOMESHouzz Tour: Problem Solving on a Sloped Lot in Austin
A tricky lot and a big oak tree make building a family’s new home a Texas-size adventure
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNSoapstone Counters: A Love Story
Love means accepting — maybe even celebrating — imperfections. See if soapstone’s assets and imperfections will work for you
Full StoryKITCHEN COUNTERTOPS10 Top Backsplashes to Pair With Soapstone Countertops
Simplify your decision-making process by checking out how these styles work with soapstone
Full StoryPETS6 Ways to Help Your Dog and Landscape Play Nicely Together
Keep your prized plantings intact and your dog happy too, with this wisdom from an expert gardener and dog guardian
Full StoryHOUSEKEEPINGWhen You Need Real Housekeeping Help
Which is scarier, Lifetime's 'Devious Maids' show or that area behind the toilet? If the toilet wins, you'll need these tips
Full StorySELLING YOUR HOUSEHelp for Selling Your Home Faster — and Maybe for More
Prep your home properly before you put it on the market. Learn what tasks are worth the money and the best pros for the jobs
Full StorySELLING YOUR HOUSE10 Tricks to Help Your Bathroom Sell Your House
As with the kitchen, the bathroom is always a high priority for home buyers. Here’s how to showcase your bathroom so it looks its best
Full StoryDECLUTTERINGDownsizing Help: How to Edit Your Belongings
Learn what to take and what to toss if you're moving to a smaller home
Full StoryMOST POPULAR7 Ways Cats Help You Decorate
Furry felines add to our decor in so many ways. These just scratch the surface
Full Story
eam44